Contemporary More Art
Used to refer to a time rather than an aesthetic, Contemporary art generally describes pieces created after 1970 or being made by living artists anywhere in the world. This immediacy means it encompasses art responding to the present moment through diverse subjects, media and themes. Contemporary painting, sculpture, photography, performance, digital art, video and more frequently includes work that is attempting to reshape current ideas about what art can be, from Felix Gonzalez-Torres’s use of candy to memorialize a lover he lost to AIDS-related complications to Jenny Holzer’s ongoing “Truisms,” a Conceptual series that sees provocative messages printed on billboards, T-shirts, benches and other public places that exist outside of formal exhibitions and the conventional “white cube” of galleries.
Contemporary art has been pushing the boundaries of creative expression for years. Its disruption of the traditional concepts of art are often aiming to engage viewers in complex questions about identity, society and culture. In the latter part of the 20th century, contemporary movements included Land art, in which artists like Robert Smithson and Michael Heizer create large-scale, site-specific sculptures, installations and other works in soil and bodies of water; Sound art, with artists such as Christian Marclay and Susan Philipsz centering art on sonic experiences; and New Media art, in which mass media and digital culture inform the work of artists such as Nam June Paik and Rafaël Rozendaal.
The first decades of the 21st century have seen the growth of Contemporary African art, the revival of figurative painting, the emergence of street art and the rise of NFTs, unique digital artworks that are powered by blockchain technology.
Major Contemporary artists practicing now include Ai Weiwei, Cecily Brown, David Hockney, Yayoi Kusama, Jeff Koons, Takashi Murakami and Kara Walker.
Find a collection of Contemporary prints, photography, paintings, sculptures and other art on 1stDibs.
Early 2000s Contemporary More Art
Paper, Etching
Artist Comments
"For this painting I got inspired to paint something very small with lots of details," says Jose. "On the matchbox I painted the smallest copy of a painting that I have every painted. The copy is of a self portrait painting of Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun. This type of vintage matchbox...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Oil
1960s Contemporary More Art
Wood, Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary More Art
Metal
2010s Contemporary More Art
Rice Paper, Organic Material, Lights, Other Medium
2010s Contemporary More Art
Gesso, Fabric, Wood, Varnish, Watercolor
2010s Contemporary More Art
Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Oil
Early 2000s Contemporary More Art
Paper, Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary More Art
Luster, Terracotta, Glaze
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Metal, Iron
Early 2000s Contemporary More Art
Ceramic, Paint
2010s Contemporary More Art
Gold
2010s Contemporary More Art
Steel, Metal
2010s Contemporary More Art
Metal
2010s Contemporary More Art
Monotype
Artist Comments
I love opportunities for multiple meanings and possibilities for contact with our deeper states of being and knowing. While this panting was inspired by seve...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Acrylic
2010s Contemporary More Art
Fabric, Thread, Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary More Art
Textile, Canvas, Acrylic Polymer, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary More Art
Oil
2010s Contemporary More Art
Oil
2010s Contemporary More Art
Oil
2010s Contemporary More Art
Thread, Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Laminate, Wood, Automotive Paint
2010s Contemporary More Art
Acrylic, Canvas
2010s Contemporary More Art
Fabric, Cotton, Wood, Dye
2010s Contemporary More Art
Monotype
2010s Contemporary More Art
Archival Ink
2010s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary More Art
Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Thread
2010s Contemporary More Art
Thread, Paper, Found Objects, Mixed Media, Photographic Paper
2010s Contemporary More Art
Monotype
Artist Comments
I could gaze at this painting all day! It has an uplifting and calming presence, and because of its size, you feel like you are being wrapped in a luxurious ...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Acrylic
2010s Contemporary More Art
Archival Ink
2010s Contemporary More Art
Blown Glass
2010s Contemporary More Art
Color Pencil, Paper, Acrylic, Permanent Marker, Pencil
2010s Contemporary More Art
Paper, Acrylic, Permanent Marker, Pencil, Color Pencil
2010s Contemporary More Art
Gold
2010s Contemporary More Art
Ceramic
2010s Contemporary More Art
Paper, Washi Paper
2010s Contemporary More Art
Metal, Brass, Stainless Steel
2010s Contemporary More Art
Paper, Etching
2010s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Color Pencil, Pencil, Acrylic, Paper
2010s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Acrylic, Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary More Art
Paper, Acrylic, Pencil, Color Pencil
2010s Contemporary More Art
Plexiglass, Neon Light
2010s Contemporary More Art
Gold
Artist Comments
As the sun slowly sets behind the headlands, a bold and colorful drama unfolds above. This painting is on a gallery wrapped canvas with all sides finished in...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Oil
2010s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Acrylic, Color Pencil, Paper, Pencil
2010s Contemporary More Art
Wood
2010s Contemporary More Art
Glass
2010s Contemporary More Art
Gold
2010s Contemporary More Art
Gold
2010s Contemporary More Art
Gold
2010s Contemporary More Art
Ceramic