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.
$2,650
Still Night - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Africa, 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 May...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Mediterranean Male Nude by Boat Sitges School Figurative Coastal Scene oil art
Located in Sitges, Barcelona
Mediterranean Male Nude by Boat, Sitges School Figurative Coastal Scene Artist: F. Benítez Date: 2012 Medium: Oil on panel Support: Panel Dimensions (panel): 35 × 50 cm (13.8 × 19.7...
Oil
Talking with You
Located in Zofingen, AG
This painting reflects a quiet moment shared by two people whose conversation seems untouched by time. They may be close friends or perhaps a couple — the kind of connection where wo...
Canvas, Acrylic
After the Game (Figurative Painting, Two Men in Athletic Uniforms by Mark Beard)
By Mark Beard
Located in Hudson, NY
Academic style figurative portrait painting of a handsome young men "After the Game", By Mark Beard as Bruce Sargeant (pseudonym in homage to the fashion photographer, Bruce Weber, a...
Canvas, Oil
State of Mind 15 -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Women, Floral
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
The artist's expressive strokes, rendered with bold acrylics, bring to life a figurative portrait that speaks volumes about resilience and aspiration. The interplay of colors and tex...
Canvas, Acrylic
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
Mountains 16 January 10:41 - Modern Nature Landscape Painting
Located in Salzburg, 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, Acrylic
TROPIC 1 by Ramon Enrich - Landscape Painting, Earth Tones, Architecture
By Ramon Enrich
Located in Paris, FR
TROPIC 1 is a unique acrylic on paper mounted on wood painting by contemporary artist Ramon Enrich, dimensions are 94.5 × 134 cm (37.2 × 52.8 in). The artwork is signed, sold frame...
Wood, Paper, Acrylic
Camouflage
Located in Zofingen, AG
This work is a manifesto about finding oneself within the confines of strict boundaries and external expectations. It is based on a period of life when the environment dictated the r...
Canvas, Oil
$337Sale Price|25% Off
With You - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Modern, Africa
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 Tos...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$1,307
Landscape 20 - 21st Century Contemporary Impressionistic Landscape Painting
Located in Nuenen, Noord Brabant
Frank Dekkers Landscape 20 15 x 20 cm (framed, included in price 20 x 25 cm) oil on Panel About the artist: Frank Dekkers, an outdoor painter, but not a "square painter" as we know...
Oil, Wood Panel
$2,175
Island Life - Abstract Colorful Feminine Figurative Acrylic Artwork Beach Scene
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
$1,307
Landscape 07 - 21st Century Contemporary Impressionistic Landscape Painting
Located in Nuenen, Noord Brabant
Frank Dekkers Landscape 07 15 x 20 cm (framed, included in price 20 x 25 cm) oil on Panel About the artist: Frank Dekkers, an outdoor painter, but not a "square painter" as we know...
Oil, Wood Panel
Sédhiou N1 by Calo Carratalá - Waterscape painting, Senegal, Africa
Located in Paris, FR
Sédhiou N1 is a unique oil on canvas painting by Spanish contemporary artist Calo Carratalá, dimensions are 150 × 300 cm (59 × 118.1 in) The artwork is signed, sold unframed and come...
Oil, Canvas
$337Sale Price|25% Off
Passport 1 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Neo-Expressionism, Modern
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique; this is not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Ar...
Canvas, Acrylic
$337Sale Price|25% Off
Guy - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Neo-Expressionism, Africa, Love
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique; this is not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Ar...
Canvas, Acrylic
$337Sale Price|25% Off
Nicole - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Neo-Expressionism, Africa, Love
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique; this is not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Ar...
Canvas, Acrylic
Pugna 061 by Chidy Wayne, Minimalist Style, Large Format
Located in Bruxelles, BE
Chidy Wayne (b. 1981, Spain) is an artist based in Barcelona. Over the years, he has established himself as a recognized figure in the art world, developing a personal artistic langu...
Mixed Media, Textile
$337Sale Price|25% Off
Another Day Still Disable -21st Century, Contemporary Figurative Portrait Modern
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique; this is not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. (Issues b...
Oil, Canvas, Acrylic
Muriel Chazalon, "End of day" Oil on canvas, Contemporary Landscape
Located in Montfort l’Amaury, FR
Muriel Chazalon (b. 1957) – Fin de journée (End of Day) Oil on canvas, 2023, 31½ × 47¼ in. (80 × 120 cm) signed on the back Fin de journée is a large-scale landscape painting by Mur...
Canvas, Oil
$337Sale Price|25% Off
Pleasure - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Africa 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.
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
"Make Believer (V3)", Hand cut stencil, acrylic, aerosol
By Mando Marie (seeyouthroughit)
Located in Philadelphia, PA
"Make Believer (V3)" is a one-of-a-kind original work by Amanda Marie (Mando), created using acrylic and aerosol on paper. The piece measures 19.75 × 15.75 inches and is pencil signe...
Paper, Spray Paint, Acrylic
Hummingbird (260307)
Located in Atlanta, GA
Gwen Wong's work is both painterly and allegorical, caught somewhere in the middle between the representational painter and the narrator. "I am inspired by the idea of a childhood re...
Gold Leaf
The Sacredness of the Invisible: Abstract Oil Painting on Canvas
Located in Bogotá, Bogotá
A composition dominated by dreamlike creatures in an abstract landscape. The painting uses a palette of intense, saturated colors, with shades of blue, yellow, green, red, brown, and...
Cotton Canvas, Oil
Summer - Contemporary Impressionistic Painting of a Landscape
Located in Nuenen, Noord Brabant
Frank Dekkers Summer 140 x 200 cm (not framed) oil on canvas On the pictures we also show you the artist receiving the flowers on our opening of this exhibition september 3th 2023 i...
Cotton Canvas, Oil
$4,000Sale Price|20% Off
Philosopher Original Oil Painting on Canvas, Surreal, 30x38in, Signed
Located in Forest Hills, NY
"Philosopher" . Original, unique painting. oil on canvas, 30x38in. Shipped rolled in a tube from Europe using DHL or FedEx, no custom or import fees in the US. Free shipping with FRE...
Canvas, Oil
Morning in Color
Located in Zofingen, AG
Morning in Color captures an intimate moment suspended within the warmth of early light. Two figures sit facing one another, framed by an open architectural structure that blurs the ...
Canvas, Acrylic
$337Sale Price|25% Off
Daddy's Girl -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Modern, Green
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube. This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Artist Olaosun draws h...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic
Already Ascendant - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Africa
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Already Ascendant reflects the fragile edge between hesitation and potential. It is a meditation on opportunity, choice, and the fleeting nature of decisive moments. Rich textures an...
Canvas, Oil
$2,367
Escape
Located in Zofingen, AG
This painting reflects a quiet moment of stepping away from the noise of everyday life. A solitary figure, partially hidden within soft greenery, sits in stillness with a cup of coff...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,987Sale Price|25% Off
Waiting To Blossom -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Mixed Media, Fabrics
By Bakare Abubakri-sideeq Babatunde
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube. This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Artist Bakare Babatund...
Fabric, Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
$1,725Sale Price|25% Off
Roots and Rhythm - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Mixed Media, Fabrics
By Bakare Abubakri-sideeq Babatunde
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube. This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Artist Bakare Babatund...
Fabric, Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
The Real Eva
Located in Zofingen, AG
This work is a direct visual appeal to the core theme of my art: the critical importance of inner harmony. In a world full of external noise and instability, I urge the viewer to foc...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,875Sale Price|25% Off
Peaceful Synergy - 21st Century, Contemporary, Portrait, Africa Women, Blue
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 Sam...
Canvas, Acrylic, Charcoal
$1,875Sale Price|25% Off
Portrait of the artist's wife, 80x80cm, acrylic on canvas
Located in Yerevan, AM
Portrait of the artist's wife, 80x80cm
Canvas, Acrylic
$2,775Sale Price|25% Off
Series "Horses", 100x120 cm, acrylic on canvas
Located in Yerevan, AM
Series "Horses", 100x120 cm, acrylic on canvas
Canvas, Acrylic
The White Horse
Located in Zofingen, AG
The White Horse presents a quiet, almost sacred encounter set within a dense, shadowed landscape. At the center of the composition, a luminous white horse stands beside a solitary fi...
Canvas, Acrylic
Meditation
Located in Burlingame, CA
Willard Dixon is widely recognized for his calm, contemplative landscapes and skyscapes, paintings that hold stillness, clarity, and a quiet reverence for nature. In this exhibition,...
Canvas, Oil
In Still Waters
Located in Zofingen, AG
In Still Waters captures a quiet, suspended moment on the edge of land and reflection. A solitary figure drifts across calm water, surrounded by softened greens and diffused light. T...
Canvas, Acrylic
Summer Birches - Atmospheric Nature Painting, Framed
Located in Salzburg, AT
This painting is signed on the back, the frames are made of oak A few words of the artist about his art: When i painting landscapes, I usually choose simple geometric arrangements,...
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
$1,307
Landscape 05 - 21st Century Contemporary Impressionistic Landscape Painting
Located in Nuenen, Noord Brabant
Frank Dekkers Landscape 05 15 x 20 cm (framed, included in price 20 x 25 cm) oil on Panel About the artist: Frank Dekkers, an outdoor painter, but not a "square painter" as we know...
Oil, Wood Panel
Dreaming in The Dark
Located in Zofingen, AG
Through my art, I share with viewers the profound importance of personal integrity in our lives. In my paintings, I explore the delicate balance between individual wholeness and deep...
Canvas, Acrylic
Hummingbird (260310)
Located in Atlanta, GA
Gwen Wong's work is both painterly and allegorical, caught somewhere in the middle between the representational painter and the narrator. "I am inspired by the idea of a childhood re...
Gold Leaf
Bull III by Christophe Dupety - Animal painting, abstract, violet, vivid colours
Located in Paris, FR
Bull III is a unique acrylic on paper painting by contemporary artist Christophe Dupety, dimensions are 65 × 50 cm (25.6 × 19.7 in). The artwork is signed, sold unframed and comes wi...
Paper, Acrylic
"Raining Cats and Dogs" - 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
$41,189
Selvas Negras #1 by Calo Carratalá - Tropical Forest Landscape, Amazon River
Located in Paris, FR
Selvas Negras #1 is a unique pencil and charcoal on canvas diptych painting by contemporary artist Calo Carratalá. Dimensions are 212 × 656 cm (83.5 × 258.3 in), composed by two pane...
Canvas, Charcoal, Pencil
Cherry Delight
Located in Zofingen, AG
“Cherry Delight” is a work about an experience that does not seek to закрепить itself in the future. About intimacy accepted as an event rather than a promise. Like the taste of cher...
Canvas, Oil
At One with Nature
Located in Zofingen, AG
At One with Nature is a contemplative landscape that explores the quiet harmony between human presence and the natural world. Figures appear gently integrated into the greenery, not ...
Canvas, Acrylic
TURNING INTO STONE 3 surreal original oil/canvas Paula Craioveanu large 30x38in
Located in Forest Hills, NY
"Turning into Stone 3 " . Original, unique painting. oil on canvas, 30x38in. Shipped stretched ready for display in the US, and shipped rolled in a tube to Europe and rest of the wo...
Canvas, Oil
Mistress of the Autumn Garden
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this painting, the artist creates the image of a woman as the keeper of the harvest, of space, and of the rhythms of nature. Her figure rises from the earth as naturally as the ap...
Canvas, Acrylic
Ignite2
Located in Zofingen, AG
In my work, I explore how inherited emotional distance turns into a lifelong search for intimacy. I am interested in moments in which connection does not require justification, where...
Canvas, Oil
Dedicated, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A cowgirl holds steady as a horse descends from a jump, its body stretched forward toward the ground. A wooden fence and low structures stretch across the backg...
Oil
$375Sale Price|25% Off
Strokes and Emotions 2 -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Modern
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Strokes and Emotions captures struggles of identity, inner battles, and resilience. The fragmented strokes mirror fractured emotions, while the red/orange palette amplifies raw inten...
Canvas, Acrylic
$2,650
Under The Moon - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Africa, 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 May...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Sunday, Oil Painting
By Jesse Aldana
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A woman sits on a sofa, reading quietly as soft daylight filters through a large window. Warm tones and gentle light fill the room, creating a calm and inviting...
Oil
$937Sale Price|25% Off
Mixed Feeling 2 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Modern, Women
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
“Mixed Feelings” is a visual series that captures the emotional complexity of Black womanhood, strength, softness, pride, visibility, and invisibility. Each portrait in this series h...
Canvas, Charcoal, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$1,307
Landscape 08 - 21st Century Contemporary Impressionistic Landscape Painting
Located in Nuenen, Noord Brabant
Frank Dekkers Landscape 08 15 x 20 cm (framed, included in price 20 x 25 cm) oil on Panel About the artist: Frank Dekkers, an outdoor painter, but not a "square painter" as we know...
Oil, Wood Panel
$937Sale Price|25% Off
Mixed Feeling 3 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Modern, Women
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
“Mixed Feelings” is a visual series that captures the emotional complexity of Black womanhood, strength, softness, pride, visibility, and invisibility. Each portrait in this series h...
Canvas, Charcoal, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$2,625Sale Price|25% Off
Orelisa - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Africa 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 (Issued by the Gal...
Canvas, Charcoal, Mixed Media, Acrylic
I Used to Dream - Original Figurative Vibrant Mixed Media Painting on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Rooted in introspection and emotional nuance, Xenia Gray’s figurative mixed media works capture the quiet tension between solitude and connection. Her paintings often depict the huma...
Canvas, Charcoal, Oil, Acrylic