Contemporary Paintings
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 Paintings
Canvas, Varnish, Archival Ink, Acrylic, Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Oil Pastel, Oil
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Cotton, Oil
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Oil
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Spray Paint
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Paintings
Wood, Plywood, Acrylic
1990s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Paintings
Oil
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Masonite, Oil
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Oil
1980s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1970s Contemporary Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
Luscious red cherries fill a blue and white ceramic bowl, their glossy surface catching the light. A soft purple tone creates a soothing contrast in the backgro...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Paintings
Oil
1970s Contemporary Paintings
Oil
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Paintings
Acrylic, Canvas
Artist Comments
This contemporary oil painting features a striking, rhythmic arrangement of twelve horses. Structured into four horizontal rows, each row contains three horses....
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Paintings
Oil
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Paint, Oil
1930s Contemporary Paintings
Oil
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Paintings
Paper, Graphite, Acrylic, Pastel, Charcoal, Wood
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Oil, Canvas
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Paste, Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
1990s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Gold Leaf
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Enamel
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Acrylic, Canvas, Stretcher Bars
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Oil, Panel
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Acrylic, Mixed Media, Oil
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Acrylic, Canvas
1990s Contemporary Paintings
Pastel, Paper, Crayon
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Linen, Oil
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Oil
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Acrylic, Panel
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
A quiet, peaceful summer day in the country, with a light wind and a sky full of fluffy white clouds over an old farmstead. "This is my favorite time of year in the country!" exclaims artist Sharon France...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Paper, Oil
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Paint, Paper, Mixed Media, Spray Paint, Acrylic, Permanent Marker
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Paintings
Oil
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Guigen Zha displays an engaging postmodern scene of nature. Flourishing exotic flowers give shade to two ducks sprawling by t...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Paintings
Oil
Contemporary paintings for sale on 1stDibs.
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