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.
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Where the Light Stays 10 - 21st Century Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Women
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
In my world, colors aren't always reliable. I often struggle to tell where a deep blue ends and a purple begins, or where a red turns into wine, and deep yellows turn into oranges. I...
Canvas, Oil
$1,600
"Cinderblock", Still Life Contemporary Oil Painting in Muted Neutral Tones
Located in Philadelphia, PA
"Cinderblock" is an original piece by Jeremy Miranda made from acrylic on panel. This piece measures 12”h x 9.5”w and comes with a gallery-issued Certif...
Acrylic, Panel
$3,688
Surrealist Magical Canvas Landscape Painting Caribbean Green Jungle Horse House
Located in Norfolk, GB
Untitled landscape, Acrylic on canvas, 80cm x 100cm x 1.5cm, 2023 Even in his most realistic images, there is a beautiful exaggeration in the paintings of Peter Rodulfo. It may be a...
Canvas, Acrylic
Infinity on Danakil by Frédérique Domergue - Abstract painting on metal, brown
Located in Paris, FR
Infinity on Danakil is a unique painting by French contemporary artist Frédérique Domergue. This painting is made with oxidized zinc and bronze leaves on aluminium panel, patina fixe...
Metal, Bronze
Bright Light 5151
Located in Napa, CA
Surrounded by artistic inspiration from a very early age, Kate Salenfriend learned most of her technical skills from her great-grandfather, Stewart Robertson, the registered Californ...
Canvas, Oil
Feels Like Home
Located in Santa Fe, NM
Green, grey, neutrals, landscape. Inspired by the drama of nature and light, Cynthia creates abstracted landscapes with oil on canvas. Signed on the back.
Canvas, Wood, Oil
$5,400
Harlem 125 - Work on Paper Depicting the New York City Harlem Neighborhood
Located in New York, NY
Francks Deceus's Harlem 125 is a 18 x 24 inches mixed media work . The medium is acrylic and silkscreen on paper. It depicts an African American couple ...
Mixed Media, Paper, Acrylic
Boat 10 - painting, acrylic on canvas
By Pat Service
Located in Bloomfield, ON
The contemporary paintings of Canadian artist Pat Service have long caught the attention of collectors in many countries in the world. Service has explored many genres in her career ...
Canvas, Acrylic
New Stories
By Jacob Burda
Located in Zofingen, AG
From the City Stories series, New Stories portrays the quiet poetry of urban encounters. Figures gather around a café beneath a bright awning, some pausing in conversation, others si...
Canvas, Acrylic
Duo, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Two horses lean on each other as they rest under a night sky. Three white birds soar overhead, heading in the same direction. The scene captures a peaceful mome...
Acrylic
$1,500
In the Mood for Love Female Nude original painting Paula Craioveanu in NewYork
Located in Forest Hills, NY
“In the Mood for Love”. Original painting, acrylic on canvas. 27.5x19.7x1in/ 70x50x3cm Ready for hanging, no need for frame, painted on the sides. Shipping stretched from New York. ...
Canvas, Varnish, Acrylic
Chroma-Q- 21st Century Contemporary portrait Painting
Located in Nuenen, Noord Brabant
Tania Rivilis Chroma-Q 41 x 29 cm framed (included in price) 44 x 32 cm Oilpaint on wood panel Tania Rivilis (b. 1986) 2022 winner of the 'William Locke Price' ( £ 30.000 ) from ...
Oil, Wood Panel
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Where the Light Stays 2 - 21st Century Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Women
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
In my world, colors aren't always reliable. I often struggle to tell where a deep blue ends and a purple begins, or where a red turns into wine, and deep yellows turn into oranges. I...
Canvas, Oil
Sprudel. Still life Painting, Oil on canvas, contemporary
Located in Miami Beach, FL
When an artist works with more conventional still life subjects, they focus primarily on the formal properties of the painting, such as color relationships, form, proportions, and ot...
Canvas, Oil
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
Bird. Reunited After Separation, Original Painting
By Guigen Zha
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Two grey herons reunite at a lake. One stands in the shallow water while the other returns in flight. The birds appear in a stylized manner against the water, s...
Acrylic
Shadow of the Sky: Contemporary Acrylic on Canvas, Framed
By Tim Owen
Located in Santa Fe, NM
acrylic, mixed media My paintings explore the themes of light, atmosphere, and the emotional impact of nature. The bold, expressive brushstrokes and saturated hues in my work aim to...
Canvas, Acrylic
$396
Original Drawing-Sunset Song-Drawing Time Series-British landscape-plein air-ink
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
This original Ink/Charcoal/gouache drawing was created by Shizico at the transitional sunset light in early spring. Like a modern-day Monet, Shizico has built her own garden over the...
Charcoal, Ink, Gouache, Archival Paper
New Stories / 2 — A Quiet Landscape of Change and Continuity
By HELEN MOUNT
Located in Zofingen, AG
This painting explores a quiet, expansive landscape where space feels open and time slows down. Soft transitions of sky and land create a sense of balance, while subtle contrasts sug...
Acrylic
Monet’s Dahlias by Lumi Mizutani, Japanese-Style Painting, Garden Flowers
Located in Paris, FR
Monet’s Dahlias is a unique painting by contemporary artist Lumi Mizutani. The painting is made with pigments and Indian ink on Japanese paper mounted on panel, dimensions are 31.8 ×...
Paper, India Ink, Panel, Pigment
United Vision, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Fifteen identical horses move in unison across a field of soft, earthy tones, blending seamlessly with the background. Arranged in a deliberate, linear fashion,...
Oil
Daffodil Pale Yellow Pocket Painting 201, original painting, still life
Located in Deddington, GB
Pocket Pale Yellow Daffodil 201 (canvas size 5x5cm) is an original oil painting by Dani Humberstone as part of her Pocket Painting series featuring small scale realistic oil painting...
Canvas, Oil
Always with you, original painting, abstract, contemporary
Located in Deddington, GB
KC Crompton Always with you Original Abstract Painting Oil Paint, Graphite and Oil Stick on Canvas 90 X 122 cm x 3.5 cm Unframed 96 x 129 cm Framed Sold Framed: Dark wood float frame...
Canvas, Oil, Graphite
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
Bouquet of Daisies
Located in Zofingen, AG
Size: 100×70 cm (overall size with stretching 108×78 cm) Year: 2026 Materials: acrylic on canvas Shipping: Stretched, in reinforced cardboard packaging. A loosely gathered bouquet o...
Canvas, Acrylic
Home Is Where the Soul Finds Peace
Located in Zofingen, AG
Size: 95×95 cm (overall size with stretching 105×105 cm) Year: 2026 Materials: acrylic on canvas Shipping: rolled Series: «Trust: In Space» A quiet space between feeling and memory. ...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,400Sale Price|20% Off
Black Essence - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Africa, Women
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Black Essence' captures the unbreakable spirit of every woman who has long been the pillar of strength in their community. With a steadfast gaze, the subject embodies determination a...
Canvas, Acrylic, Charcoal, Mixed Media
$2,444Sale Price|44% Off
Kurt Cobain Journals #11
By Kerry Smith
Located in Kansas City, MO
Kerry Smith Kurt Cobain Journals #11 Mixed Media on torn canvas Year: 2022 Size: 27x18in Framed: 32x24in Signed, dated by hand COA provided Ref.: 924802-1619 -----------------------...
Paint, Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
Triptych I (Dates, Persimmons, Squash) Ink and Gouache on Rice Paper
Located in Chicago, IL
In this triptych, Amy Lowry Poole transforms dates, persimmons, and squash into three distinct studies of growth, abundance, and organic movement. Working in ink and gouache on handm...
Canvas, Ink, Gouache, Rice Paper
$4,218
"Love" Contemporary oil painting .Vertical large size . Female portrait. Framed
Located in Oslo, NO
Crafted with delicate brushstrokes in oil, my work captures a timeless moment of introspection and stillness. It embodies the deep connection with one's inner self, exploring the com...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$2,120Sale Price|20% Off
Scarlet Within - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Women, 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
Perception
Located in Burlingame, CA
Diana Tremaine’s large-scale, dynamic, figurative oil paintings reflect a search for truth and meaning in the human experience. She develops brushstrokes and marks by adding and then...
Canvas, Oil
Hear Me Out
Located in Zofingen, AG
Everyone wants to be heard. Some whisper. Some raise their voices. And some simply lift a claw draped in pearls and wait for the room to fall silent. Confidence isn’t always loud. So...
Canvas, Acrylic
$2,120Sale Price|20% Off
Radiance of Her Root - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Women, 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
![[Bruce-Sargeant (1898-1938)] Two Wrestlers on Opposing Teams](https://a.1stdibscdn.com/mark-beard-paintings-bruce-sargeant-1898-1938-two-wrestlers-on-opposing-teams-for-sale-picture-2/a_9323/a_182089621781973162067/Beard_Mark_Bruce_Sargeant_1898_1938_Two_Wrestlers_on_Opposing_Teams_framed_1200_master.jpg?width=240)
![[Bruce-Sargeant (1898-1938)] Two Wrestlers on Opposing Teams](https://a.1stdibscdn.com/mark-beard-paintings-bruce-sargeant-1898-1938-two-wrestlers-on-opposing-teams-for-sale/a_9323/a_182089621781973135668/Beard_Mark_Bruce_Sargeant_1898_1938_Two_Wrestlers_on_Opposing_Teams_unframed_1200_master.jpg?width=240)
[Bruce-Sargeant (1898-1938)] Two Wrestlers on Opposing Teams
By Mark Beard
Located in New York, NY
Signed in red, u.r. Oil on canvas 20 x 18 inches (91.4 x 61 cm) Price includes $150 additional cost of framing This work is offered by CLAMP in New York City
Oil
$400Sale Price|20% Off
Sunset Palms (Framed 12 x 12 inch oil painting on wood panel)
By Christine So
Located in Oakland, CA
A moody yet vibrant California sunset. Oil paintings on wood have a very different feel than on canvas. There is a smoothness from the layers of sanded white gesso underneath and the...
Birch, Paint, Acrylic, Panel, Wood Panel, Graphite
Summer Evening with Family
By Jacob Burda
Located in Zofingen, AG
Life reveals its true richness in simplicity—in enjoying the gifts of summer, the beauty of nature, and the warmth of being together with the people we love. We often believe that h...
Canvas, Acrylic
"My Horizon - Manhattan Nights" Abstract Color Field Contemporary Painting
By Cindy Shaoul
Located in New York, NY
An acrylic and gold leaf on canvas piece with bright use of color and texture. We are focused on the simplicity of beauty in the moment as Shaoul creates a translucent but very color...
Gold Leaf
$13,476
Terras at le Coulet-21st Century Contemporary Landscape Painting in the Ardeche
Located in Nuenen, Noord Brabant
In this work Peter Durieux shows his love for the landscapes of France, and also his capability in composition, tonality and style. Beautiful and powerful at the same time. Drawi...
Linen, Acrylic
"Temptation" (from the series "Inspired by Matisse")
Located in Zofingen, AG
Not the body, but the timeless whisper of desire. Within her delicate audacity breathes an ancient allure: a force that draws us closer, even as it forever eludes our grasp.
Canvas, Acrylic
Where hours float unseen - 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
Hero - African American Baseball Player, Boxer, Soldier, and Businessman
Located in New York, NY
Francks Deceus's "Hero" is a 24 x 48 inches mixed media work on canvas with collage. The work is partitioned in two distinct images. On the left side the artist depicted a baseball player...
Canvas, Mixed Media
$48,000Sale Price|20% Off
Migrate: Contemporary Abstract Oil Painting on Canvas, 2009
By Lloyd Martin
Located in Lake Worth, FL
Artist: Lloyd Martin Title: Migrate Medium: Oil on Canvas Size: 66 x 120 inches Year: 2009 American artist Lloyd Martin, known internationally for his rh...
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
$12,228
Original Oil Painting by James McQueen- If You Ever Leave Me I'm Coming With You
Located in Nottingham, GB
McQueen takes something ordinary and nostalgic and turns it into something collectible and contemporary. It’s similar in concept to Andy Warhol painting soup cans, elevating everyda...
Canvas, Oil
South Head, February, Original painting, Contemporary artist
Located in Deddington, GB
An expressive palette knife oil painting of South Head hill, painted en plein air in the Peak District . The thick, textured application of paint brings the landscape to life. The pa...
Oil, Board
The Peace Within - 21st Century Contemporary Figurative Portrait, 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
Let's look for the answer
Located in Zofingen, AG
At the heart of the painting stands a woman holding an open book, immersed in a quiet moment of reflection. Her gaze turns inward, as if she’s listening to the whisper of the pages o...
Canvas, Acrylic
Awaiting - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Africa, 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 (Issued by the Gal...
Canvas, Charcoal, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Where Time Stood Still
Located in Zofingen, AG
Where Time Stood Still (From the "Synchronicity of Souls" series) "Where Time Stood Still" is a visual manifesto of safety, unconditional trust, and the mental connection between hum...
Canvas, Acrylic
WILD BEACH - Contemporary Atmospheric Sea Landscape Oil Pastel Painting
By Janusz Kokot
Located in Hallein, AT
Janusz Kokot was born in Kalisz in 1960. He studied at the Pedagogical University in Częstochowa at the Art Institute. He practices painting and drawing. In the years 1988 - 2020 he ...
Paper, Oil Pastel
On The Town: Uptown / restaurant / bar scene, oil on canvas
By Mimi Jensen
Located in Burlingame, CA
'On The Town: New York', depicts a scene from a night in the town in NY. NY, from a series of paintings that depict dining - food and drink experiences by artist Mimi Jensen, who use...
Canvas, Oil
Premonition of Eternity, Contemporary Abstract Oil Painting on Canvas
Located in Bogotá, Bogotá
"Premonition of Eternity" – Contemporary abstract oil painting on canvas. The surface is constructed through successive layers of greens, gold, sepia, and magenta, incorporating tran...
Cotton Canvas, Oil
Premonition of Eternity, Abstract Oil Painting on Canvas, 80x112 cm
Located in Bogotá, Bogotá
"Premonition of Eternity" – Contemporary abstract oil painting on canvas. The surface is constructed through successive layers of greens, gold, sepia, and magenta, incorporating tran...
Cotton Canvas, Oil
$2,400
"Extra In, Field Flagship (Linea Pictura — Diptych)", Geometric Abstract
Located in Philadelphia, PA
"Extra In, Field Flagship (Linea Pictura — Diptych)" is an original artwork by Hyland Mather made of acrylic, ink, string, pins on drop cloth, in tray frames. The diptych measures ap...
Canvas, Thread, Acrylic, Pins, Wood
$6,000Sale Price|20% Off
Agbara Abo Painting, Contemporary Mixed Media on Canvas, 21st Century
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
"Agbara Abo" portrays African women in all their natural beauty, radiating confidence and strength. The artwork captures the diverse physical features and skin tones that make Africa...
Canvas, Charcoal, Mixed Media, Acrylic
El mar. By Inna Panasenko. 2007. Oil on canvas. 200/300 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Inna Panasennko is one of the most successful and best-selling contemporary artists in Germany. One of the central themes of Inna's work is monumental images of bulls in all their na...
Canvas, Acrylic
$3,044
Light 18 August 18:26, Modern Landscape Painting, Minimalistic, Abstract, Sea
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, Acrylic
$1,500Sale Price|25% Off
Faun`s rest, 70x80cm, oil on canvas
Located in Yerevan, AM
Faun`s rest, 2021, 80x70 cm
Canvas, Oil
Horizon, Cabo Sardão - Abstract Landscape, Contemporary Painted + Woven Artwork
Located in Hallein, AT
‘Horizon. Cabo Sardão’ 2020 Handwoven painting, linen, woollen, silk, cotton yarn, acrylic textile paint, 135 x 65 cm Handwoven painting from the series ‘Horizons’, based on a portuguese landscape...
Textile, Linen, Yarn, Acrylic
The artist and activist is the subject of a new show at Washington, D.C.'s National Gallery of Art.
Manhattan's Acquavella Galleries is showing a group of the artist's monumental works that have never been seen together.
Koloman Moser smashed the conservative conventions of art and design in fin-de-siècle Vienna. On the 100th anniversary of his death, the Austrian designer is being celebrated for his radically modern creations.