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

Ugly little Dreams

Contemporary Art

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeUgly little Dreams, 2017

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeTrouble me, 2020

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeEast of Eden - Contemporary, Polaroid, Nude, Landscape, 21st Century, 2019

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeColor me Weird (The crazy Adventures of David C.) Contemporary, Nude - mounted, 2019

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeAshtray heart - Contemporary, Polaroid, Nude, 21st Century,, 2019

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeSprawl - 21st Century, Polaroid, Nude, Photography, Women, 2020

2010s Contemporary Art

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

2010s Contemporary Art

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

2010s Contemporary Art

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

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeSkindeep - 21st Century, Polaroid, Nude Photography, Contemporary, 2018

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeHome - 20x20cm, Women, Nude, Polaroid, Photograph, Contemporary, Nature, 2017

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeThe secret life of plants - Contemporary, Polaroid, Color, Women, 21st Century, 2020

2010s Contemporary Art

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

2010s Contemporary Art

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

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 AudenaerdeSilk -Contemporary, Polaroid, Black and White, Women, 21st Century, Nude, 2020

2010s Contemporary Art

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

2010s Contemporary Art

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

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeCounterweight - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2022

2010s Contemporary Art

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

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeLandslide - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2022

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeAlways Forever, 2016

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeMarcella and me - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2021

2010s Contemporary Art

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

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeMaya (60x48cm) - 21st Century, Polaroid, Nude Photography, Contemporary, Color, 2018

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeSkindeep - 21st Century, Polaroid, Nude Photography, Contemporary, 2018

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeSpiked - 50x50cm - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2017

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeGrowing pains - Polaroid, Color, Women, 21st Century, Nude, 2020

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeThe monstera in me - Contemporary, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, Color, 2019

2010s Contemporary Art

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

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeI'll be yours - Contemporary, Polaroid, Nude, 21st Century, Joshua Tree, Men, 2019

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeTime Zero Flowers, 2018

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeGaze - Polaroid, Women, 21st Century, Nude, 2020

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeSleeping with Ghosts (Bombay Beach) - Polaroid, Women, 2023

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeAnyway the Wind Blows - 21st Century, Polaroid, Nude, Contemporary, Color, 2017

2010s Contemporary Art

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

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeThe way we were - Contemporary, Polaroid, Nude, 21st Century, Joshua Tree, 2019

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeCars and girls - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, Color, 2019

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeSparks - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2024

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Ugly little Dreams, 2017

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Trouble me, 2020

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
East of Eden - Contemporary, Polaroid, Nude, Landscape, 21st Century, 2019

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Color me Weird (The crazy Adventures of David C.) Contemporary, Nude - mounted, 2019

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Ashtray heart - Contemporary, Polaroid, Nude, 21st Century,, 2019

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Sprawl - 21st Century, Polaroid, Nude, Photography, Women, 2020

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

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

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

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Skindeep - 21st Century, Polaroid, Nude Photography, Contemporary, 2018

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Home - 20x20cm, Women, Nude, Polaroid, Photograph, Contemporary, Nature, 2017

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
The secret life of plants - Contemporary, Polaroid, Color, Women, 21st Century, 2020

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Counterweight - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2022

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

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Landslide - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2022

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Always Forever, 2016

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Marcella and me - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2021

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

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Maya (60x48cm) - 21st Century, Polaroid, Nude Photography, Contemporary, Color, 2018

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Skindeep - 21st Century, Polaroid, Nude Photography, Contemporary, 2018

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Spiked - 50x50cm - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2017

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Growing pains - Polaroid, Color, Women, 21st Century, Nude, 2020

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
The monstera in me - Contemporary, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, Color, 2019

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

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
I'll be yours - Contemporary, Polaroid, Nude, 21st Century, Joshua Tree, Men, 2019

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Time Zero Flowers, 2018

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Gaze - Polaroid, Women, 21st Century, Nude, 2020

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Sleeping with Ghosts (Bombay Beach) - Polaroid, Women, 2023

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Anyway the Wind Blows - 21st Century, Polaroid, Nude, Contemporary, Color, 2017

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

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
The way we were - Contemporary, Polaroid, Nude, 21st Century, Joshua Tree, 2019

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

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Sparks - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2024

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Lust for life - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2021

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Skin and Bones I - 21st Century, Polaroid, Nude Photography, Contemporary, B&W, 2018

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Golden years - Contemporary, Polaroid, Color, Women, 21st Century, 2020

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

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Always / Never - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2024

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

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Learning to fly - Contemporary, Portrait, Women, Polaroid, Nude, 2020

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Vice - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2024

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
For your eyes only - Contemporary, Polaroid, Nude, 21st Century, Joshua Tree, 2019

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Only Cowgirls get the Blues (Bombay Beach) - Contemporary, Polaroid, Women, 2023

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

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Roses are Red, 21st Century, Polaroid, Nude Photography, Contemporary, Color, 2018

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

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Situation - BomBay Beach - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2019

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

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

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
More than This - Contemporary, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2024

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

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