Contemporary Art

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.

Style: Contemporary

Artist: Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde

Stranger - Contemporary, Polaroid, Nude, Landscape, 21st Century

Contemporary Art

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeStranger - Contemporary, Polaroid, Nude, Landscape, 21st Century, 2016

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde'Changing every Day' part of the series 'A girl called N.' - Polaroid Unique, 2019

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeThe bitter end - Contemporary, Polaroid, Color, Women, 21st Century, Nude, 2020

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeDivide - 21st Century, Polaroid, Nude Photography, Contemporary, 2016

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeOn the Rhodes again - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, Color, 2019

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeCrushing - Contemporary, Polaroid, 21st Century, Nude, Women, Figurative, 2017

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeTalking in your Sleep (Bombay Beach) - Contemporary, Polaroid, Women, 2023

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdePoupée - Contemporary, Portrait, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2020

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeWicca - 21st Century, Polaroid, Nude Photography, 2019

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeSynchronicity - Original Polaroid - Unique Piece, 2020

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeAshtray Heart - Original Polaroid - Unique piece, 2019

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeTinderbox - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2019

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeIn too deep, 2020

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeEquilibrium - Contemporary, Polaroid, Black and White, Women, Nude, 2020

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeTenterhooks - Contemporary, Polaroid, Black and White, Women, 21st Century, Nude, 2020

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeDulce Periculum - Polaroid, Color, Women, Portrait, 2020

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeOut of reach -Contemporary, Polaroid, Black and White, Women, 21st Century, Nude, 2020

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeCrushing - Contemporary, Polaroid, 21st Century, Nude, Women, Figurative, 2017

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeBend and break - Polaroid, Black and White, Women, 21st Century, Nude, 2020

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeFata Morgana, 2017

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeSchism - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2021

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeBallad (Bombay Beach) - Contemporary, Polaroid, Women, 2023

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeDry Season - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2019

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeLast thing on my mind - Polaroid, Color, Women, 21st Century, Nude, 2020

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeAll that Glitters ain't Gold, 2017

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeMissing, 50x50cm, 21st Century, Polaroid, Nude Photography, 2018

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeHeartbreak Motel, 2016

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeAll my most Beautiful, 2016

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeWatch Me Gone - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2024

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeAtomic - Contemporary, Polaroid, Nude, 21st Century, Joshua Tree, 2019

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeMelt with You - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, Color, 2019

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeDisorder (Bombay Beach) - Polaroid, Women, 2023

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeConfinement, 2020

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeShe - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, Color, 2019

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeRhapsody, 2016

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeNothing to hide - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, Color, 2019

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeMelt with You - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, Color, 2019

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeEverlong, 2016

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeMusing - Contemporary, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, Nude, 2019

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Stranger - Contemporary, Polaroid, Nude, Landscape, 21st Century, 2016

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
'Changing every Day' part of the series 'A girl called N.' - Polaroid Unique, 2019

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
The bitter end - Contemporary, Polaroid, Color, Women, 21st Century, Nude, 2020

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Divide - 21st Century, Polaroid, Nude Photography, Contemporary, 2016

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
On the Rhodes again - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, Color, 2019

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Crushing - Contemporary, Polaroid, 21st Century, Nude, Women, Figurative, 2017

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Talking in your Sleep (Bombay Beach) - Contemporary, Polaroid, Women, 2023

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Poupée - Contemporary, Portrait, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2020

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Wicca - 21st Century, Polaroid, Nude Photography, 2019

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Synchronicity - Original Polaroid - Unique Piece, 2020

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Ashtray Heart - Original Polaroid - Unique piece, 2019

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Tinderbox - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2019

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
In too deep, 2020

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Equilibrium - Contemporary, Polaroid, Black and White, Women, Nude, 2020

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Tenterhooks - Contemporary, Polaroid, Black and White, Women, 21st Century, Nude, 2020

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Dulce Periculum - Polaroid, Color, Women, Portrait, 2020

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Out of reach -Contemporary, Polaroid, Black and White, Women, 21st Century, Nude, 2020

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Crushing - Contemporary, Polaroid, 21st Century, Nude, Women, Figurative, 2017

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Bend and break - Polaroid, Black and White, Women, 21st Century, Nude, 2020

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Fata Morgana, 2017

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Schism - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2021

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Ballad (Bombay Beach) - Contemporary, Polaroid, Women, 2023

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Dry Season - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2019

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Last thing on my mind - Polaroid, Color, Women, 21st Century, Nude, 2020

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
All that Glitters ain't Gold, 2017

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Missing, 50x50cm, 21st Century, Polaroid, Nude Photography, 2018

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Heartbreak Motel, 2016

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
All my most Beautiful, 2016

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Watch Me Gone - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2024

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Atomic - Contemporary, Polaroid, Nude, 21st Century, Joshua Tree, 2019

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Melt with You - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, Color, 2019

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Disorder (Bombay Beach) - Polaroid, Women, 2023

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Confinement, 2020

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
She - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, Color, 2019

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Rhapsody, 2016

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Nothing to hide - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, Color, 2019

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Melt with You - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, Color, 2019

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Everlong, 2016

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Musing - Contemporary, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, Nude, 2019

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Everlong, 2016

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Blue Notes, 21st Century, Polaroid, Nude Photography, Contemporary, 2018

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Missing, 50x50cm, 21st Century, Polaroid, Nude Photography, 2018

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Think - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2019

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Bonjour, Robert - Polaroid, Contemporary, 21st century, 2016

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Are we human (or are we dancers)? - Polaroid, Women, 21st Century, Nude, 2020

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Innuendo, 2016

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Drifter - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2021

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Changing every Day - Bombay Beach - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 2019

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Acid - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2021

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
The Receiving End - 21st Century, Polaroid, Nude Photography, 2018

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Doll - Polaroid, Contemporary, Women, Nude, 2017

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Tranquility - Contemporary, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, Color, 2019

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Exposure, 2018

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Badlands - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2018

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Why don't you find out for yourself (Bombay Beach) - Polaroid, Women, 2023

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Wake-up call (Bombay Beach) - Contemporary, Polaroid, Nude, Black and White, 2019

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Cream - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2021

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Squeeze - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, Color, 2019