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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.

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Style: Contemporary
Hypomnema #5 Wall sculpture.
Hypomnema #5 Wall sculpture.

Hypomnema #5 Wall sculpture.

Located in Miami Beach, FL

Hypomnema. A term that is composed of the ancient Greek preposition Hypo-Mneme and literally means “commemorative memory.” It is the meeting of several layers in an object, the memor...

Category

2010s Contemporary Art

Materials

Textile, Mixed Media

Telephone VII, Palm Springs, California - Vintage Interior Color Photography
Telephone VII, Palm Springs, California - Vintage Interior Color Photography

Telephone VII, Palm Springs, California - Vintage Interior Color Photography

By Richard Heeps

Located in Cambridge, GB

Telephone VII, vintage interior photograph from Richard Heeps' series, Dream in Colour. Captured in the cool Ballantines Movie Colony, Palm Springs this artwork combines gorgeous col...

Category

Early 2000s Contemporary Art

Materials

Photographic Paper, C Print, Color, Silver Gelatin

Lonely Tree and Rolling Hills – Minimalist Photograph, Tuscany – Limited Edition
Lonely Tree and Rolling Hills – Minimalist Photograph, Tuscany – Limited Edition

Lonely Tree and Rolling Hills – Minimalist Photograph, Tuscany – Limited Edition

By Gerald Berghammer

Located in Vienna, Vienna

Archival pigment ink print, produced in a limited edition of 7 // Gallery ID: 25049 Fine art prints are produced to order on Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta. Each print is stamped on the...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art

Materials

Digital Pigment

Row of colorful Pedal Boats Panorama, waterscape - limited edition color print
Row of colorful Pedal Boats Panorama, waterscape - limited edition color print

Row of colorful Pedal Boats Panorama, waterscape - limited edition color print

By Gerald Berghammer

Located in Vienna, Vienna

Gerald Berghammer - Color panorama waterscape photography. A row of colorful pedal boats on the lake Balaton with dramatic cloudy sky. All Gerald Berghammer prints are made to order...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art

Materials

Digital Pigment

Seascape XVIII Diptych - large scale abstract monochromatic ocean water surface
Seascape XVIII Diptych - large scale abstract monochromatic ocean water surface

Seascape XVIII Diptych - large scale abstract monochromatic ocean water surface

By Frank Schott

Located in San Francisco, CA

Large format abstract photograph diptych of mesmerizing water surface and ephemeral abstract ripple patterns from a series of photographic works capturing the monochromatic oceanic b...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art

Materials

Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, Giclée, Archival Pigment

Serie Dibujos Felices 10 - Original Red Blue Watercolor and Ink Artwork on Paper
Serie Dibujos Felices 10 - Original Red Blue Watercolor and Ink Artwork on Paper

Serie Dibujos Felices 10 - Original Red Blue Watercolor and Ink Artwork on Paper

By "Sergio ""Valenz"" Valenzuela"

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Sergio Valenzuela “Valenz” is a contemporary Guatemalan artist who tells stories with everyday objects, primarily expressing them with graphite and acrylic on canvas. His artworks pr...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art

Materials

Ink, Mixed Media, Watercolor, Archival Paper

Weightless - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Modern, Africa Men
Weightless - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Modern, Africa Men

Weightless - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Modern, Africa Men

Located in Ibadan, Oyo

Weightless captures a suspended moment between control and release. His posture suggests not defeat, but acceptance, a letting go of tension, burden, and the unseen trials that pres...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art

Materials

Canvas, Charcoal, Mixed Media, Acrylic

Mixed Media Large Pop Art Painting Drawing Brian Kenny NYC Street Art 2015
Mixed Media Large Pop Art Painting Drawing Brian Kenny NYC Street Art 2015

Mixed Media Large Pop Art Painting Drawing Brian Kenny NYC Street Art 2015

Located in Surfside, FL

Brian Kenny, (German-American, 1982-) MIxed Media Painting with Drawing, Oil or Acrylic on Canvas. Hand signed On Verso and Dated 2015, NYC Dimensions: Sight- 30" x 24", Frame- 36" x 30" Brian Kenny (born 1982, Heidelberg, Germany) is a NYC-based American multidisciplinary artist exhibited in galleries, museums, theaters and alternative venues in the US, Canada, Russia, Israel and across Europe. In 2004 Brian began an ongoing collaboration with artist Slava Mogutin as SUPERM, and in 2016 with writer Rich Juzwiak as BOYFRIEND HOUSE. Using an array of mediums including drawing, painting, sculpture, textile, video and performance, Brian’s artwork is bright and vividly expressionistic; often autobiographical and reflective of his current states of mind which include themes of his queer identity, shifting societal perceptions about gender, sexuality and politics, urban living and free-associative wanderings of thought and creative experimentation. New York-based artist Brian Kenny’s work is a visually striking exploration of gender, sexuality, and politics in contemporary North America. Known for his experimental and expressionistic practice, Brian mixes mediums such as painting, illustration, collage, sculpture, and textiles – oftentimes all at once. Brian’s foundation in drawing is evident across his portfolio, with nearly every piece incorporating some signature scribblings from the artist. He has experimented with drawing, collage, photography, performance and, more recently, painting. “All the other mediums I’m exploring like, painting, textile art, and animation all branch out from drawing,” he explains. This focus is what makes Brian’s vast collection of work all feel so cohesive. "Both of my parents were in the US military and we moved around a lot in the US. But most of the places I lived were rural, far from big cities and art museums, so I had no idea who Andy Warhol, Mark Rothko, Chuck Close, David Hockney or Damien Hirst were. The few small art museums I visited as a child were full of old-school oil paintings; all life-like portraits, rural landscapes and historical recreations. It wasn’t until I met Slava Mogutin and moved to New York that I began to meet artists, see exhibitions at art galleries of living artists near my age, and tour lot of contemporary art museums like MoMA and begin learning about contemporary art history". Brian says. “I’m definitely not a minimalist and lean toward more narrative and figurative artwork than abstraction or decoration”. Minimalist, he is not: Brian’s work pops with vibrant colours, characters and shapes, evoking a Warholian play on pop art culture. Kenny’s signature line drawing style is reminiscent of Keith Haring and LA Ortiz and evokes comparisons to early Jean Michel Basquiat. Brian's commercial and fashion work includes art and design commissions and collaborations with Onitsuka Tiger (Japan...

Category

2010s Contemporary Art

Materials

Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic, Permanent Marker

Fall, Original Painting
Fall, Original Painting

Fall, Original Painting

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
This sunlit wildflower scene flows from earthy browns at the base through a gradient of warm reds and oranges in the blooms, set against a soft sky of green and...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art

Materials

Acrylic

Nelumbo nucifera, minimalist waterscape, lotus flower, large limited color photo
Nelumbo nucifera, minimalist waterscape, lotus flower, large limited color photo

Nelumbo nucifera, minimalist waterscape, lotus flower, large limited color photo

By Gerald Berghammer

Located in Vienna, Vienna

Gerald Berghammer - Color waterscape photography. Three pink lotus flowers floating on a calm body of water with lily pads and reflections. Archival pigment ink print as part of a l...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art

Materials

Digital Pigment

The Heat - Handwoven  Abstract Landscape, Contemporary Woven and Painted Artwork
The Heat - Handwoven  Abstract Landscape, Contemporary Woven and Painted Artwork

The Heat - Handwoven Abstract Landscape, Contemporary Woven and Painted Artwork

By Marta Pokojowczyk

Located in Salzburg, AT

‚The Heat’, handwoven landscape, linen yarn, organic cotton, acrylic textile paint, 60 x 50 cm, 2021. This work are a symbiosis of two disciplines of art, Painting and Weaving. Handw...

Category

2010s Contemporary Art

Materials

Textile, Cotton, Linen, Yarn, Acrylic

Vetyver Pool, Poovar, Kerala - Tropical Palm Print Indian Color Photography
Vetyver Pool, Poovar, Kerala - Tropical Palm Print Indian Color Photography

Vetyver Pool, Poovar, Kerala - Tropical Palm Print Indian Color Photography

By Richard Heeps

Located in Cambridge, GB

Vetyver Pool, photograph from Richard Heeps India series, The Ambassador's Window. On a journey through India, a pilgrimage from Kerala in the South, to his Grandfather's birthplace ...

Category

2010s Contemporary Art

Materials

Photographic Paper, C Print, Color, Silver Gelatin

Poppin' Graff - Abstract Colorful Textural 'Love You' Graffiti Mixed Media Art
Poppin' Graff - Abstract Colorful Textural 'Love You' Graffiti Mixed Media Art

Poppin' Graff - Abstract Colorful Textural 'Love You' Graffiti Mixed Media Art

By Amber Goldhammer

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles artist Amber Goldhammer paints dramatic abstract compositions in acrylic on canvas featuring energetic brushstrokes. Goldhammer uses her contemporary paintings to express...

Category

2010s Contemporary Art

Materials

Canvas, Latex, Mixed Media, Spray Paint, Acrylic

Bird. Reunited After Separation, Original Painting
Bird. Reunited After Separation, Original Painting

Bird. Reunited After Separation, Original Painting

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Two grey herons reunite at a lake. One stands in the shallow water while the other returns in flight. The birds appear in a stylized manner against the water, s...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art

Materials

Acrylic

Lotus Flower Panorama, Vietnam – Black and White Long Exposure Waterscape
Lotus Flower Panorama, Vietnam – Black and White Long Exposure Waterscape

Lotus Flower Panorama, Vietnam – Black and White Long Exposure Waterscape

By Gerald Berghammer

Located in Vienna, Vienna

Archival pigment ink print, produced in a limited edition of 7 // Gallery ID: 21379 Fine art prints are produced to order on Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta. Each print is stamped on the...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art

Materials

Digital Pigment

Seven Sister, White Chalk Cliffs – Limited Ed. Landscape Print – Black & White
Seven Sister, White Chalk Cliffs – Limited Ed. Landscape Print – Black & White

Seven Sister, White Chalk Cliffs – Limited Ed. Landscape Print – Black & White

By Gerald Berghammer

Located in Vienna, Vienna

Archival pigment ink print, produced in a limited edition of 7 // Gallery ID: 21372 Fine art prints are produced to order on Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta. Each print is stamped on the...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art

Materials

Digital Pigment

'I Love New York' 1981-View From my Terrace, Vintage
'I Love New York' 1981-View From my Terrace, Vintage

'I Love New York' 1981-View From my Terrace, Vintage

Located in Brooklyn, NY

David Lingwood’s "I Love New York" offers a serene, nostalgic glimpse into the iconic New York City skyline as seen from the artist’s own terrace apartment in the 1970s. Rendered wit...

Category

1980s Contemporary Art

Materials

Offset

Stonehenge Panorama - prehistory stone landscape - color photography, limited
Stonehenge Panorama - prehistory stone landscape - color photography, limited

Stonehenge Panorama - prehistory stone landscape - color photography, limited

By Gerald Berghammer

Located in Vienna, Vienna

Gerald Berghammer - Color landscape panorama photography. Historic Stonehenge monument with large standing stones on a grassy field under a gray sky. Archival pigment ink print as p...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art

Materials

Digital Pigment

Such is Life - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Africa, Men
Such is Life - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Africa, Men

Such is Life - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Africa, Men

Located in Ibadan, Oyo

Life's journey twists and turns, Ups and downs, joys and burns. Moments sweet, moments sour, Such is life, in every hour. Dreams bloom, dreams fade away, Hopes rise, hopes fade to g...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

View of Venice - Campanile Bell Tower of Santo Stefano - Italy - limited edition
View of Venice - Campanile Bell Tower of Santo Stefano - Italy - limited edition

View of Venice - Campanile Bell Tower of Santo Stefano - Italy - limited edition

By Gerald Berghammer

Located in Vienna, Vienna

Gerald Berghammer - Color cityscape photography. Colorful houses along a waterfront in Venice, Italy, with the Campanile Bell Tower of Santo Stefano. All Gerald Berghammer prints ar...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art

Materials

Digital Pigment

2 Beachballers - acrylic and oil on canvas
2 Beachballers - acrylic and oil on canvas

2 Beachballers - acrylic and oil on canvas

Located in West Hollywood, CA

Wencke Uhl is a contemporary figurative paintress living and working in Germany. She draws inspiration from human beauty and the female form. As a teenager Uhl wanted to become a fa...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Acrylic

Sun loungers on the Beach, panorama landscape - color photography, limited
Sun loungers on the Beach, panorama landscape - color photography, limited

Sun loungers on the Beach, panorama landscape - color photography, limited

By Gerald Berghammer

Located in Vienna, Vienna

Gerald Berghammer - Color panorama landscape photography. Empty beach with blue lounge chairs, umbrellas, and gazebos on sand under a cloudy sky. Archival pigment ink print as part ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art

Materials

Digital Pigment

The Watchers
The Watchers

The Watchers

Located in Zofingen, AG

On the red ground, black silhouettes stand still — quiet, alert, unbothered. They guard nothing and search for nothing — they simply see. Their presence fills the space with a weight...

Category

2010s Contemporary Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Sea Stack, Bay of Biscay, long exposure panorama - large scale color photography
Sea Stack, Bay of Biscay, long exposure panorama - large scale color photography

Sea Stack, Bay of Biscay, long exposure panorama - large scale color photography

By Gerald Berghammer

Located in Vienna, Vienna

Gerald Berghammer - Color seascape. Long exposure photograph of jagged sea stacks rising from the ocean with misty water and a light sky in the background. Archival pigment ink prin...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art

Materials

Digital Pigment

Escape
Escape

Escape

Located in Zofingen, AG

This painting reflects a quiet moment of stepping away from the noise of everyday life. A solitary figure, partially hidden within soft greenery, sits in stillness with a cup of coff...

Category

2010s Contemporary Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Foggy Wooden Dock Panorama, waterscape, lakeside - limited edition large format
Foggy Wooden Dock Panorama, waterscape, lakeside - limited edition large format

Foggy Wooden Dock Panorama, waterscape, lakeside - limited edition large format

By Gerald Berghammer

Located in Vienna, Vienna

© 2025 Gerald Berghammer - Black and white long exposure waterscape photo. Wooden pier extending into calm water, with a minimalistic and serene background. Archival pigment ink pri...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art

Materials

Digital Pigment

Contemporary art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Contemporary art available for sale on 1stDibs. Works in this style were very popular during the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artists have continued to produce works inspired by this movement. If you’re looking to add art created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of blue, purple, orange, red and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Stefanie Schneider, Tyler Shields, Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde, and Richard Heeps. Frequently made by artists working with Paint, and Paper and other materials, all of these pieces for sale are unique and have attracted attention over the years. Not every interior allows for large Contemporary art, so small editions measuring 0.02 inches across are also available.