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.
$3,000
Princess /// Contemporary Street Pop Art Painting Grace Kelly Abstract Colorful
Located in Saint Augustine, FL
Artist: Jack Graves III (American, 1988-) Title: "Princess" Series: Eclecticism *Signed by Graves lower left. It is also signed, titled, and dated on verso Year: 2024 Medium: Origi...
Canvas, Paint, Acrylic
"Beat, Beat. Plus Outro (Linea Pictura — Diptych)" Abstract Diptych with String
Located in Philadelphia, PA
"Beat, Beat. Plus Outro (Linea Pictura — Diptych)" is an original artwork by Hyland Mather made of acrylic, ink, string, pins on drop cloth, in tray frames. It measures approx 43”h x...
Canvas, Thread, Acrylic, Pins
Dandelion Yellow Drip III - Contemporary Abstract Figurative Sculptural Artwork
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Nebraka-based Jamie Burmeister is a sculptural artist known for his original artworks incorporating original small bronze and aluminum figures, standing at just up to 4 inches tall. ...
Metal
$8,771
2022 I - 5 by Christiane Maurer - Fiber Art, Geometric Patterns, Handwoven
Located in Paris, FR
2022 I – 3 is a unique textile (double weave, handwoven cotton stretched on frame) artwork by contemporary artist Christiane Maurer, dimensions are 112 × 92 cm (44.1 × 36.2 in). The...
Textile, Cotton
$775
Open Your Heart - Abstract Blue Graffiti Inspired 'Love You' Mixed Media Art
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles artist Amber Goldhammer paints dramatic abstract compositions in acrylic on canvas featuring energetic brushstrokes. Goldhammer uses her contemporary paintings to express...
Canvas, Latex, Mixed Media, Spray Paint, Acrylic
$2,475
Wood Drip III - Rainbow Contemporary Abstract Figurative Sculptural Artwork
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Nebraka-based Jamie Burmeister is a sculptural artist known for his original artworks incorporating original small bronze and aluminum figures, standing at just up to 4 inches tall. ...
Metal
Contemporary Abstract Landscape Painting, Oil on Canvas, 13x13 Inches
Located in Santa Fe, NM
Inspired by the drama of nature and light, Cynthia creates abstracted landscapes with oil on canvas.
Canvas, Oil
Sun No.11 - Abstract Folk Art Inspired Figurative Mixed Media Painting on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Meredith Walker creates vibrant original artworks that merge the enduring charm of folk art with a contemporary sensibility shaped by nature, memory, and visual storytelling. Inspire...
Canvas, Acrylic, Gouache
L'aparté des couleurs, Large Abstract, Contemporary, French, Oil on canvas
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Sophie Dumont is a French contemporary painter based in Normandy, France. Working exclusively in oil on canvas, she has developed a distinctive visual language rooted in layering, ma...
Oil
The Bird: Contemporary Abstract Oil Painting on Canvas, Green
Located in Bogotá, Bogotá
The Bird is a Contemporary abstract oil painting on canvas in shades of green, created with professional Winsor & Newton and Rembrandt oil paints. The surface is built up through...
Cotton Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$1,416Sale Price|25% Off
The newborn light that is me - Atmospheric dreamy pink & green abstract painting
Located in Silverthorne, CO
A rapturous pink and green ode to water and light. When I paint, I use cloth rags taken from daily life. For this painting, I used one of the discarded head coverings I was forced to...
Oil
Rodeo Rouge - Abstract Figurative Cowgirl Pinup Portrait Painting on Paper Map
By Jesse Black
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Jesse’s imagery often merges playful and gritty elements, blending floral patterns, vintage-inspired designs, and bold outlines with a touch of whimsy. His artwork exudes a sense of ...
Paint, Paper, Acrylic
$545
Peculiar Bloom - Abstract Folk Art Inspired Mixed Media Painting on Raw Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Meredith Walker creates vibrant original artworks that merge the enduring charm of folk art with a contemporary sensibility shaped by nature, memory, and visual storytelling. Inspire...
Canvas, Acrylic, Gouache
$3,003
Lisiere d'horizon, French Abstract Landscape Painting, Contemporary Coastal
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
In Lisière d'horizon, Sophie Dumont distills the landscape to its essential rhythms. Broad horizontal bands of muted blues, warm ochres, soft whites and earthy reds suggest the meeti...
Oil
$545
Sun No.8 - Abstract Folk Art Inspired Figurative Mixed Media Painting on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Meredith Walker creates vibrant original artworks that merge the enduring charm of folk art with a contemporary sensibility shaped by nature, memory, and visual storytelling. Inspire...
Canvas, Acrylic, Gouache
Return of Dawn, Contemporary Oil Painting on Canvas, Framed, 37x61"
Located in Santa Fe, NM
Neutrals, brown, ochre, black, white, green. 37 x 62" oil painting on canvas Inspired by the drama of nature and light, Cynthia creates abstracted landscapes with oil on canvas.
Canvas, Wood, Oil
The Sun Born Over and Over, Abstract Oil on Linen, Signed, 150x80 cm
Located in Silverthorne, CO
A soaring, dramatic, golden sunset flaming across the sky. The golden light. The pink hues of hope. The planet we live on, all of us, spinning on its axis around our warm living sun...
Linen, Oil
Fascinating Feline - Original Abstract Animal Cat Portrait Artwork on Paper
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Columbus, Georgia (USA) based artist Kellie Newsome specializes in dynamic and abstracted still-life artworks. Her expressive style emphasizes line structure, creating vibrant painti...
Paper, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Pencil
$545
Rule of Threes - Abstract Folk Art Inspired Mixed Media Painting on Raw Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Meredith Walker creates vibrant original artworks that merge the enduring charm of folk art with a contemporary sensibility shaped by nature, memory, and visual storytelling. Inspire...
Canvas, Acrylic, Gouache
Jack Straw - Abstract Minimal Color Beige Textured Mixed Media Artwork on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles artist Amber Goldhammer paints dramatic abstract compositions in acrylic on canvas featuring energetic brushstrokes. Goldhammer uses her contemporary paintings to express...
Canvas, Latex, Mixed Media, Spray Paint, Acrylic
Rush, Contemporary Monochromatic Abstract Painting
By Matt Higgins
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This painting examines the interplay between spontaneity and stillness through expressive black-and-white gestures. Layered brushstrokes reveal abstract floral forms, creating a spac...
Canvas, Acrylic
$3,002
Between 2 Shores Modern French Abstract Landscape Painting, Contemporary Coastal
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Between Two Shores is an original oil on canvas by French contemporary artist Sophie Dumont. Inspired by the ever-changing landscapes of the Normandy coast, this work captures the f...
Oil
$890
Nine Skies, Geometric Interpretations Grid, Bauhaus Landscape Tiles, Color Field
Located in Barcelona, ES
“Nine Skies” by Natalia Roman is a contemporary geometric abstraction that evokes shifting atmospheres through a refined language of color and form. Organized in a rhythmic grid, eac...
Acrylic
$320Sale Price|20% Off
"My Gracious Pink Butterfly" Contemporary Pop Art Oil Painting w Floater Frame
By Cindy Shaoul
Located in New York, NY
Motivated by bold color and fast brushwork, we are moved by the simplicity and thick textured oil paints in these works. Shaoul’s “My Butterfly Collection” is a vibrant and energetic...
Oil, Board, Resin
$2,850
Unspoken Bond - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Modern Women
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Artist The...
Canvas, Charcoal, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Demeter - Modern Woven and Painted Abstract Artwork
Located in Hallein, AT
"Demeter", hand-woven painting, linen yarn, acrylic textile paint, 120 x 79 cm, 2022. This work are a symbiosis of two disciplines of art, Painting and Weaving. Handwoven Canvas is e...
Textile, Wool, Cotton, Linen, Yarn, Acrylic
$2,119
Beneath the bougainvillea balcony Contemporary Architecture House Oil Painting
By Lilly Muth
Located in DE
Lilly Muth's architectural paintings transport viewers on a visual journey to a different world, where imagination knows no bounds and the boundaries between reality and fantasy blur...
Canvas, Oil
Yellow Smudge - Vibrant Yellow Tone Abstract Figurative Sculptural Wall Artwork
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Nebraka-based Jamie Burmeister is a sculptural artist known for his original artworks incorporating original small bronze figures, standing at just up to 4 inches tall. His unique fi...
Metal
$2,800
Blue Dots IV - Pink Tone Contemporary Abstract Figurative Sculptural Artwork
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Nebraka-based Jamie Burmeister is a sculptural artist known for his original artworks incorporating original small bronze figures, standing at just up to 4 inches tall. His unique fi...
Metal
In My White Boots - Colorful Abstract Feminine Figurative Still Life Art
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Southern California native Courtney Simone seamlessly blends her passion for abstract art with the exploration of everyday beauty, resulting in exuberantly inspired abstract figurati...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Homecoming - Bright Ethereal Green Abstract Painting, Signed, 50x50 CM
Located in Silverthorne, CO
My first painting back in the Italy Studio, where the nature around me is still veiled by winter, but the tiny buds on the tree branches and the primrose carpeting the forest floor a...
Oil
In The Presence of Fragrant Bliss - Abstract Landscape Mixed Media Art on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles artist Amber Goldhammer paints dramatic abstract compositions in acrylic on canvas featuring energetic brushstrokes. Goldhammer uses her contemporary paintings to express...
Canvas, Latex, Ink, Mixed Media, Spray Paint, Acrylic
Gold Leaf Acrylic Painting of Cowboys, Minimalist Landscape, 80x60 cm
Located in DE
A sun-drenched landscape unfolds with rhythmic simplicity. This acrylic painting captures a quiet gathering in the arid heart of the West. Figures in traditional attire blend into th...
Gold Leaf
White Hills
Located in San Francisco, CA
Alejandro Rubio White Hills, 2022 Oil on canvas 16 x 40 inches This one-of-a-kind oil painting on canvas is stretched across wooden stretcher bars.
Canvas, Oil
$8,771
2022 I-1 by Christiane Maurer - Fiber Art, Geometric Patterns, Handwoven
Located in Paris, FR
2022 I – 1 is a unique textile (double weave, handwoven cotton stretched on frame) artwork by contemporary artist Christiane Maurer, dimensions are 112 × 92 cm (44.1 × 36.2 in). The...
Textile, Cotton
Into Day
Located in Burlingame, CA
The impressionist land and water scene from Brooks Anderson. This estuary scene of Marin captures you and takes you on a journey from stream to ocean. Artist signed, titled and dated...
Oil, Panel
$450
Africa Motifs 2 -21st Century Contemporary, Abstract Expressionism, Design
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (Issued by the Gal...
Canvas, Acrylic
$4,120
Trees 2 June 15:42 - Modern Nature Painting, Landscape, Forest, Contemplativ
Located in Hallein, AT
Robert Motelski's paintings are exceptional visions of nature, visions of space which surrounds us. They tell about being, fate and passing. They depend on the season of year, the ti...
Canvas, Oil
$5,651
Au bord du jour, Contemporary Large Abstract landscape Oil Painting, 34 x 34 in
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Au bord du jour - Oil on canvas Unframed: 80 x 80 x 2 cm (31.50 x 31.50 x 0.79 in) Framed: 87 x 87 x 3.5 cm (34.25 x 34.25 x 1.38 in) Black or natural wood floater frame available Si...
Canvas, Oil
$3,050
Nature's Beauty - Large Scale Mixed Media Graffiti Inspired Artwork on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles artist Amber Goldhammer paints dramatic abstract compositions in acrylic on canvas featuring energetic brushstrokes. Goldhammer uses her contemporary paintings to express...
Canvas, Latex, Spray Paint, Acrylic
"Kitten Bouquet" - Contemporary Mixed-Media Collage on Wood
By Zoa Ace
Located in Denver, CO
Born in Rockford, Illinois, 1951 Zoa Ace creates figurative oil paintings that explore human relationships through theatrical narratives infused with symbolic animals and whimsical...
Canvas, Oil
$3,522
Terres d'eclaircie, Abstract Landscape, Contemporary Oil Painting, Framed, 2026
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
In Terres d'éclaircie, Sophie Dumont transforms the landscape into a refined composition of layered textures, luminous earth tones and subtle blue accents. Broad abstract planes evok...
Oil
$3,350
Golden Shade of Love - Large Scale Mixed Media Graffiti Inspired Art on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles artist Amber Goldhammer paints dramatic abstract compositions in acrylic on canvas featuring energetic brushstrokes. Goldhammer uses her contemporary paintings to express...
Canvas, Latex, Ink, Mixed Media, Spray Paint, Acrylic
Gale - Contemporary Abstract Acrylic Painting on Canvas, Framed, 32x26 in
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This contemporary abstract acrylic painting was inspired by nature. Sandra Goldie’s artwork has been praised by one of Quebec’s leading abstract artists. Leopold Plotek described th...
Canvas, Acrylic
"You Are Here: S Thing" Thread and Acrylic in Graffiti Letter
By Kelly Kozma
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This sculpture titled "You Are Here: S Thing" is an original artwork by Kelly Kozma made of thread scraps & acrylic on panel. The piece measures 4"h x 4"w x 1.75"d. Kelly Kozma ...
Found Objects, Acrylic, Panel
$2,356
The future is calling us for - Contemporary Architecture Pool House Oil Painting
By Lilly Muth
Located in DE
Lilly Muth's architectural paintings transport viewers on a visual journey to a different world, where imagination knows no bounds and the boundaries between reality and fantasy blur...
Canvas, Oil
$10,000
Grass Blue Wild Flower - Sky Blue Periwinkle Magenta Abstract Painting, 2022
By Josette Urso
Located in Kent, CT
Thoughtfully combined sections of varying textures and areas of pattern, stripes, circles, dots and undulations in cheerful, exuberant color. Little moments in luminous shades of sky...
Canvas, Oil
$2,200
"INTRO MELODY INTRO REPRISE", abstract mixed media dark geometric painting
Located in Philadelphia, PA
"INTRO MELODY INTRO REPRISE" is an original artwork by Hyland Mather made of acrylic and aerosol with string and pins on canvas, the work is presented in a solid wood tray frame. It ...
Canvas, Thread, Wood, Acrylic, Pins
$675
Love Tide Washes In - Mixed Media Street Graffiti Inspired Artwork on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles artist Amber Goldhammer paints dramatic abstract compositions in acrylic on canvas featuring energetic brushstrokes. Goldhammer uses her contemporary paintings to express...
Canvas, Latex, Ink, Mixed Media, Spray Paint, Acrylic
Reminiscing
Located in Burlingame, CA
Elizabeth Geisler is best known for contemporary paintings of water that bridge realism and abstraction. At close range, her surfaces appear loose and ambiguous, but from a distance ...
Canvas, Acrylic
When the time slowed for us - Contemporary Architecture House Oil Painting
By Lilly Muth
Located in DE
Lilly Muth's architectural paintings transport viewers on a visual journey to a different world, where imagination knows no bounds and the boundaries between reality and fantasy blur...
Canvas, Oil
$450
Africa Motifs 6 -21st Century Contemporary, Abstract Expressionism, Design
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (Issued by the Gal...
Canvas, Acrylic
$4,238
Passage des Volumes – Contemporary Abstract Geometric Painting, Architectural
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Title: Passage des Volumes Artist: Sophie Dumont Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions: 65 x 54 cm (25.6 x 21.3 in) Framed dimensions: approx. 72 x 61 cm (28.3 x 24 in) Year: 2025 Conditi...
Oil
$348Sale Price|24% Off
Colorful Geometric Houses with Jetty, Playful Architectural Acrylic Painting
Located in FISTERRA, ES
Colorful geometric houses beside a jetty emerge from a delicately sketched landscape in this playful architectural acrylic painting by Spanish artist María Magán Lampón. Created in ...
Canvas, Acrylic
$5,183
Large Contemporary Abstract Painting Gestural Mixed Media Mediterranean Light
By Ángel Celada
Located in FISTERRA, ES
Large contemporary abstract painting with gestural marks and layered mixed media textures inspired by Mediterranean light and atmosphere. This work by Ángel Celada develops an open ...
Oil, Spray Paint, Acrylic, Board, Wax Crayon, Wax
Between Dreams
Located in Burlingame, CA
Elizabeth Geisler is best known for contemporary paintings of water that bridge realism and abstraction. At close range, her surfaces appear loose and ambiguous, but from a distance ...
Canvas, Acrylic
$3,350
Echoes of Identity - 21st Century, Contemporary, Abstract Figuration, Modern
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Artist The...
Canvas, Acrylic
Garden - Contemporary Jade Green Aqua Blue Poured Painting, 2025
Located in Kent, CT
Garden by Susan English, a contemporary poured painting, is a wonderful play of color, light, and composition. Vertical stripes and blocks of color in hues of soft jade, pale mint gr...
Acrylic Polymer, Panel
$378Sale Price|35% Off
Park XVI (Berlin artist, Postwar, Contemporary, Abstract vs Figurative)
Located in Kansas City, MO
Barbara Keidel Park XVI Mixed media, pastel on handmade, toned laid paper 1997 Size: 29.5 × 21.25 inches (75 × 54 cm) Signed and dated in pencil Additionally hand-signed, dated, tit...
Pastel, Mixed Media, Laid Paper
Dotted Clover - Warm Abstract Folk Art Inspired Botanical Painting on Raw Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Meredith Walker’s "Dotted Clover" is a bold and meditative piece of contemporary folk art that highlights her ability to blend simplicity with symbolic resonance. This original acryl...
Canvas, Acrylic, Gouache