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.
Late 20th Century Contemporary Art
Gouache
2010s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Oil, Spray Paint
2010s Contemporary Art
Oil, Board
2010s Contemporary Art
Archival Ink, Archival Pigment
2010s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Varnish, Archival Ink, Acrylic, Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Art
Screen
1990s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Acrylic, Stretcher Bars
Artist Comments
A small, delicate nest cradles two blue eggs, its woven twigs and fibers forming intricate textures. Painted on an aluminum panel, the surface lends a subtle luminosity to the composition. The artwork celebrates nature's quiet beauty and the fragility of new life.
About the Artist
Artist Jennifer Ross finds inspiration in gathering and replicating fragments of nature. "Birds, nests, eggs, and horses represent my realization that life embodies a tension between wanting security and the love of freedom," says Jennifer. Through her art, she aspires to convey a healing power inspired by the living world. Jennifer initially aspired to follow her mother and grandfather's artistic path but took a detour and began a decade-long career working in art galleries, selling the artwork of others, and doing framing design. Eventually, her creative soul persisted. She began experimenting with small pastel...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Acrylic
Early 2000s Contemporary Art
Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, C Print, Color, Polaroid
1980s Contemporary Art
Photographic Film, Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, Black and White, ...
Early 2000s Contemporary Art
Archival Paper, Black and White, Giclée, Archival Pigment, Pigment, Phot...
2010s Contemporary Art
Paper, Photographic Film, Oil Pastel, Mixed Media, Oil, Spray Paint, Per...
2010s Contemporary Art
Gold Leaf
2010s Contemporary Art
Porcelain
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
C Print
1990s Contemporary Art
Archival Paper, Polaroid
2010s Contemporary Art
Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, C Print, Color, Polaroid
2010s Contemporary Art
Paper, Woodcut
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Oil
2010s Contemporary Art
Photographic Paper, C Print, Color, Silver Gelatin
2010s Contemporary Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Printer's Ink
Early 2000s Contemporary Art
Lithograph
1970s Contemporary Art
Screen
2010s Contemporary Art
Photographic Paper, C Print, Color, Silver Gelatin
2010s Contemporary Art
Archival Pigment, Platinum
2010s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Oil
1970s Contemporary Art
Etching
2010s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Polyurethane
1980s Contemporary Art
Archival Paper, Screen
2010s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Oil
1990s Contemporary Art
Oil, Board
2010s Contemporary Art
Ceramic, Clay, Glaze
1990s Contemporary Art
Silver Gelatin
2010s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Art
Ink, Acrylic, Archival Paper
1980s Contemporary Art
Offset
1970s Contemporary Art
Lithograph
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Screen
2010s Contemporary Art
Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Stainless Steel
2010s Contemporary Art
Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
2010s Contemporary Art
Oil
2010s Contemporary Art
Canvas
2010s Contemporary Art
Oil, Wood Panel
2010s Contemporary Art
Enamel
2010s Contemporary Art
Archival Paper, Archival Pigment, Digital Pigment
2010s Contemporary Art
Archival Pigment
2010s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Art
Photographic Paper, Polaroid, Color, C Print, Archival Paper
Early 2000s Contemporary Art
Photographic Paper, C Print, Color, Silver Gelatin
2010s Contemporary Art
Oil, Panel
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Canvas, Oil Pastel, Mixed Media, Acrylic
1980s Contemporary Art
Gold, Platinum, Gold Leaf
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Adhesive, Color
1990s Contemporary Art
Glass, Wood, Photographic Film, Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, C Print
2010s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Canvas, Charcoal, Mixed Media, Acrylic