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.
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Archival Paper
2010s Contemporary Art
Oil, Canvas, Mixed Media
1990s Contemporary Art
Paint, Photographic Paper
2010s Contemporary Art
Giclée
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Digital Pigment
2010s Contemporary Art
Monotype
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Digital Pigment
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Archival Pigment
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Offset
2010s Contemporary Art
Archival Pigment
2010s Contemporary Art
Pencil
2010s Contemporary Art
Resin
2010s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Art
Oil
2010s Contemporary Art
Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Art
Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Art
Bronze
2010s Contemporary Art
Acrylic
1970s Contemporary Art
Etching
2010s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Art
Resin, Paper
2010s Contemporary Art
Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Art
Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Art
Blown Glass
1990s Contemporary Art
Lithograph
2010s Contemporary Art
Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Art
Acrylic
Mid-20th Century Contemporary Art
Canvas, Oil, Illustration Board
2010s Contemporary Art
Ceramic, Clay, Coating, Glaze
2010s Contemporary Art
Ceramic, Clay, Coating, Glaze
2010s Contemporary Art
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Oil
2010s Contemporary Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Digital Pigment
2010s Contemporary Art
Lithograph
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, Giclée, Archival Pigment
2010s Contemporary Art
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Art
Concrete
1970s Contemporary Art
Offset
1980s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Canvas, Resin, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Art
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Photographic Paper, Archival Pigment, Archival Paper, Giclée, Archival Ink
Artist Comments
A woman places her hand on her head. Different-colored and metallic green dots form her face, hair, and clothing. The smooth, untextured background enhances h...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Art
Enamel
Artist Comments
Different-colored and metallic blue dots define a woman's portrait, the solid background emphasizing her textured form. Artist Hyoungseok Kim painted this pie...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
A woman lifts her hand to her head, her fingers gracefully weaving through her hair. Artist Hyoungseok Kim painted this piece using pointillism. He emphasizes...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
A portrait emerges from different-colored and metallic golden dots, forming a serene yet enigmatic face against a black background. Subtle shifts in color bri...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
A stylized portrait of a woman emerges from a stark black background. Colorful dots construct her face and upper body, forming subtle contours and shadows tha...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Acrylic