Contemporary Art
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.
2010s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Art
Polaroid
1940s Contemporary Art
Masonite, Oil
2010s Contemporary Art
Oil, Panel
Early 2000s Contemporary Art
Archival Pigment
2010s Contemporary Art
Glass
2010s Contemporary Art
Glass
2010s Contemporary Art
Metal
2010s Contemporary Art
Bronze
2010s Contemporary Art
Archival Pigment
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Photographic Film, Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin
1940s Contemporary Art
Photographic Film, Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Vinyl, Plastic
2010s Contemporary Art
Screen
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Offset
2010s Contemporary Art
Archival Pigment
2010s Contemporary Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Paint, Oil
Early 2000s Contemporary Art
Archival Pigment
Early 2000s Contemporary Art
Archival Pigment
2010s Contemporary Art
Linen, Oil
2010s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Oil
Early 2000s Contemporary Art
Archival Pigment
2010s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Fabric, Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Art
Digital Pigment, Archival Ink, Archival Paper
Artist Comments
The shimmering sea peeks through a beach house and offers a glimpse of its tranquil beauty. The floor, wall, and ceiling lead to the water, creating a seamles...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Acrylic
Early 2000s Contemporary Art
Digital Pigment
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
C Print
2010s Contemporary Art
Digital Pigment
1990s Contemporary Art
Lithograph
Early 2000s Contemporary Art
Archival Pigment
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Oil
2010s Contemporary Art
Stainless Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Acrylic Polymer, Ink, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Color Pencil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Art
Cardboard, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Archival Paper, Pigment
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Art
Acrylic, Paper
Early 2000s Contemporary Art
Lithograph
2010s Contemporary Art
Archival Pigment
1980s Contemporary Art
Photographic Film, Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, Black and White, ...
20th Century Contemporary Art
Screen
2010s Contemporary Art
Oil
2010s Contemporary Art
Archival Pigment, Rag Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Photographic Film, Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin
1960s Contemporary Art
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
1940s Contemporary Art
Archival Paper, Archival Ink, Archival Pigment
2010s Contemporary Art
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Giclée, Archival Pigment
2010s Contemporary Art
Archival Pigment
1980s Contemporary Art
Archival Pigment
1970s Contemporary Art
Lithograph
Early 2000s Contemporary Art
Archival Pigment
2010s Contemporary Art
Digital Pigment
Early 2000s Contemporary Art
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Canvas, Oil