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Contemporary 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: Michael Kenna
Chrysler Building, Study 4, New York, New York, USA
Located in Dallas, TX
Edition of 25 Signed, dated and numbered in pencil on mount margin recto. Signed, titled, negative date, print date and numbered in pencil with the artist's stamp in black ink on mo...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Ten Balloons, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
Located in Dallas, TX
Edition of 45 Signed, titled, negative date, print date and numbered. Sepia toned gelatin silver Michael Kenna's black and white photographs are powerful and alluring. His imagery t...
Category

1980s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Hand of Sangsaeng, Homigot, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Edition of 25 Michael Kenna is master of contemporary photography. Known for clean compositions, long exposures and minimalist aesthetics, Kenna’s signature style remains highly inf...
Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Three Ladders, Sampo Beach, Gangwondo, South Korea
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Edition of 40 Michael Kenna is master of contemporary photography. Known for clean compositions, long exposures and minimalist aesthetics, Kenna’s signature style remains highly inf...
Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Cracked Pier, Haeui-do, Shinan, South Korea
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Edition of 40 Michael Kenna is master of contemporary photography. Known for clean compositions, long exposures and minimalist aesthetics, Kenna’s signature style remains highly inf...
Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Ortucchio Lake Reflection, Fucino, Abruzzo, Italy
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Abruzzo, located in southern Italy, is known as the ‘green region of Europe’ because of the system of parks and nature reserves covering more than one-third of its territory. It has ...
Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Eighteen Hedges, Versailles, France
Located in Dallas, TX
Edition of 45 Signed, titled, negative date, print date and numbered. Sepia toned gelatin silver print. Michael Kenna's black and white photographs are powerful and alluring. His im...
Category

1980s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Six Flying Birds, Bath, Avon, England,
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Edition of 40 Michael Kenna is master of contemporary photography. Known for clean compositions, long exposures and minimalist aesthetics, Kenna’s signature style remains highly inf...
Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Long Wall, Berwick, Northumberland, England. 1991
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Michael Kenna is master of contemporary photography. Known for clean compositions, long exposures and minimalist aesthetics, Kenna’s signature style remains highly influential among ...
Category

20th Century Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Watchtower, Study 5, Myeongpa, Gongwondo, South Korea
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Edition of 40 Michael Kenna is master of contemporary photography. Known for clean compositions, long exposures and minimalist aesthetics, Kenna’s signature style remains highly inf...
Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Watchtower, Study 1, Sampo, Gongwondo, South Korea
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Edition of 40 Michael Kenna is master of contemporary photography. Known for clean compositions, long exposures and minimalist aesthetics, Kenna’s signature style remains highly inf...
Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Swan Song, Prague, Czech Republic
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Edition of 40 Michael Kenna is master of contemporary photography. Known for clean compositions, long exposures and minimalist aesthetics, Kenna’s signature style remains highly inf...
Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Temple Tree, Jonjaamji, Jeju Island, South Korea
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Edition of 40 Michael Kenna is master of contemporary photography. Known for clean compositions, long exposures and minimalist aesthetics, Kenna’s signature style remains highly inf...
Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Seven Cormorants, Florida, USA
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Edition of 40 Michael Kenna is master of contemporary photography. Known for clean compositions, long exposures and minimalist aesthetics, Kenna’s signature style remains highly inf...
Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Morning, Main Channel, Elkhorn Slough, California, USA
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Edition of 40 Michael Kenna is master of contemporary photography. Known for clean compositions, long exposures and minimalist aesthetics, Kenna’s signature style remains highly inf...
Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Horizon Lights, Jeunt-do, Shinan, South Korea
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Edition of 40 Michael Kenna is master of contemporary photography. Known for clean compositions, long exposures and minimalist aesthetics, Kenna’s signature style remains highly inf...
Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Gathering Clouds, Casoli, Abruzzo, Italy
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Abruzzo, located in southern Italy, is known as the ‘green region of Europe’ because of the system of parks and nature reserves covering more than one-third of its territory. It has ...
Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Thirteen Beach Umbrellas, Montesilvano, Abruzzo, Italy
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Michael Kenna is a master of contemporary photography. Known for clean compositions, long exposures and minimalist aesthetics, Kenna’s signature style remains highly influential amon...
Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Diving Boards and Cruise Ship, Nice, Alpes-Maritimes, France
Located in Dallas, TX
Edition of 45 Signed, titled, negative date, print date and numbered. Sepia toned gelatin silver print Michael Kenna's black and white photographs are powerful and alluring. His ima...
Category

1990s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Copse Reflection, Vendramin, Veneto, Italy
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Michael Kenna is master of contemporary photography. Known for clean compositions, long exposures and minimalist aesthetics, Kenna’s signature style remains highly influential among ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Swan Song, Prague, Czech Republic. 1990
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Edition 14 of 45 Michael Kenna is a master of contemporary photography. Known for clean compositions, long exposures and minimalist aesthetics, Kenna’s signature style remains hig...
Category

1990s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Notre Dame, Study 5, Paris, France
Located in Dallas, TX
Edition of 25 Signed, titled, negative date, print date and numbered. Sepia toned gelatin silver print Michael Kenna's black and white photographs are powerful and alluring. His ima...
Category

Late 20th Century Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Falaise d'Aval et Nuages, Etretat, Haute-Normandie, France
Located in Dallas, TX
Edition of 45 Signed, dated and numbered in pencil on mount margin recto. Signed, titled, negative date, print date and numbered in pencil with the artist's stamp in black ink on mo...
Category

Early 2000s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Glastonbury Tor, Study 3, Somerset, England. 1990
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Michael Kenna is master of contemporary photography. Known for clean compositions, long exposures and minimalist aesthetics, Kenna’s signature style remains highly influential amon...
Category

20th Century Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Reflection, Study 1, Vaux-le-Vicomte, France
Located in Dallas, TX
Edition of 45 Signed, dated and numbered in pencil on mount margin recto. Signed, titled, negative date, print date and numbered in pencil with the artist's stamp in black ink on mo...
Category

Late 20th Century Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Chrysler Building, Study 1, New York, New York, USA
Located in Dallas, TX
Edition of 45 Signed, titled, dated, print date and numbered. Sepia toned gelatin silver print. Michael Kenna's black and white photographs are powerful and alluring. His imagery tr...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Forest Mist, Study 2, Rigopiano, Abruzzo, Italy
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Abruzzo, located in southern Italy, is known as the ‘green region of Europe’ because of the system of parks and nature reserves covering more than one-third of its territory. It has one of the highest biodiversity indexes in Europe, and one of the richest areas of flora in the world. In Abruzzo, Michael Kenna found a cultural identity that elsewhere, for the most part, has been lost to globalization and instant communication. Kenna photographed medieval ruins, ancient villages and a countryside rich in traditional cultivation. As curator Vincenzo de...
Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Aedicula, Terranera, Abruzzo, Italy
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Abruzzo, located in southern Italy, is known as the ‘green region of Europe’ because of the system of parks and nature reserves covering more than one-third of its territory. It has ...
Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Petit Canal, Versailles, France
Located in Dallas, TX
Edition of 45 Signed, titled, negative date, print date and numbered. Sepia toned gelatin silver Michael Kenna's black and white photographs are powerful and alluring. His imag...
Category

1990s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Castle and Sky, Rocca Calascio, Abruzzo, Italy
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Abruzzo, located in southern Italy, is known as the ‘green region of Europe’ because of the system of parks and nature reserves covering more than one-third of its territory. It has ...
Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Brooklyn Bridge, Study 2, New York, USA
Located in Dallas, TX
Edition of 45 Signed, titled, negative date, print date and numbered. Sepia toned gelatin silver print Michael Kenna's black and white photographs are powerful and alluring. His...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Empire State Building, Study 1, New York, New York, USA
Located in Dallas, TX
Edition of 45 Signed, titled, dated, print date and numbered. Sepia toned gelatin silver print. Michael Kenna's black and white photographs are powerful and alluring. His imagery tr...
Category

1980s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

One Hundred and Four Birds, Prague, Czechoslovakia
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Edition 35 of 45 Michael Kenna is a master of contemporary photography. Known for clean compositions, long exposures and minimalist aesthetics, Kenna’s signature style remains hig...
Category

1990s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Futatsui Rocks, Study 1, Abashiri, Hokkaido, Japan
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Michael Kenna is master of contemporary photography. Known for clean compositions, long exposures and minimalist aesthetics, Kenna’s signature style remains highly influential among ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Huangshan Mountains, Study 6, Anhui, China
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Michael Kenna is master of contemporary photography. Known for clean compositions, long exposures and minimalist aesthetics, Kenna’s signature style remains highly influential amon...
Category

Early 2000s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Fifty Two Birds, Zurich, Switzerland
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Michael Kenna is master of contemporary photography. Known for clean compositions, long exposures and minimalist aesthetics, Kenna’s signature style remains highly influential among ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Hashikui Rocks, Study 1, Kushimoto, Honshu, Japan. 2002
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Michael Kenna is master of contemporary photography. Known for clean compositions, long exposures and minimalist aesthetics, Kenna’s signature style remains highly influential am...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Asparagus Sticks, Study 2, Hokkaido, Japan. 2007
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Michael Kenna is master of contemporary photography. Known for clean compositions, long exposures and minimalist aesthetics, Kenna’s signature style remains highly influential amon...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Hercules, Vaux-le-Vicomte, France
Located in Dallas, TX
Edition of 45 Signed, titled, negative date, print date, and numbered by Michael Kenna Sepia toned gelatin silver Image size: 7 3/4 x 7 3/4 in. Printed 2000 Michael Kenna's black an...
Category

1990s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Falaise d'Aval le Crepuscule, Etretat, France
Located in Dallas, TX
Edition 28/45 Signed, dated and numbered in pencil on mount margin recto. Signed, titled, negative date, print date and numbered in pencil with the artist's stamp in black ink on mo...
Category

Early 2000s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Fierce Wind, Shykushi, Honshu, Japan
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Michael Kenna is master of contemporary photography. Known for clean compositions, long exposures and minimalist aesthetics, Kenna’s signature style remains highly influential among ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Brooklyn Bridge, Study 4, New York, New York, USA
Located in Dallas, TX
Edition of 45 Signed, titled, negative date, print date, and numbered. Sepia toned gelatin silver print Michael Kenna's black and white photographs are powerful and alluring. Hi...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Pine Trees at Dusk, Loreto Aprutino, Abruzzo, Italy
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Abruzzo, located in southern Italy, is known as the ‘green region of Europe’ because of the system of parks and nature reserves covering more than one-third of its territory. It has ...
Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Two Winter Stalks, Biei, Hokkaido, Japan
Located in Dallas, TX
Edition of 45 Signed, titled, negative date, print date, and numbered by Michael Kenna Sepia toned gelatin silver print, Image size: 8 x 7 1/2 Michael Kenna's black and white photog...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Rock Formations, Study 1, Yoichi, Hokkaido, Japan. 2002
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Michael Kenna is master of contemporary photography. Known for clean compositions, long exposures and minimalist aesthetics, Kenna’s signature style remains highly influential am...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Ratcliffe Power Station, Study 18, Nottinghamshire, England. 1984
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Michael Kenna is master of contemporary photography. Known for clean compositions, long exposures and minimalist aesthetics, Kenna’s signature style remains highly influential among ...
Category

20th Century Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Hilltop Trees, Study 4, Teshikaga, Hokkaido, Japan. 2016
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Michael Kenna is a master of contemporary photography. Known for clean compositions, long exposures and minimalist aesthetics, Kenna’s signature style remains highly influential amon...
Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Seven Pollarded Trees, Capaize, Bourgogne, France
Located in Dallas, TX
Edition of 45 Signed, titled, negative date, print date and numbered by Michael Kenna Sepia toned gelatin silver print Michael Kenna's black and white photographs are powerful and a...
Category

20th Century Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

One Tree, Nakafurano, Hokkaido, Japan
Located in Dallas, TX
Edition of 45 Signed, titled, negative date, print date and numbered. Sepia toned gelatin silver print Michael Kenna's black and white photographs are powerful and alluring. His...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Ten Balloons, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Edition 07 of 45 Michael Kenna is a master of contemporary photography. Known for clean compositions, long exposures and minimalist aesthetics, Kenna’s signature style remains highl...
Category

Early 2000s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Kokdua Tree and Exposed Roots, Mekong River, Luang Prabang, Laos
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Michael Kenna is a master of contemporary photography. Known for clean compositions, long exposures and minimalist aesthetics, Kenna’s signature style remains highly influential amon...
Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Forbidden City Tree, Beijing, China. 2007
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Michael Kenna is master of contemporary photography. Known for clean compositions, long exposures and minimalist aesthetics, Kenna’s signature style remains highly influential among ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Tree and Mountain, Suizenji Joju-en Garden, Dumamoto, Kyushi, Japan
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Edition 41 of 45 Michael Kenna is a master of contemporary photography. Known for clean compositions, long exposures and minimalist aesthetics, Kenna’s signature style remains hig...
Category

Early 2000s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Pine Trees, Study 3, Wolcheon, Gangwondo, South Korea. 2011
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Michael Kenna is master of contemporary photography. Known for clean compositions, long exposures and minimalist aesthetics, Kenna’s signature style remains highly influential am...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Oak Tree and Monte Cagno Mountains, Terranera, Abruzzo, Italy
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Abruzzo, located in southern Italy, is known as the ‘green region of Europe’ because of the system of parks and nature reserves covering more than one-third of its territory. It has ...
Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Homage to Giacomelli, Scanno, Abruzzo, Italy
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Abruzzo, located in southern Italy, is known as the ‘green region of Europe’ because of the system of parks and nature reserves covering more than one-third of its territory. It has ...
Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Mountain Road, Calascio, Abruzzo, Italy
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Abruzzo, located in southern Italy, is known as the ‘green region of Europe’ because of the system of parks and nature reserves covering more than one-third of its territory. It has ...
Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Piccolomini Castle, Celano, Abruzzo, Italy
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Abruzzo, located in southern Italy, is known as the ‘green region of Europe’ because of the system of parks and nature reserves covering more than one-third of its territory. It has ...
Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Contemporary photography for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Contemporary 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 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, purple, orange, red and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Stefanie Schneider, Tyler Shields, Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde, and Richard Heeps. 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 photography, so small editions measuring 0.4 inches across are also available.

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