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
Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Art
Paper, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Archival Pigment
2010s Contemporary Art
Rag Paper, Inkjet
2010s Contemporary Art
Etching
Early 2000s Contemporary Art
Wood
2010s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Art
Glass
1990s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Oil
1990s Contemporary Art
Silver Gelatin
Early 2000s Contemporary Art
Lithograph
2010s Contemporary Art
Concrete, Stainless Steel
2010s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Polyester
2010s Contemporary Art
Steel
Early 2000s Contemporary Art
Archival Ink
2010s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Art
Paper, Watercolor
2010s Contemporary Art
Resin, Plastic, Wood
2010s Contemporary Art
Screen
2010s Contemporary Art
Screen
2010s Contemporary Art
Linen, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Art
Pigment
1970s Contemporary Art
Etching
Artist Comments
Three figures in colorful dresses stand gracefully amidst a lush, fantasy garden. Oversized flowers in soft pastel tones add a surreal feel to the scene. The ...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Oil
1990s Contemporary Art
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
1990s Contemporary Art
Lithograph
Early 2000s Contemporary Art
Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, Color
Early 2000s Contemporary Art
Screen
2010s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Paint, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Art
Linen, Oil, Panel
2010s Contemporary Art
Bronze
2010s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Oil
1970s Contemporary Art
Lithograph
2010s Contemporary Art
Archival Paper, C Print
1960s Contemporary Art
Photographic Film, Photographic Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Bronze, Steel
2010s Contemporary Art
Color, Archival Pigment
2010s Contemporary Art
Linen, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Metal, Wire
2010s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Magazine Paper
2010s Contemporary Art
Woodcut
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Canvas, Oil
Early 2000s Contemporary Art
C Print
2010s Contemporary Art
Mylar, Oil
2010s Contemporary Art
Paper, Acrylic, Wood
2010s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Marble, Gold, Brass
Early 2000s Contemporary Art
C Print
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Archival Paper, Screen
2010s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Acrylic, Panel, Color Pencil
2010s Contemporary Art
Paper, Etching
2010s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Oil
1980s Contemporary Art
Lithograph
2010s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Paint, Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Art
Metal
2010s Contemporary Art
Encaustic, Archival Paper, Monotype
Early 2000s Contemporary Art
Photographic Film, Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin