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.
Artist Comments
A central blue-roofed barn stands confidently in a vast yellow field, backed by a cluster of buildings in the distance. Flattened shapes and a bold palette crea...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Paintings
Acrylic
Artist Comments
A large red barn sits in the middle of a bright lime green field. A dirt road winds inward, flanked by two trees that cast long shadows across the grass. Fence ...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Latex, Mixed Media, Spray Paint, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Lacquer, Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Silver, Gold Leaf
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Paintings
Paper, Wood, Charcoal, Pastel, Acrylic, Graphite
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Wood, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Mixed Media, Canvas
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Paint, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Oil Pastel, Mixed Media, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Oil, Cardboard
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1960s Contemporary Paintings
Oil, Tempera, Cardboard
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Plexiglass, Wax, Pigment
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Bronze
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Gold Leaf
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Latex, Mixed Media, Spray Paint, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Paint
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Panel
Artist Comments
Pink peonies and white blossoms fill a blue and white ceramic vase. A soft purple background contrasts with a green surface, creating a lively and charming sc...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Paintings
Oil
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Paintings
Oil, Pigment
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Paintings
Paper, Watercolor
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Latex, Mixed Media, Spray Paint, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Gouache, Archival Paper
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Paper, Acrylic
1960s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic, Color Pencil
Artist Comments
Inspired by the fox’s clever charm, this portrait captures both its keen expression and lively spirit. Artist Karen Barton layered oil paint using a mix of pa...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Paintings
Textile, Paint, Mixed Media, Canvas, Found Objects, Oil, Acrylic, Gouache
1970s Contemporary Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Charcoal, Acrylic, Pastel
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Wood, Spray Paint, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Charcoal, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Paint, Oil
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
1960s Contemporary Paintings
Oil, Cardboard
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic, Gouache
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Paintings
Gold Leaf
Contemporary paintings for sale on 1stDibs.
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