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Contemporary Figurative 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: Sonny Assu
Longing #6
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Four years ago, I stumbled upon the site of a log-home developer on the traditional territory of the We Wai Kai Nation, my reserve on northeastern Vancouver Island. I found it comical that my nation leased a plot of land, on un-ceded territory, to a company that exploits our resources to assemble log homes to be shipped off to the wealthy around the world. While exploring the piles of discarded wood, I discovered a unique by-product of this industry: off-cuts that looked remarkably like pre-fabricated Northwest Coast masks. Left to be reclaimed by the earth or chipped up into cat litter...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Longing #30
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Four years ago, I stumbled upon the site of a log-home developer on the traditional territory of the We Wai Kai Nation, my reserve on northeastern Vancouver Island. I found it comica...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Longing #1
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Four years ago, I stumbled upon the site of a log-home developer on the traditional territory of the We Wai Kai Nation, my reserve on northeastern Vancouver Island. I found it comica...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Longing #31
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Four years ago, I stumbled upon the site of a log-home developer on the traditional territory of the We Wai Kai Nation, my reserve on northeastern Vancouver Island. I found it comical that my nation leased a plot of land, on un-ceded territory, to a company that exploits our resources to assemble log homes to be shipped off to the wealthy around the world. While exploring the piles of discarded wood, I discovered a unique by-product of this industry: off-cuts that looked remarkably like pre-fabricated Northwest Coast masks. Left to be reclaimed by the earth or chipped up into cat litter...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Longing #24
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Four years ago, I stumbled upon the site of a log-home developer on the traditional territory of the We Wai Kai Nation, my reserve on northeastern Vancouver Island. I found it comical that my nation leased a plot of land, on un-ceded territory, to a company that exploits our resources to assemble log homes to be shipped off to the wealthy around the world. While exploring the piles of discarded wood, I discovered a unique by-product of this industry: off-cuts that looked remarkably like pre-fabricated Northwest Coast masks. Left to be reclaimed by the earth or chipped up into cat litter...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Longing #12
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Four years ago, I stumbled upon the site of a log-home developer on the traditional territory of the We Wai Kai Nation, my reserve on northeastern Vancouver Island. I found it comica...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Longing #3
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Four years ago, I stumbled upon the site of a log-home developer on the traditional territory of the We Wai Kai Nation, my reserve on northeastern Vancouver Island. I found it comica...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Longing #22
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Four years ago, I stumbled upon the site of a log-home developer on the traditional territory of the We Wai Kai Nation, my reserve on northeastern Vancouver Island. I found it comica...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Longing #29
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Four years ago, I stumbled upon the site of a log-home developer on the traditional territory of the We Wai Kai Nation, my reserve on northeastern Vancouver Island. I found it comica...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Longing #20
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Four years ago, I stumbled upon the site of a log-home developer on the traditional territory of the We Wai Kai Nation, my reserve on northeastern Vancouver Island. I found it comica...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Longing #25
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Four years ago, I stumbled upon the site of a log-home developer on the traditional territory of the We Wai Kai Nation, my reserve on northeastern Vancouver Island. I found it comica...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Longing #21
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Four years ago, I stumbled upon the site of a log-home developer on the traditional territory of the We Wai Kai Nation, my reserve on northeastern Vancouver Island. I found it comica...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Longing #19
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Four years ago, I stumbled upon the site of a log-home developer on the traditional territory of the We Wai Kai Nation, my reserve on northeastern Vancouver Island. I found it comical that my nation leased a plot of land, on un-ceded territory, to a company that exploits our resources to assemble log homes to be shipped off to the wealthy around the world. While exploring the piles of discarded wood, I discovered a unique by-product of this industry: off-cuts that looked remarkably like pre-fabricated Northwest Coast masks. Left to be reclaimed by the earth or chipped up into cat litter...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Longing #26
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Four years ago, I stumbled upon the site of a log-home developer on the traditional territory of the We Wai Kai Nation, my reserve on northeastern Vancouver Island. I found it comica...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Longing #27
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Four years ago, I stumbled upon the site of a log-home developer on the traditional territory of the We Wai Kai Nation, my reserve on northeastern Vancouver Island. I found it comical that my nation leased a plot of land, on un-ceded territory, to a company that exploits our resources to assemble log homes to be shipped off to the wealthy around the world. While exploring the piles of discarded wood, I discovered a unique by-product of this industry: off-cuts that looked remarkably like pre-fabricated Northwest Coast masks. Left to be reclaimed by the earth or chipped up into cat litter...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Longing #18
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Four years ago, I stumbled upon the site of a log-home developer on the traditional territory of the We Wai Kai Nation, my reserve on northeastern Vancouver Island. I found it comica...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Longing #16
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Four years ago, I stumbled upon the site of a log-home developer on the traditional territory of the We Wai Kai Nation, my reserve on northeastern Vancouver Island. I found it comica...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Longing #17
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Four years ago, I stumbled upon the site of a log-home developer on the traditional territory of the We Wai Kai Nation, my reserve on northeastern Vancouver Island. I found it comica...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Longing #15
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Four years ago, I stumbled upon the site of a log-home developer on the traditional territory of the We Wai Kai Nation, my reserve on northeastern Vancouver Island. I found it comica...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Longing #7
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Four years ago, I stumbled upon the site of a log-home developer on the traditional territory of the We Wai Kai Nation, my reserve on northeastern Vancouver Island. I found it comica...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Longing #10
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Four years ago, I stumbled upon the site of a log-home developer on the traditional territory of the We Wai Kai Nation, my reserve on northeastern Vancouver Island. I found it comica...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Longing #11
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Four years ago, I stumbled upon the site of a log-home developer on the traditional territory of the We Wai Kai Nation, my reserve on northeastern Vancouver Island. I found it comica...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Longing #9
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Four years ago, I stumbled upon the site of a log-home developer on the traditional territory of the We Wai Kai Nation, my reserve on northeastern Vancouver Island. I found it comica...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Longing #14
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Four years ago, I stumbled upon the site of a log-home developer on the traditional territory of the We Wai Kai Nation, my reserve on northeastern Vancouver Island. I found it comica...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Longing #8
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Four years ago, I stumbled upon the site of a log-home developer on the traditional territory of the We Wai Kai Nation, my reserve on northeastern Vancouver Island. I found it comica...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Longing #13
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Four years ago, I stumbled upon the site of a log-home developer on the traditional territory of the We Wai Kai Nation, my reserve on northeastern Vancouver Island. I found it comica...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Longing #5
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Four years ago, I stumbled upon the site of a log-home developer on the traditional territory of the We Wai Kai Nation, my reserve on northeastern Vancouver Island. I found it comical that my nation leased a plot of land, on un-ceded territory, to a company that exploits our resources to assemble log homes to be shipped off to the wealthy around the world. While exploring the piles of discarded wood, I discovered a unique by-product of this industry: off-cuts that looked remarkably like pre-fabricated Northwest Coast masks. Left to be reclaimed by the earth or chipped up into cat litter...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Longing #4
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Four years ago, I stumbled upon the site of a log-home developer on the traditional territory of the We Wai Kai Nation, my reserve on northeastern Vancouver Island. I found it comica...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Longing #23
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Four years ago, I stumbled upon the site of a log-home developer on the traditional territory of the We Wai Kai Nation, my reserve on northeastern Vancouver Island. I found it comica...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Longing #28
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Four years ago, I stumbled upon the site of a log-home developer on the traditional territory of the We Wai Kai Nation, my reserve on northeastern Vancouver Island. I found it comica...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Longing #2
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Four years ago, I stumbled upon the site of a log-home developer on the traditional territory of the We Wai Kai Nation, my reserve on northeastern Vancouver Island. I found it comica...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Contemporary figurative photography for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Contemporary figurative 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 figurative photography created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of green, yellow, orange, blue and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Tyler Shields, Brian Finke, Stefanie Schneider, and David Drebin. Frequently made by artists working with Polaroid, and Paper 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 figurative photography, so small editions measuring 3.04 inches across are also available. Prices for figurative photography 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 $110 and tops out at $40,000, while the average work sells for $701.

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