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Contemporary Black and White Photography

CONTEMPORARY STYLE

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.

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Style: Contemporary
Artist: Leonard Freed
Wall Street, New York City, Black and White Documentary Photography 1950s
By Leonard Freed
Located in New york, NY
Wall Street, 1956 by Leonard Freed is a modern print signed verso (on back) by the estate/widow of the photographer, Brigitte Freed. This is a 24" x 20" gelatin silver print. Leonard...
Category

1960s Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Photographic Film, Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin

Wall Street, New York City, Black and White Documentary Photography 1950s
Wall Street, New York City, Black and White Documentary Photography 1950s

Leonard Freed
Wall Street, New York City, Black and White Documentary Photography 1950s, 1956

Kate #5, Vintage Black and White Photograph of Nude in the Forest
By Leonard Freed
Located in New york, NY
Kate #5, 2002 by American photographer Leonard Freed is an 8” x 10” signed black and white photograph stamped "vintage" by the Freed estate on verso (back of photo). Model, photograp...
Category

Early 2000s Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin, Photographic Film, Photographic Paper

Kate #5, Vintage Black and White Photograph of Nude in the Forest
Kate #5, Vintage Black and White Photograph of Nude in the Forest

Leonard Freed
Kate #5, Vintage Black and White Photograph of Nude in the Forest, 2002

Paris Longchamp, Vintage Black and White Photograph of Parisian Elite 1980s
By Leonard Freed
Located in New york, NY
Paris Longchamp, 1989 by Leonard Freed is stamped and signed verso (back of photo), a gelatin silver vintage print, 16" x 12". The documentary photograph captures chic beautiful peop...
Category

1980s Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper, Photographic Film, Silver Gelatin

Paris Longchamp, Vintage Black and White Photograph of Parisian Elite 1980s
Paris Longchamp, Vintage Black and White Photograph of Parisian Elite 1980s

Leonard Freed
Paris Longchamp, Vintage Black and White Photograph of Parisian Elite 1980s, 1989

Willy Nelson, Texas, Country Music Singer Portrait Photography 1990s
By Leonard Freed
Located in New york, NY
Willy Nelson, 1993 by American photographer Leonard Freed is a series of (3) photographs, gelatin silver press RC prints, which are each signed verso (bac...
Category

1960s Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin, Photographic Film, Photographic Paper

Willy Nelson, Texas, Country Music Singer Portrait Photography 1990s
Willy Nelson, Texas, Country Music Singer Portrait Photography 1990s

Leonard Freed
Willy Nelson, Texas, Country Music Singer Portrait Photography 1990s, 1993

Kate #12, Vintage Photograph of Young Woman Yogini by Leonard Freed
By Leonard Freed
Located in New york, NY
Model, photographer, and yogini Kate remains complicit in striking dramatic poses for the photographer. The yoga pose is known as sun salutation. Kate engages in a seemingly cosmic dance in open terrain against mountains and beneath a wide open sky with clouds. The Kate series is both whimsical and aesthetic -- a celebration of femininity, beauty, and freedom. Kate #12, 2002 by Leonard Freed...
Category

Early 2000s Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin, Photographic Film, Photographic Paper

Kate #12, Vintage Photograph of Young Woman Yogini by Leonard Freed
Kate #12, Vintage Photograph of Young Woman Yogini by Leonard Freed

Leonard Freed
Kate #12, Vintage Photograph of Young Woman Yogini by Leonard Freed, 2002

Yeshiva Students, New York, Black-and-White Photography Jewish Diaspora 1950s
By Leonard Freed
Located in New york, NY
Yeshiva Students, New York City, 1954 by Leonard Freed is a black-and-white photograph of three young Jewish Youth, studying at a yeshiva. This is a gelatin silver lifetime print, 16...
Category

1960s Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper, Photographic Film, Silver Gelatin

Yeshiva Students, New York, Black-and-White Photography Jewish Diaspora 1950s
Yeshiva Students, New York, Black-and-White Photography Jewish Diaspora 1950s

Leonard Freed
Yeshiva Students, New York, Black-and-White Photography Jewish Diaspora 1950s, 1954

Kate #11, Vintage Gelatin Silver Photograph of Nude in Yoga Pose
By Leonard Freed
Located in New york, NY
Kate #11, 2002 by Leonard Freed is a signed verso (back of photo) 8" x 10" black and white photograph, hand printed, signed by the photographer and stamped "vintage" by the Freed est...
Category

Early 2000s Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin, Photographic Film, Photographic Paper

Kate #11, Vintage Gelatin Silver Photograph of Nude in Yoga Pose
Kate #11, Vintage Gelatin Silver Photograph of Nude in Yoga Pose

Leonard Freed
Kate #11, Vintage Gelatin Silver Photograph of Nude in Yoga Pose, 2002

Office party, New York City, A Signed Gelatin Silver Photograph from the 1960s
By Leonard Freed
Located in New york, NY
Office Party, New York City, 1966 by Leonard Freed is a gelatin silver later print, 16 x 20, signed verso (on back) by the photographer. Freed enjoyed sto...
Category

1960s Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin, Photographic Film, Photographic Paper

Office party, New York City, A Signed Gelatin Silver Photograph from the 1960s
Office party, New York City, A Signed Gelatin Silver Photograph from the 1960s

Leonard Freed
Office party, New York City, A Signed Gelatin Silver Photograph from the 1960s, 1966

City Prison, New Orleans, Vintage Black and White Photograph 1960s Civil Rights
By Leonard Freed
Located in New york, NY
City Prison, 1965 by American photographer Leonard Freed is a vintage gelatin silver, signed verso (back of photo) by the photographer. It is an iconic image from the photographer's ...
Category

1960s Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin, Photographic Film, Photographic Paper

City Prison, New Orleans, Vintage Black and White Photograph 1960s Civil Rights
City Prison, New Orleans, Vintage Black and White Photograph 1960s Civil Rights

Leonard Freed
City Prison, New Orleans, Vintage Black and White Photograph 1960s Civil Rights , 1965

Fire Hydrant, Harlem, New York, Black and White Photo African American Children
By Leonard Freed
Located in New york, NY
Fire Hydrant, Harlem, 1963 by Leonard Freed is a 24" x 20" gelatin silver photograph signed by the photographer on verso (back). Provenance: Freed archive. LITERATURE: W. A. Ewing, N...
Category

1960s Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin, Photographic Film

Fire Hydrant, Harlem, New York, Black and White Photo African American Children
Fire Hydrant, Harlem, New York, Black and White Photo African American Children

Leonard Freed
Fire Hydrant, Harlem, New York, Black and White Photo African American Children, 1963

Kate, Contemporary Black and White Portrait Photography of Female Nude
By Leonard Freed
Located in New york, NY
Kate, from the Kate series, Garrison, New York, 2002 by American photographer Leonard Freed is an 11” x 14” gelatin silver photograph signed verso (on back of photo) by the estate. ...
Category

Early 2000s Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin, Photographic Film, Photographic Paper

Kate, Contemporary Black and White Portrait Photography of Female Nude
Kate, Contemporary Black and White Portrait Photography of Female Nude

Leonard Freed
Kate, Contemporary Black and White Portrait Photography of Female Nude, 2002

Kate #3, Black and White Photograph of Female Nude 14" x 11"
By Leonard Freed
Located in New york, NY
Kate #3, 2002 by American photographer Leonard Freed is in the photographer's series "Kate." This is an 11" x 14" gelatin silver photograph signed verso (back of photo) by the Freed ...
Category

Early 2000s Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin, Photographic Film, Photographic Paper

Kate #3, Black and White Photograph of Female Nude 14" x 11"
Kate #3, Black and White Photograph of Female Nude 14" x 11"

Leonard Freed
Kate #3, Black and White Photograph of Female Nude 14" x 11", 2002

Arno River, Florence, Italy, Street Photography of Soldiers
By Leonard Freed
Located in New york, NY
This is a black and white photograph of three soldiers seated on a bridge, above the Arno River, Florence, Italy 1958 by Leonard Freed. It is a 12" x 16" ge...
Category

1950s Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper, Photographic Film, Silver Gelatin

Arno River, Florence, Italy, Street Photography of Soldiers
Arno River, Florence, Italy, Street Photography of Soldiers

Leonard Freed
Arno River, Florence, Italy, Street Photography of Soldiers, 1958

Birmingham Children, Vintage Black and White Civil Rights Photography 1960s
By Leonard Freed
Located in New york, NY
Birmingham Children, 1963 by American photographer Leonard Freed is a 16" x 12" vintage gelatin silver photograph, signed verso (on back) by the photographer. A photo that depicts th...
Category

1960s Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin, Photographic Film, Photographic Paper

Birmingham Children, Vintage Black and White Civil Rights Photography 1960s
Birmingham Children, Vintage Black and White Civil Rights Photography 1960s

Leonard Freed
Birmingham Children, Vintage Black and White Civil Rights Photography 1960s, 1963

Kate Resting, Contemporary Portrait Photography of Female Nude
By Leonard Freed
Located in New york, NY
This is a black and white contemporary portrait photograph of a female nude by Leonard Freed, Kate Resting, is in the photographer's series "Kate". A 20" x 16" gelatin silver photogr...
Category

Early 2000s Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin, Photographic Film, Photographic Paper

Kate Resting, Contemporary Portrait Photography of Female Nude
Kate Resting, Contemporary Portrait Photography of Female Nude

Leonard Freed
Kate Resting, Contemporary Portrait Photography of Female Nude, 2002

Bride, Naples, Italy, Black and White Street Photography 1950s
By Leonard Freed
Located in New york, NY
Bride, Naples, Italy, 1958 by Leonard Freed is a black and white contemporary photograph, cinematic in nature. This is a gelatin silver, signed by the photographer, lifetime print, 24" x 20" from the Freed archive. LITERATURE: W. A. Ewing, N. Herschdorfer, and W. van Sinderen, Worldview, Leonard Freed, Steidl, 2007, p. 73 and back cover. Leonard Freed discovered Little Italy in New York...
Category

1950s Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin, Photographic Film, Photographic Paper

Bride, Naples, Italy, Black and White Street Photography 1950s
Bride, Naples, Italy, Black and White Street Photography 1950s

Leonard Freed
Bride, Naples, Italy, Black and White Street Photography 1950s, 1958

St. Peter's Square, Rome, Italy, Edition of Snow at the Vatican 1950s
By Leonard Freed
Located in New york, NY
St. Peter's Square, Rome, Italy, 1958 by Leonard Freed is a black and white documentary photograph of two figures (priests) on a snowy afternoon dressed in black in contrast to the f...
Category

1950s Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Photographic Film, Digital, Archival Pigment, Digital Pigment

St. Peter's Square, Rome, Italy, Edition of Snow at the Vatican 1950s
St. Peter's Square, Rome, Italy, Edition of Snow at the Vatican 1950s

Leonard Freed
St. Peter's Square, Rome, Italy, Edition of Snow at the Vatican 1950s, 1958

Trinity Church Wall Street, A Black and White Photograph of New York City 1990s
By Leonard Freed
Located in New york, NY
Trinity Church, Wall Street, 1995 by Leonard Freed is a 20" x 16" black and white, gelatin silver print, from the photographer's estate. The contemporary landscape photograph capture...
Category

1990s Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Photographic Film, Silver Gelatin, Photographic Paper

Trinity Church Wall Street, A Black and White Photograph of New York City 1990s
Trinity Church Wall Street, A Black and White Photograph of New York City 1990s

Leonard Freed
Trinity Church Wall Street, A Black and White Photograph of New York City 1990s, 1995

Businessmen in London, Street Photography England 1970s, Vintage Print
By Leonard Freed
Located in New york, NY
Businessmen in London, 1973 by Leonard Freed is signed verso (on back) by the photographer. This is a 20" x 24" vintage gelatin silver print, also stamped verso, focuses on British men...
Category

1970s Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Photographic Film, Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin

Businessmen in London, Street Photography England 1970s, Vintage Print
Businessmen in London, Street Photography England 1970s, Vintage Print

Leonard Freed
Businessmen in London, Street Photography England 1970s, Vintage Print, 1973

Deauville, France, Black and White Photography of the Parisian Riviera 1960s
By Leonard Freed
Located in New york, NY
Deauville, France, 1964 by American photographer Leonard Freed is a black and white contemporary photograph that captures chic style and loving embrace of a couple at the seaside tow...
Category

1960s Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Photographic Film, Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin

Deauville, France, Black and White Photography of the Parisian Riviera 1960s
Deauville, France, Black and White Photography of the Parisian Riviera 1960s

Leonard Freed
Deauville, France, Black and White Photography of the Parisian Riviera 1960s, 1964

New York, New York, Vintage Black and White Photograph of Men in Suits 1980s
By Leonard Freed
Located in New york, NY
New York, New York, 1981 by American photographer Leonard Freed. This is a 16" x 12" signed verso (on back), gelatin silver, also stamped verso, vintage print. The photograph captures men in suits...
Category

1980s Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper, Photographic Film, Silver Gelatin

New York, New York, Vintage Black and White Photograph of Men in Suits 1980s
New York, New York, Vintage Black and White Photograph of Men in Suits 1980s

Leonard Freed
New York, New York, Vintage Black and White Photograph of Men in Suits 1980s, 1981

Kate #13, Vintage Gelatin Silver Photograph of Female Figure, Dance and Yoga
By Leonard Freed
Located in New york, NY
Kate #13, is from the Kate series, 2002 by American photographer Leonard Freed is a signed, 8" x 10" (small format) black and white photograph (gelatin silver), stamped "vintage" on ...
Category

Early 2000s Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin, Photographic Film, Photographic Paper

Kate #13, Vintage Gelatin Silver Photograph of Female Figure, Dance and Yoga
Kate #13, Vintage Gelatin Silver Photograph of Female Figure, Dance and Yoga

Leonard Freed
Kate #13, Vintage Gelatin Silver Photograph of Female Figure, Dance and Yoga, 2002

Diver, Dortmund, Germany, Black and White Documentary Photography 1960s
By Leonard Freed
Located in New york, NY
Diver, Dortmund, Germany, 1965 by Leonard Freed is a 16” x 20” gelatin silver print, signed and stamped (on back of photo) by the widow Brigitte Freed. This contemporary photograph i...
Category

1960s Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin, Photographic Film, Photographic Paper

Diver, Dortmund, Germany, Black and White Documentary Photography 1960s
Diver, Dortmund, Germany, Black and White Documentary Photography 1960s

Leonard Freed
Diver, Dortmund, Germany, Black and White Documentary Photography 1960s, 1965

Kate #16, Vintage Gelatin Silver Print of Female Nude
By Leonard Freed
Located in New york, NY
Kate #16, 2002 is a vintage 8" x 10" black and white photograph from the series "Kate." Model Kate remains complicit in striking and defining dramatic poses for Freed. The photograph...
Category

Early 2000s Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin, Photographic Film, Photographic Paper

Kate #16, Vintage Gelatin Silver Print of Female Nude
Kate #16, Vintage Gelatin Silver Print of Female Nude

Leonard Freed
Kate #16, Vintage Gelatin Silver Print of Female Nude , 2002

Picnic with Birds, England, UK, Small Works Photographs by Leonard Freed
By Leonard Freed
Located in New york, NY
The photograph shot in England, Picnic with Birds, 2001 by Leonard Freed is a 5" x 7" gelatin silver photograph, stamped “vintage” by the Freed estate on ...
Category

Early 2000s Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin, Photographic Film, Photographic Paper

Picnic with Birds, England, UK, Small Works Photographs by Leonard Freed
Picnic with Birds, England, UK, Small Works Photographs by Leonard Freed

Leonard Freed
Picnic with Birds, England, UK, Small Works Photographs by Leonard Freed, 2001

We Must have Justice! NYC
By Leonard Freed
Located in Westwood, NJ
Signed, printed later,before 2007
Category

1960s Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

We Must have Justice! NYC

Leonard Freed
We Must have Justice! NYC, 1963

Freedom Now, Washington, DC, 8/28/63
By Leonard Freed
Located in Westwood, NJ
Signed, printed later but before 2007.
Category

1960s Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Freedom Now, Washington, DC, 8/28/63

Leonard Freed
Freedom Now, Washington, DC, 8/28/63, 1963

Contemporary black and white photography for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Contemporary black and white photography 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 black and white photography created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of blue, red, orange, purple and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Tyler Shields, Ian Sanderson, Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde, and David Yarrow. Frequently made by artists working with Pigment Print, and Archival Pigment Print and other materials, all of these pieces for sale are unique and have attracted attention over the years. Not every interior allows for large Contemporary black and white photography, so small editions measuring 1.5 inches across are also available.

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