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Conceptual Paintings

CONCEPTUAL STYLE

In 1967, artist Sol LeWitt wrote that in “Conceptual art the idea or concept is the most important aspect of the work.” He was giving a name to an art movement that had emerged in the 1960s in which artists were less focused on their medium being something traditionally “artistic” and instead engaged in using any object, movement, form, action or place to express an idea.

LeWitt’s work was featured alongside an assemblage of notes, drawings and outlines by other artists in “Working Drawings and Other Visible Things on Paper Not Necessarily Meant to Be Viewed as Art,” a groundbreaking show at New York City’s School of Visual Arts curated by Mel Bochner, another leading exponent of Conceptualism. Building on radical 20th-century statements, like Fountain (1917) by French artist Marcel Duchamp, Conceptual artists around Europe and North and South America were not interested in the commercial art scene and rather directly challenged its systems and values.

Stretching into the 1970s, this movement has also been called Post-Object art and Dematerialized art. Conceptual art reflected a larger era of social and political upheaval. Pieces associated with the style range from Roelof Louw’s Soul City (Pyramid of Oranges) (1967) — a work of installation art that sees fresh oranges stacked into a pyramid from which visitors are allowed to take one orange away — to On Kawara’s “Today” series, which saw the Japanese artist carefully painting a date in white acrylic on canvases consisting of a single color from 1966 to his death in 2014. Artists such as Ed Ruscha, who created the Twentysix Gasoline Stations book — a collection of photos of gas stations that is widely said to be the first modern artists’ book — made photography a major platform for Conceptual art, as did Bruce Nauman, who burned one of Ruscha's books and then photographed it for his own.

Conceptual art’s legacy of questioning artistic authorship, ownership and how to work with complex ideas of space and time had a significant influence on the decades of culture that followed, and it continues to inform art today.

The collection of Conceptual photography, paintings and sculptures on 1stDibs includes artworks by John Baldessari, Jenny Holzer, Lawrence Weiner, Joseph Kosuth and others.

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Style: Conceptual
Glory
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Glory, 2015 12” X 9" Oil on paper Framed A painter, sculptor, and installation artist, Niki Singleton draws on both popular culture and mythology in order to create works that...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Conceptual Paintings

Materials

Oil, Paper

Acrylic on Reclaimed Wood Titled: "Life is a Game"
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Acrylic on reclaimed wood Born in Tallahasee Fl, William started his artistic career as a color consultant for his family's Design and Painting company that took on constant projects of custom painted interiors and decorating. This work of 20 yrs lead him to his fascination with textiles and paint, along with custom furniture. After creating and selling dozens of unique pieces of furniture, here began his transition from wall, to wood on furniture, to canvas. Painting on canvas was the culmination of his creative outlet. William feels that his lack of formal training in Fine Art has afforded him a freedom to paint what he envisions and feels, rather than conform to specific style or genre that he feels is limiting Inspired by hard edge abstraction and color field art such as Kenneth Noland, Joseph Albers, Gene Davis, Frank Stella, Anne Truitt, Imi knobel.William is showing his work locally and nationally and being collected in Palm Beach Island, Washington and New York. Gallery Representation DTR Modern Galleries 440 S. County, Palm Beach FL 33480 DTR Modern Galleries Boston NoSo Fine Art, 3716 S. Dixie Hwy West Palm Beach Fl 33405 Gary Rubinstein...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Conceptual Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Untitled (BEEF)
Located in Buffalo, NY
Mistreated and abandoned spray-painted butcher paper (saturated), archival mounts, appropriated internet imagery heat transferred with Ink Jet T-shirt Tr...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Conceptual Paintings

Materials

Archival Ink, Found Objects, Mixed Media

Return Home - Kikokusuru
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Yoshikuni Iida, Japanese (1923 - 2006) Title: Return Home - Kikokusuru Year: 1973 Medium: Acrylic on Canvas, signed verso Size: 39.5 x 79 in...
Category

1970s Conceptual Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Turkish Medal
Located in Buffalo, NY
Beam recognizes that a successful work of art “must develop its own personality…It must empower, engage or provoke the public’s attention.” One exhibition in particular, titled Owavino(1997-1998) [meaning last minute] held in Illinois—perhaps the pinnacle of media mastery—garnered Beam numerous reviews, attacks and responses, even after the exhibiton had closed, for his work Turkish Medal (1996-1997-2013). The painting combines a comparatively altered version of one of Pulitzer-Prize winning illustrator Bill Mauldin...
Category

1990s Conceptual Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Latex, Latex, Masonite, Wood

Meglithe Noir
Located in New York, NY
Le Groumellec's subject matter reflects on Brittany, the northwestern region of France with a rich past, especially the clash between Christian and Pagan histories.
Category

1980s Conceptual Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

KN852, Space-scape painting by Andreas Nottebohm
Located in Long Island City, NY
Andreas Nottebohm is a German painter known as a key innovator in metal painting. The painting measures 48 x 40 inches and is signed and dated verso. Provenance: Private Collection, NYC
Category

1980s Conceptual Paintings

Materials

Metal

Ascoltando Il Sole II
Located in Rye, NY
With these pieces Mattia is painting a self-portrait in a unique and creative way without the typical technique of using paint with brush strokes. Mattia starts by creating molds then ice sculptures with color...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Conceptual Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Ascoltando Il Sole I
Located in Rye, NY
With these pieces Mattia is painting a self-portrait in a unique and creative way without the typical technique of using paint with brush strokes. Mattia starts by creating molds then ice sculptures with color...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Conceptual Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Ascoltando I Fulmini Listening to Lightning Green
Located in Rye, NY
With these pieces Mattia is painting a self-portrait in a unique and creative way without the typical technique of using paint with brush strokes. Mattia starts by creating molds then ice sculptures with color...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Conceptual Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Ero Seduto Guardando Il Tramonto - I Was Sitting Watching the Sunset
Located in Rye, NY
With these pieces Mattia is painting a self-portrait in a unique and creative way without the typical technique of using paint with brush strokes. Mattia starts by creating molds then ice sculptures with color...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Conceptual Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Io Su Poltrona Pensando Al Lui Me On An Armchair Thinking About Him
Located in Rye, NY
With these pieces Mattia is painting a self-portrait in a unique and creative way without the typical technique of using paint with brush strokes. Mattia starts by creating molds then ice sculptures with color...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Conceptual Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Ascoltando I Fulmini Listening to Lightning
Located in Rye, NY
With these pieces Mattia is painting a self-portrait in a unique and creative way without the typical technique of using paint with brush strokes. Mattia starts by creating molds then ice sculptures with color...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Conceptual Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Contemporary Realist Palm Tree Painting, "Oasis 2"
Located in San Diego, CA
This is a conceptual oil painting by local San Diego artist, Perry Vàsquez. Its dimensions are 26.5 x 88.5. It comes in a wooden neutral frame. This painting depicts a palm tree against a blue sky background. The palm tree is ornate with fine details from the artist in the leaves and the tree trunk. The artist has employed bright colors like green, brown, and blue. Vàsquez focuses primarily on his exploration of various iterations of palm trees. Ubiquitous in Southern California, and historically viewed as a provider of nourishment, shelter, and bounty, the trees in Vásquez’s paintings are instead framed in peculiar or dire scenarios. Many of the trees in his work are ablaze, or are actually cell towers...
Category

2010s Conceptual Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Contemporary Conceptual Palm Tree Painting, "The Ideal Copy Artists Proof 1"
Located in San Diego, CA
This is a one of a kind conceptual painting by local San Diego artist, Perry Vàsquez. Its dimensions are 12.5 x 12.5. It comes in a neutral wooden frame. The artist uses an alternat...
Category

2010s Conceptual Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Contemporary Conceptual Palm Tree Painting, "The Ideal Copy 0018"
Located in San Diego, CA
This is a one of a kind conceptual painting by local San Diego artist, Perry Vàsquez. Its dimensions are 12.5 x 12.5. It comes in a neutral wooden frame. The artist uses an alterna...
Category

2010s Conceptual Paintings

Materials

Mixed Media, Oil

Stars and Stripes - SOLD - Commission Available
Located in New York, NY
Pop Art. Mixed Media sketch on paper. Floats on white matte and framed with white frame. A celebration of America via the Flag. Vintage feel. Background from artists vintage ...
Category

2010s Conceptual Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Mixed Media

Conceptual Abstract
Located in New York, NY
Mixed Media Original with resin finish from world renowned artist with unique, one of a kind style. About the Artist: In his prolific career is a culmination of textbook artistic...
Category

2010s Conceptual Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Mixed Media

Spectrum
Located in New York, NY
Mixed Media Original with resin finish from world renowned artist with unique, one of a kind style. About the Artist: In his prolific career is a culmination of textbook artistic...
Category

2010s Conceptual Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Mixed Media

Living Large
Located in New York, NY
Homages to Mr. Monopoly. Conceptual. Vintage magazines in the background to create the narrative. One of a kind. About the Artist: NELSON DE LA NUEZ is one of the most sough...
Category

2010s Conceptual Paintings

Materials

Watercolor, Newsprint, Canvas, Acrylic

Alkyd Enamel Oil Painting Half A Thought Cut Panel Wall Hanging Modern Sculpture
Located in Surfside, FL
Oil-based alkyd enamel on plywood panel with cuts. this is a cut plywood wall relief sculpture with paint on it. This has an architectural quality to it. Peter Wegner (born 1963) is an American artist whose works consist of painting, photograph, collage, prints, artist's books, and large-scale installations Born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Peter Wegner earned his BA at Yale University. He works in multiple media, ranging from paintings and photography to large-scale installations and wall works. His pieces are included in major public and private collections worldwide. He currently lives and works in Berkeley, California. A core theme in Wegner's work is color. Professor, author, and critic Eve Meltzer noted in a 2002 review that “color may be the… center” of his entire practice. The artist first began deconstructing the subject in the late 1990s with his "Remarks on Color" series, which used commercial paint chip samples as their starting point. Another theme identified by experts is Wegner's engagement with architecture. For example, in his photography series "Buildings Made of Sky," Wegner reverses urban streetscapes to reveal how skyscrapers shape the open-air spaces between one another into skyscraper-like forms of their own. Wegner has also often pushed the construction of his works in an architectural direction, presenting paintings in the form of leaning columns, complex lattices, and multi-layered scrims. Huldisch noted that “[h]is stacks, grids, and lattice structures reveal both an interest in the forms of Minimalism and a rejection of the stringent doctrine that predicated them." Wegner's early work focuses on everyday artifacts embedded in popular culture, including typography specimens (the basis for the "American Types" series), commercial paint chips (in the "Remarks on Color" series), and security envelopes (in the "Security" series). Wegner produced in 2005 the "Lever Labyrinth," a human-scale maze composed of 2.2 million sheets of stacked paper––all in various shades of green, creating columns of subtly gradating color––constructed inside the Lever House building. In 2008, Wegner executed the major paper installation "GUILLOTINE OF SUNLIGHT, GUILLOTINE OF SHADE" at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. The piece consisted of 1.4 millions sheets of die-cut paper in 40 hues, arranged to create two 12’ x 26.5’ x 7" color gradations inside the museum: a wall progressing from blue to yellow in one gallery, and a wall progressing from yellow to red in another. Around this same time, Wegner introduced two new elements into his work: time and neon. He combined both in 2007 to create “THE UNITED STATES OF NOTHING,” which included time-controlled neon signage showing the name, latitude, and longitude of every U.S. city that invokes the concept of nothingness. He has showed at William Griffin Gallery. The gallery has featured solo exhibitions by James Turrell, Richard Long, Robert Rauschenberg, David Lynch, Ed Ruscha, Richard Serra, Tony Smith, Peter Wegner, Greg Colson, Liza Ryan and others. It has presented group exhibitions such as Early California Minimalism, a survey of significant early works by Robert Irwin, John McCracken, and Craig Kauffman; and Wall Installations, with works by Maya Lin, James Turrell, Richard Long, Robert Therrien, Teresita Fernández, Karin Sander, Peter Wegner, and Kira Lynn Harris. It has also presented projects of work by Richard Tuttle, Ana Mendieta...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Conceptual Paintings

Materials

Enamel

'Close Touching God' Mixed Media Conceptual Wall Sculpture
Located in Rye, NY
Artist Statement: With this sculpture I represented how every day man lives trying to outdo himself, almost in competition with himself and with others, in some cases feeling omnipot...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Conceptual Paintings

Materials

Wood, Acrylic, Ceramic

Portland Apartment Biogram
Located in Kansas City, MO
Artist : Kory Twaddle Title : Portland Apartment Biogram Materials : Pastel, oil pastel, marker, charcoal, conté crayon, colored pencil, gaphite china marker, and mixed media on pap...
Category

Early 2000s Conceptual Paintings

Materials

Paint, Paper, Conté, Charcoal, India Ink, Acrylic, Tempera, Watercolor, ...

On the Way to Class
Located in Kansas City, MO
Artist : Kory Twaddle Title : On the Way to Class Materials : Charcoal, conté crayon, pastel, oil pastel, graphite, marker, bees wax, birch bark, and mixed media on paper Date : 201...
Category

2010s Conceptual Paintings

Materials

Paint, Paper, Conté, Charcoal, India Ink, Acrylic, Tempera, Watercolor, ...

Flat Layers Multi-Color
Located in Rye, NY
Acrylic on Canvas
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Conceptual Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Experimentation for Chinatown
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Chryssa, Greek (1933 - 2013) Title: Experimentation for Chinatown Year: 1977 Medium: Acrylic on Paper, signed and dated l.r. Size: 30 in. x 22 in. (76.2 cm x 55.88 cm) ...
Category

1970s Conceptual Paintings

Materials

Paper, Acrylic

Color Chart for Chinatown Nighttime
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Chryssa, Greek (1933 - 2013) Title: Color Chart for Chinatown Nighttime Year: 1977 Medium: Acrylic on Paper , signed and dated l.r. Size: 22 in. x 30 in. (55.88 cm x 76.2...
Category

1970s Conceptual Paintings

Materials

Paper, Acrylic

Conceptual paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Conceptual paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. Works in this style were very popular during the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artists have continued to produce works inspired by this movement. If you’re looking to add paintings created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of blue, orange, red, purple and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Peter Soriano, Penelope Ellis, Eduardo Costa, and Mattia Novello. Frequently made by artists working with Paint, and Oil Paint and other materials, all of these pieces for sale are unique and have attracted attention over the years. Not every interior allows for large Conceptual paintings, so small editions measuring 6.75 inches across are also available. Prices for paintings made by famous or emerging artists can differ depending on medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $333 and tops out at $115,000, while the average work sells for $3,713.

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