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

Read my mind - Polaroid, Color, Women, 21st Century, Nude

Contemporary Art

2010s Contemporary Art

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

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeCrystal Ball - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2020

2010s Contemporary Art

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

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeVelvet red - Polaroid, Color, Women, 21st Century, Nude, 2020

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeThe great escape - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2019

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeMagnolia Delight, 2018

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeFaun, 2018

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeVelvet, 2020

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeSilver, 2020

2010s Contemporary Art

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

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeThe other side of love -Contemporary, Polaroid, Color, Women, 21st Century, Nude, 2020

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeHeather - Contemporary, Nude, 21st Century, Polaroid, Portrait, 2018

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeSalt on my Skin - 80x80cm - Polaroid, Contemporary, 21st Century, 2017

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeHalf a World away, 2016

2010s Contemporary Art

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

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeRemember Amsterdam, 21st Century, Polaroid, Flower Photography, Contemporary, 2017

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeCosmic Love - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2020

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeMet him in a motel room - 21st Century, Polaroid, Landscape Photography, 2020

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeHeart of Glass - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2019

2010s Contemporary Art

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

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeInnuendo, 2016

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 AudenaerdeLithium - Polaroid, Women, 21st Century, Portrait, Contemporary, 2020

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeEscapism - Contemporary, Polaroid, Color, Women, 21st Century, 2020

2010s Contemporary Art

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

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeNew York, New York - Contemporary, based on a Polaroid, 2017

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeNever gonna cry again, 2020

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdePeaches, 2016

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 AudenaerdeThese days - Contemporary, Nude, Men, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2021

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeEscapism - Contemporary, Polaroid, Color, Women, 21st Century, 2020

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeAll my most Beautiful, 2016

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeOver my head - Contemporary, Polaroid, Black and White, Women, Nude, 2020

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeDressing up, 2018

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeSorrow- Polaroid, Color, Women, 21st Century, 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 AudenaerdeUnder cover, 2020

2010s Contemporary Art

Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeConfinement, 2020

2010s Contemporary Art

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

2010s Contemporary Art

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

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Crystal Ball - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2020

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

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Velvet red - Polaroid, Color, Women, 21st Century, Nude, 2020

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
The great escape - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2019

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Magnolia Delight, 2018

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Faun, 2018

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Velvet, 2020

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Silver, 2020

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

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
The other side of love -Contemporary, Polaroid, Color, Women, 21st Century, Nude, 2020

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Heather - Contemporary, Nude, 21st Century, Polaroid, Portrait, 2018

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Salt on my Skin - 80x80cm - Polaroid, Contemporary, 21st Century, 2017

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Half a World away, 2016

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

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Remember Amsterdam, 21st Century, Polaroid, Flower Photography, Contemporary, 2017

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Cosmic Love - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2020

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Met him in a motel room - 21st Century, Polaroid, Landscape Photography, 2020

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Heart of Glass - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2019

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

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Innuendo, 2016

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

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

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

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

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
New York, New York - Contemporary, based on a Polaroid, 2017

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Never gonna cry again, 2020

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Peaches, 2016

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

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
These days - Contemporary, Nude, Men, Polaroid, 21st Century, 2021

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

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
All my most Beautiful, 2016

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Over my head - Contemporary, Polaroid, Black and White, Women, Nude, 2020

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Dressing up, 2018

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

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

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Under cover, 2020

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Confinement, 2020

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

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

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

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

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

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
L'Heure bleue - 21st Century, Polaroid, Landscape Photography, 2018

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

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

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Soft and Tender, 21st Century, Polaroid, Nude Photography, Contemporary, Color, 2018

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Tell me Lies - Contemporary, Portrait, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, Color, 2016

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

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

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

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Under cover, 2020

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Don't look back (in anger) - Contemporary, Polaroid, Women, 21st Century, 2019

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

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

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Angels II - 21st Century, Polaroid, Landscape Photography, Contemporary, Color, 2018

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

Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Hide and Seek II, 21st Century, Polaroid, Nude Photography, 2016