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.
2010s Contemporary More Art
Paper, Pastel, Gouache
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary More Art
Acrylic, Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Wood, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Thread, Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Tapestry, Wool
2010s Contemporary More Art
Concrete
1990s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Oil
20th Century Contemporary More Art
Paper, Pastel
2010s Contemporary More Art
Ink, Mixed Media, Lithograph, Offset
2010s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Metal, Wire
1960s Contemporary More Art
Lithograph
2010s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Shuxing Fan paints alluring florals in shades of lilac, blue, yellow, and white. He fixes them on a contrasting chic gray ce...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Oil
2010s Contemporary More Art
Wood, Mixed Media, Screen
2010s Contemporary More Art
Wood, Screen
Early 2000s Contemporary More Art
Paper, Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary More Art
Resin
2010s Contemporary More Art
Textile, Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Wood, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary More Art
Acrylic, Board, Pencil, Color Pencil
Early 2000s Contemporary More Art
Organic Material
2010s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Digital
2010s Contemporary More Art
Granite, Metal
2010s Contemporary More Art
Paper, Linocut
2010s Contemporary More Art
Ceramic, Clay, Glaze
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Thread
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Metal
2010s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary More Art
Paper, Mixed Media, Permanent Marker, Lithograph, Offset
2010s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Oil Pastel, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary More Art
Stainless Steel
2010s Contemporary More Art
Screen, Newsprint
Artist Comments
"This horse was just one in the midst of a crowd at the Santa Fe rodeo - a group that was waiting in the pens behind the action," shares artist Heather Foster...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Glass
2010s Contemporary More Art
Resin, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Paint
2010s Contemporary More Art
Organic Material
2010s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary More Art
Ceramic, Clay, Glaze
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Paper, Ink
2010s Contemporary More Art
Stone, Granite, Copper
1970s Contemporary More Art
Paper, Offset
1950s Contemporary More Art
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
Artist Comments
Nestled among layers of pink and contrasting leaves, a bright red-breasted bird prepares for flight. A twig seemingly dangles from its beak. Its vibrant pluma...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Oil
2010s Contemporary More Art
Plywood
2010s Contemporary More Art
Paper, Acrylic, Pencil, Color Pencil
Late 20th Century Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary More Art
Acrylic, Panel
1990s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Board, Screen
Early 2000s Contemporary More Art
Ceramic, Mixed Media, Screen
2010s Contemporary More Art
Ink, Handmade Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Stainless Steel
2010s Contemporary More Art
Cotton, Thread, Sailcloth