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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
Period: 1970s
Preisung der Unzucht II
By Felix Waske
Located in Wien, 9
Signed, dated and titled lower left. Felix Waske was born in Vienna in 1942. From 1958 to 1967, he studied at the University of Applied Arts under Prof Eduard Bäumer and at the Acad...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Paper, Graphite, Pencil

#114, 1970s Nightclubs of Chicago South Side - Rare Vintage Silver Gelatin Print
Located in London, GB
"Abramson comes much closer to recording the sound of these clubs than we would have any right to expect from a photographer." - Nick Hornby (London, 2009), Light On the South Side, ...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Archival Paper, Photographic Film, Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin

Forest at the bottom of the Slagheaps - Landscape - Silver Gelatin Print
Located in London, GB
"Forest at the bottom of the Slagheaps", Walbrzych, Silesia, Poland, 1978 Silver Gelatin Print, Signed and dated in pencil on verso Printed in 2008 by the Photographer, hand printed darkroom print. 17 3/10 × 12 1/5 in 44 × 31 cm 50 x 37 cm paper size with white border , 44 x 31 cm (image size) "My fascination started when I first saw industrial centres of Upper and Lower Silesia,’ says Cała. ‘The landscape was terrifying and beautiful at the same time. It did not change for the whole period from the 19th century to the end of communism in Poland." - Michal Cala Exhibition frame as seen on additional picture available upon request - please contact gallery for further details or purchase unframed print with a free shipping worldwide. About the Artist: "Cala become relatively well known in Poland but he is still little known in the West, despite the fact that his work bears comparison with masters such as Bill Brandt and Robert Frank." - Bill Kouwenhoven, British Journal of Photography, 2007 Michal Cala was born in Toruń, Poland in 1948 and studied aircraft construction in Warsaw at the University of Technology in the early 1970's. From 1974 to 1983 he worked as an engineer in various companies in Silesia, and began photographing in the area. In 1977, he moved to Tychy in Upper Silesia, where he co-founded the photographers' association KRON and become a member of the ZPAF - the Union of Polish Art Photographers. Relatively unknown outside of his native country, his work is in several museum collections in Poland; in the Silesian Museum of Katowice, the Silesian Library in Katowice, the Upper Silesian Museum in Bytom, the Coal Mining Museum in Zabrze as well as local government building in Duisburg in the Ruhr (Germany) and MAST Foundation (Bologna) and various international private collections. His work has received much acclaim and won numerus awards; among which are the Grand Prix at the Polish Landscape...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Sunset in the Alleys - Original Etching and Watercolor by G. Omiccioli
Located in Roma, IT
Etching and Watercolour (hand coloured) Very good conditions.
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Watercolor, Etching

Patrick Hughes - Hanging on a hook, rainbow, gloss, moon, contemporary, painting
Located in London, GB
Patrick Hughes (b.1939) Hanging on a Hook 1978 gloss paint on board 91 x 91 cm Price: £19,000 GBP Provenance: Private collection, UK (acquired directly from the artist in the late ...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Paint, Board

Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee - Chris Smith, Muhammad Ali, 46x66 in
Located in London, GB
Chris Smith (b.1937) Float like a Butterfly 1971 silver gelatin fibre based print 20 x 30 in. / 34.5 x 48 in. / 46 x 66 in. signed and numbered printed later This work is available in the following sizes (paper size): 20 x 30 in., edition of 25 plus 2 AP, £3,000 GBP (inc. 20% UK VAT) 34.5 x 48 in., edition of 50 plus 2 AP, £6,600 GBP (inc. 20% UK VAT) 46 x 66 in., edition of 25 plus 2 AP, £9,600 GBP (inc. 20% UK VAT) Provenance: Direct from the artist’s studio Notes: All photographs are signed and numbered and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity signed by the photographer. 'Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin

Grand Canyon National Park, National Park Service
Located in New York, NY
24 x 24 inch digital chromogenic print Edition 15 +3AP Signed, titled, dated and editioned on frame label provided Neal Slavin, a native New Yorker, began photographing groups i...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Digital

Maler und Modell (blau) / Painter and Model
Located in Wien, 9
Fritz Aigner (1930 - 2005) was an Austrian artist who has been a solitary figure in the Austrian art scene of the 20th century throughout his life, defying any categorisation of art ...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Etching

Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee - Chris Smith, Muhammad Ali, 34.5x48 in
Located in London, GB
Chris Smith (b.1937) Float like a Butterfly 1971 silver gelatin fibre based print 20 x 30 in. / 34.5 x 48 in. / 46 x 66 in. signed and numbered printed later This work is available in the following sizes (paper size): 20 x 30 in., edition of 25 plus 2 AP, £3,000 GBP (inc. 20% UK VAT) 34.5 x 48 in., edition of 50 plus 2 AP, £6,600 GBP (inc. 20% UK VAT) 46 x 66 in., edition of 25 plus 2 AP, £9,600 GBP (inc. 20% UK VAT) Provenance: Direct from the artist’s studio Notes: All photographs are signed and numbered and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity signed by the photographer. 'Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin

Maler und Modell (rot) / Painter and Model (red)
Located in Wien, 9
Fritz Aigner (1930 - 2005) was an Austrian artist who has been a solitary figure in the Austrian art scene of the 20th century throughout his life, defying any categorisation of art ...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Etching

Sabrett Hot Dog Vendors, New York City
Located in New York, NY
24 x 24 inch digital chromogenic print Edition 15 +3 AP Signed, titled, dated and editioned on frame label provided Neal Slavin, a native New Yorker, began photographing groups in 1...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Digital

Sabrett Hot Dog Vendors, New York City
Located in New York, NY
42 x 42 inch digital chromogenic print Framed to 43 x 43 inches, with museum-quality non-reflective Optium plexi. #7 from the edition of 8 Signed, titled, dated and editioned on labe...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Digital

Futuro - iconic midcentury futuristic architectural design in icy wilderness
Located in San Francisco, CA
Iconic futuristic architectural design of midcentury prefab "Futuro" in Great Tetons Yellowstone landscape, designed by Finnish architect Matti Suuronen...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Archival Paper, Archival Pigment, Photographic Paper

Policewoman Playing Tag, New York City, Police Series Street Photography 1970s
Located in New york, NY
Policewoman Playing Tag, New York City, 1978 by Leonard Freed, is a 16” x 20” gelatin silver photograph from the photographer's Police Work series and book. The photograph from the estate is stamped verso (back of photo) and signed by Brigitte Freed (widow). This is a black and white modern photograph...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Photographic Paper, Photographic Film, Silver Gelatin

Floral Bouquet, Silkscreen by Nadine Prado
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Nadine Prado Title: Flower Bouquet Year: 1979 Medium: Serigraph, signed and numbered in pencil Edition: 300, 25 AP Paper Size: 30 in. x 30 in. (76.2 cm x 76.2 cm)
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Screen

ETERNAL CITY Original Etching, Medieval Jerusalem, Stone Tablet, Jewish History
Located in Union City, NJ
ETERNAL CITY JERUSALEM by the Israeli artist Moshe Castel (1909-1991) is a unique, unsigned Trial Proof from a limited edition etching, hand printed using traditional intaglio printmaking techniques on archival Arches paper 100% acid free. ETERNAL CITY JERUSALEM presents a deep red and orange brown ochre colored stone tablet...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Etching

Frank Stella 'Angriff' 1971
Located in Miami, FL
FRANK STELLA (1936-Present) Screenprint printed in black and gray on Fabriano paper, full margins. Signed, dated and numbered 13/150 in pencil, lower right. Printed by Styria Studio...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Screen

Untitled (S. 105)
Located in Calabasas, CA
Artist: Donald Judd Title: Untitled (S. 105) Year: 1977-78 Medium: Etching on wove paper Sheet: 30 x 35 in. (76.2 x 88.9 cm.) Edition: 75 plus proofs; signed, numbered and dated in p...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Etching

1971 Larry Zox 'Untitled - Mostly Mozart Festival' Hand Signed
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Paper Size: 80.5 x 39.75 inches ( 204.47 x 100.965 cm ) Image Size: 80.5 x 39.75 inches ( 204.47 x 100.965 cm ) Framed: No Condition: C: Several Signs of use and handling, some vi...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Screen

Vintage Portrait of Monica Vitti - Vintage B/W photo by ANSA - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Vintage portrait of Monica Vitti is a vintage black and white photo realized in 1970s by Agenzia ANSA. Good condition. Monica Vitti is born in Rome on November 3, 1931. Admitted in ...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Photographic Paper

OR DUR OR AISON
Located in Aventura, FL
Hand signed and numbered by the artist. Artwork is in excellent condition. Additional images are available upon request. Certificate of Authenticity is included. Edition of 175. All...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Lithograph, Paper

The Greeting - Screen Print by Dipas - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
The greeting is a contemporary artwork realized by the artist Dipas in the 1970s. Mixed colored screen print. Hand signed on the lower right margin. Numbered on the lower left mar...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Screen

Carabineer in Love - Screenprint by Dipas - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Carabineer in love is a contemporary artwork realized by the artist Dipas in the 1970s. Mixed colored serigraph. Hand signed on the lower right margin. Numbered on the lower left ...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Lithograph

Carabinier on Horse - Screen Print by Dipas - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Carabinieer on horse is a contemporary artwork realized by the artist Dipas in the 1970s. Mixed colored screen print. Hand signed on the lower right margin. Numbered on the lower ...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Screen

The Shower - Original Screen Print by Nicola Simbari - 1976
Located in Roma, IT
Hand Signed. Edition of 90 pieces. Very good conditions.
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Screen

Harvey Edwards, Ballet Slippers, Hand signed
By Harvey Edwards
Located in Chatsworth, CA
Harvey Edwards Ballet Slippers 1979 Hand signed by the artist Silver dye bleach print (Cibachrome) Numbered 105/299 *unframed*
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

C Print

Harvey Edwards, Leg Warmers, hand signed print
By Harvey Edwards
Located in Chatsworth, CA
Harvey Edwards Leg Warmers Oversized dye bleach print (Cibachrome print) 1978, printed in 1981 Hand signed in ink by the artist Numbered 103/299 from the edition of 299 Sheet: 39.5 x...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

C Print

"El Paso" Rare Contemporary Architectural Urban Landscape Etching on Paper
Located in Soquel, CA
Rare Contemporary Architectural Urban Landscape, Artist's Proof Etching on Paper A compelling urban design of a highway underpass and one of his "El Paso: series of images, by Calif...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Paper, Etching

The Beach - Etching by Colette Pettier - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
The Beach is a woodcut print realized by Colette Pettier in the 1970s. Hand-signed and numbered, artist's proof. Good conditions. The artwork is created through deft strokes by ma...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Etching

Letter T - Lithograph by Rafael Alberti - 1972
Located in Roma, IT
LLetter T by Rafael Alberti, from Alphabet series is a lithograph, realized by Rafael Alberti in 1972. Hand signed and dated on the lower right margin. Numbered on the lower left. ...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Lithograph

Letter B - Lithograph by Rafael Alberti - 1972
Located in Roma, IT
Letter B by Rafael Alberti, from Alphabet series,  is a lithograph realized by Rafael Alberti in 1972. Hand signed and dated on the lower right margin. Numbered on the lower left. ...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Lithograph

Angle with Flowers - Drawing by Leo Guida - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Angle with Flowers is a modern artwork realized by Leo Guida in the 1970s. Good condition. Ink drawing on paper. Leo Guida has been able to weave a productive interview on art and...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Paper, Ink

On the Blue tTee - Screen Print by Dipas - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
On the blue tree is a contemporary artwork realized by the artist Dipas in the 1970s. Mixed colored screen print. Hand signed on the lower right margin. Numbered on the lower left...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Screen

Alexander Calder Lithograph Derriere le miroir (Calder prints)
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Vintage original Alexander Calder Three Legged Man Lithograph 1975: Lithograph in colors. 15 x 11 inches. Very good overall vintage condition. Unsigned from an edition of unknown. ...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Lithograph

Small Nude /// Philip Pearlstein Etching Figurative Female Post-War New York Art
Located in Saint Augustine, FL
Artist: Philip Pearlstein (American, 1924-2022) Title: "Small Nude" *Signed and dated by Pearlstein in pencil lower right Year: 1976 Medium: Original Soft-Ground Etching on German Et...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Etching

Vintage Hawaiian Figurative Oil Painting -- Before The Luau
Located in Soquel, CA
1970's Original Hawaiian Figurative Oil Painting - Before the Luau Colorful figurative of three Hawaiian women as they prepare for a Luau, circa 1970. The lush tropical backdrop fra...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Stretcher Bars

At the Window - Screen Print by Dipas - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
At the window is a contemporary artwork realized by the artist Dipas in the 1970s. Mixed colored screen print. Hand signed on the lower right margin. Numbered on the lower left ma...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Screen

The Profile - Drawing by Leo Guida - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
The Profile is a modern artwork realized by Leo Guida in the 1970s. Good condition. Ink and watercolor on paper. Leo Guida has been able to weave a productive interview on art and...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Paper, Ink, Watercolor

On the Blue Tree - Screen Print by Dipas - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
On the blue tree is a contemporary artwork realized by the artist Dipas in the 1970s. Mixed colored screen print. Hand signed on the lower right margin. Numbered on the lower left...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Screen

Carabinier on Horse - Screen Print by Dipas - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
The greeting is a contemporary artwork realized by the artist Dipas in the 1970s. Mixed colored screen print. Hand signed on the lower right margin. Numbered on the lower left mar...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Screen

Angle with Bird - Drawing by Leo Guida - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Angle with Bird is a modern artwork realized by Leo Guida in the 1970s. Good condition. Ink drawing on paper. Leo Guida has been able to weave a productive interview on art and th...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Paper, Ink

On the Blue Tree - Screenprint by Dipas - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
On the blue tree is a contemporary artwork realized by the artist Dipas in the 1970s. Mixed colored serigraph. Hand signed on the lower right margin. Numbered on the lower left ma...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Lithograph

The Greeting - Screenprint by Dipas - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
The greeting is a contemporary artwork realized by the artist Dipas in the 1970s. Mixed colored screen print. Hand signed on the lower right margin. Numbered on the lower left mar...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Lithograph

Indigenous Woman - Drawing by Leo Guida - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Indigenous Woman is a modern artwork realized by Leo Guida in the 1970s. Good condition. Ink and watercolor on paper. Leo Guida has been able to weave a productive interview on ar...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Ink, Watercolor, Paper

Insects - Etching by Sergio Barletta - 1974
Located in Roma, IT
Insects is an etching realized by  Sergio Barletta in 1974. Hand-signed in pencil on the lower right. Artist's proof. In good conditions.  Here the artwork represents insects thr...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Etching

Still Life - Drawing by Leo Guida - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Still Life is a modern artwork realized by Leo Guida in the 1970s. Felt Pen drawing on paper. Good condition. Leo Guida has been able to weave a productive interview on art and th...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Paper, Ink

Jeune Fillet et sa suite
Located in New York, NY
Signed Provenance: Calder Estate Swann Galleries Private Collection US
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Lithograph

Circus
Located in New York, NY
After Alexander Calder Circus, 1975 Hand woven jute Maguey fiber tapestry, published by C.A.C. Publications and Bon Art, Guatemala 85 x 56 inches Woven Signature, Date and Number ...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Tapestry

Angel on Clouds - Drawing by Leo Guida - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Angle on Clouds is a modern artwork realized by Leo Guida in the 1970s. Good condition. Ink drawing on paper. Leo Guida has been able to weave a productive interview on art and th...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Ink

“Scorpio’s Bar and Cafe”
Located in Southampton, NY
Original oil on canvas painting attributed to the Canadian artist, Keith Holmes. Signed lower right. Condition is excellent. Circa 1975. Original walnut stained wood frame in fine ...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Alex Katz 'Joan' Aquatint Portrait in Seven Colors 1986
Located in Miami, FL
ALEX KATZ (1927-Present) Aquatint in colors, 1986, on Somerset, signed in pencil, editioned 20/65 (the edition was 65 plus 7 artist's proofs), published by Crown Point Press, San Fr...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Aquatint

Countess Portrait - Lithograph by Virgilio Guidi - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Countess Portrait is a lithograph realize by Virgilio Guidi. Good conditions. Hand-signed on the lower right. Numbered, edition 54/75. Virgilio Guidi  (Rome, 1892 - Venice, 1984)...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Lithograph

Self Portrait - Drawing by Leo Guida - 1973
Located in Roma, IT
Man With Animal on Shoulder is a modern artwork realized by Leo Guida in 1973. Pencil drawing on paper. Hand-signed and dated on the lower right. Good condition. Leo Guida has be...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Pencil

Kopf 3
Located in Wien, 9
The artwork is dated, signed and inscribed verso. Franka Lechner was born in Vienna in 1944. The woven tapestrie-artworks constitute an important part of her oeuvre. The boundaries...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Textile

'The Green Shoes', SF Women's College, SF Art Institute, California, Romanoff
Located in Santa Cruz, CA
Signed lower right, 'Storer' for Inez May Storer (American, born 1933) and dated 1979. Inez Storer first studied at the San Francisco College for Women, the San Francisco Art Instit...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Paper, Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Gouache, Color Pencil

'The Green Hat', California, SF Women's College, SF Art Institute, Romanoff
Located in Santa Cruz, CA
Signed lower right, 'Storer' for Inez May Storer (American, born 1933) and dated 1979. Inez Storer first studied at the San Francisco College for Women, the San Francisco Art Instit...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Gouache, Color Pencil, Paper

Interior of the Museum Giovanni Fattori in Livorno - vintage photo - 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Interior of the Museum Giovanni Fattori in Livorno is a black and white vintage photo, realized in the 1970s. Good conditions and aged. It belongs to a historical and Nostalgic alb...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Photographic Paper

Alex Katz 'Nancy' Aquatint and Etching on Arches Signed Portrait Print 1972
Located in Miami, FL
ALEX KATZ (1927-Present) This Alex Katz print 'Nancy' is an aquatint and etching on Arches, published in 1972 . It is signed and numbered 41/50 in pencil, lower left. Printed by Hi...
Category

1970s Contemporary Art

Materials

Etching, Aquatint

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.

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