What is contemporary art?

Contemporary art denotes work created by 21st-century artists.

What is conceptual art in contemporary art?

In contemporary art, conceptual art is a movement that began in the 1960s. Artists producing conceptual art assign more importance to the idea behind the art than to the piece itself. An example is Joseph Kosuth’s One and Three Chairs, a piece consisting of a real chair, a photograph of a chair and the dictionary definition of the word chair. When the work was displayed, Kosuth included instructions for any chair to be photographed and then displayed beside its image. In this way, the chair itself is not the artwork. Rather, the art comes from examining the way the object, image and words provide competing and complementary definitions of what a chair is. Find a large selection of fine art on 1stDibs.

What are the characteristics of contemporary art?

Contemporary art has no defining feature or characteristic.The term simply refers to recent creations.

What is the meaning of contemporary art?

The meaning of contemporary art is art produced by living artists. The category typically includes works created in the late 20th century as well as in the 21st century. Given its timeliness, contemporary art often responds to current issues and themes that are relevant to an everyday audience. Contemporary art succeeded modern art, which is art made during a period that began in approximately 1850. On 1stDibs, shop a wide variety of contemporary art.

What are the contemporary art genres?

Contemporary art encompasses painting, sculpture, photography, installation, performance and video art, among other genres.

Why is contemporary art important?

Contemporary art is important because of how it responds to the current moment. Contemporary art generally describes pieces created after 1970 or being made by living artists anywhere in the world. Through their works, contemporary artists provide commentary about social issues, history and the human condition. By engaging with contemporary art, viewers can gain a deeper understanding of the world and new perspectives. On 1stDibs, shop a wide range of contemporary art.

What is rice paper used for in art?

In art, rice paper is often used as a surface for drawing. Artists may use it to create sketches with charcoals, graphite, pastels or ink. Shop a collection of rice paper art from some of the world’s top makers and sellers on 1stDibs.

What is the difference between contemporary art and modern art?

The term contemporary is applied to art by 21st-century artists; modern art refers to works created from the1880s and through the 1960s.

What is the difference between modern art and contemporary art?

The difference between modern art and contemporary art comes down to age. Contemporary art refers to art produced by artists who are still alive or were active during the 1960s and later. Modern art is the term for artworks made between 1850 or 1860 and 1960. On 1stDibs, shop a large collection of modern and contemporary art.

Contemporary Art On Paper

Tribal Art New Guinea

Materials

Acrylic

Gardani ArtMarilyn â€“ Secrets, Painting, Acrylic on Paper, 2017

$500

Marilyn â€“ Secrets, Painting, Acrylic on Paper

By Gardani Art

Located in Yardley, PA

Details Medium: Mix media Silkscreen finished with Diamond dust on paper. Movement & Style: Contemporary Art, Pop Art Original Painting on Paper (320 gsm.)

Category

2010s Pop Art Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Gardani ArtMarilyn â€“ Sunshine, Painting, Acrylic on Paper, 2017

$500

Marilyn â€“ Sunshine, Painting, Acrylic on Paper

By Gardani Art

Located in Yardley, PA

Details Medium: Mix media Silkscreen finished with Diamond dust on paper. Movement & Style: Contemporary Art, Pop Art Original Painting on Paper (320 gsm.)

Category

2010s Pop Art Paintings

Martin KállayContemporary In Vertigo Fine Art Print on Archival Paper, 2018

$1,097Sale Price|20% Off

Contemporary In Vertigo Fine Art Print on Archival Paper

By Martin Kállay

Located in Slovak Republic, SK

Fine art print, photo, available also in different sizes.

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Color Photography

Materials

Archival Paper

Sergio BarlettaSigned 1975 Nude Collage, Mixed Media on Paper, Contemporary Art, 1975

$857

Signed 1975 Nude Collage, Mixed Media on Paper, Contemporary Art

By Sergio Barletta

Located in Roma, IT

Nude is an original collage realized by Sergio Barletta in 1975. Hand-signed on the lower center and dated. In good conditions, with some minor loss of color.. Included a Passepar...

Category

1970s Contemporary More Art

Materials

Paper, Mixed Media

Clodagh GreenWild Bloom original art woodblock print contemporary floral art on paper elegant, 2026

$471

Wild Bloom original art woodblock print contemporary floral art on paper elegant

Located in Deddington, GB

Clodagh’s work combines timeless artisanry with a contemporary nature led aesthetic. Alongside her wall art, she also creates small collections of printed textiles and shares her ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media

Materials

Paper, Woodblock

Jessica HoustonFootprints Mixed Media Collage on Archival Paper, Contemporary Art, 2022

$1,400

Footprints Mixed Media Collage on Archival Paper, Contemporary Art

By Jessica Houston

Located in Montreal, Quebec

A group of figures heads for icy distant mountains. A familiar enough scene of polar explorers hauling their sledges. Yet somehow this does not quite fit the heroic mold. The ice and...

Category

2010s Contemporary Mixed Media

Materials

Ink, Archival Paper

Frida Willis"Glass House" - Minimalist Contemporary Architecture Art Oil Pastel on Paper, 2024

$3,500

"Glass House" - Minimalist Contemporary Architecture Art Oil Pastel on Paper

By Frida Willis

Located in Carmel, CA

Frida Willis (Swedish, born 1971) "Glass House" 2024 Oil Pastel, Paper The artist signed the bottom right of the artwork. The oil pastel on paper artwork titled Glass House by Frid...

Category

2010s Contemporary Landscape Paintings

Materials

Paper, Oil Pastel

a.museForget the Destination, Monotype, Contemporary Abstract Art on Watercolor Paper, 2023

$800Sale Price|20% Off

Forget the Destination, Monotype, Contemporary Abstract Art on Watercolor Paper

By a.muse

Located in New york, NY

Forget the Destination, 2023 by a.muse is a one-of-a-kind work on paper. The art is a visual poem on wanderlust, inviting viewers to embrace the unknown. For a traveler without a map...

Category

2010s Contemporary Mixed Media

Materials

Ink, Gouache, Rag Paper, Monotype

Ian ArtItalian Contemporary Photo by Ian Art - We are all Pins on a Someone's Map_IV, 2018-2019

$3,850

Italian Contemporary Photo by Ian Art - We are all Pins on a Someone's Map_IV

By Ian Art

Located in Paris, IDF

We are all Pins on a Someone's Map_IV (2018-2019) 150 x 100 cm - original / single unique print + 1AP Museum-Quality Fine Art Printing Ships in a well protected, solid tube Original...

Category

2010s Contemporary Color Photography

Acrylic, Paper, Spray Paint, Archival Paper, Permanent Marker

Celia Roberts"Head" Contemporary Mixed Media on Paper, 2017

$685

"Head" Contemporary Mixed Media on Paper

By Celia Roberts

Located in Brecon, Powys

We are pleased to sell works on behalf of Celia RobertsBorn 1950 in Stafford Educated at Oxford University 1969-1973 BA Hons in Hebrew. She has exhibited in the Arterie Gallery in ...

Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings

Materials

Paint, Paper, Board

Jackie SmallButterfly Jubilee: Watercolor and Gouache on Paper, Contemporary Art, 2023

$725

Butterfly Jubilee: Watercolor and Gouache on Paper, Contemporary Art

Located in Philadelphia, PA

Most recently Space 1026 has shown at Vox Populi Gallery; exhibited twice at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia; the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco; and ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paint...

Materials

Paper, Watercolor, Gouache

Holly KingContemporary Quiet Monument Photograph on Photographic Paper, 2012

$8,800

Contemporary Quiet Monument Photograph on Photographic Paper

By Holly King

Located in Montreal, Quebec

Holly King’s photographs draw from memories of landscapes, and reference film, art and literature. Her images are cinematic and striking, seemingly real and other-worldly. She painst...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

a.museMindset, Monotype Print, Contemporary Abstract Art on Rag Paper, 2023, Signed, 2018

$800Sale Price|20% Off

Mindset, Monotype Print, Contemporary Abstract Art on Rag Paper, 2023, Signed

By a.muse

Located in New york, NY

The art Mindset, 2023 by a.muse embodies ideas on the mind as a fertile landscape for thoughts and emotions wandering freely. The colors, shapes, and textures within the monotype rep...

Category

2010s Abstract More Art

Materials

Materials

Archival Paper

Harriet HoultEdie, Abstract Statement Art, Contemporary Mixed Media on Paper Painting, 2021

$3,379

Edie, Abstract Statement Art, Contemporary Mixed Media on Paper Painting

By Harriet Hoult

Located in Deddington, GB

Edie [2021] Please note that insitu images are purely an indication of how a piece may look Edie is an original mixed media on paper panting by Harriet Hoult. The painting is on hig...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Abstract Paintings

Materials

Paper, Mixed Media

Max Steven GrossmanSki ALP V Color Photography on Paper, Contemporary 21st Century Art, 2025

$11,500

Ski ALP V Color Photography on Paper, Contemporary 21st Century Art

By Max Steven Grossman

Located in Boca Raton, FL

Bookscape featuring books about Skiing, Ski destinations and more.

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Color Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

$850

Dancing. Contemporary Mixed Media on paper

By Angela Lyle

Located in Brecon, Powys

Angela brings vibrant immediacy to her figurative paintings. She uses a depth of colour and bright outlines of her figures to emphasize shape and contours. In all her works Angela gi...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Nude Paintings

Paper, Acrylic

Leslie Fry Leslie Fry_Nestle_2016_Acrylic on paper_Contemporary, 2016

$815

Leslie Fry_Nestle_2016_Acrylic on paper_Contemporary

By Leslie Fry

Located in Darien, CT

Leslie's public projects respond to site, history and the body. Figures are female or hermaphroditic, of imaginary descent, often melded with animal, architecture and plant forms. I ...

Category

2010s Contemporary Mixed Media

Materials

Paper, Acrylic

Gary BukovnikBright Camellias Watercolor on Archival Paper, Contemporary Art, 2021

$14,400

Bright Camellias Watercolor on Archival Paper, Contemporary Art

By Gary Bukovnik

Located in Burlingame, CA

Most recently The Shanghai Hongqiao Contemporary Art Museum, Shanghai The Today Art Museum, Beijing-The Xiamen Museum of Art, Xiamen-The Tianjin Museum of Art, Tianjin and The Suzhou...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Still-life Drawings and Water...

Materials

Materials

Enamel

D. SilvaContemporary Art, Figurative Expressionist Composition Mixed Media on Paper 2018, 2018

Unavailable

H 27.56 in W 19.69 in D 0.04 in

Contemporary Art, Figurative Expressionist Composition Mixed Media on Paper 2018

Located in Coimbra, PT

CONTEMPORARY ART Expressionist composition Mixed media on paper Signed and dated 2018 D.

Category

2010s Contemporary Abstract Paintings

Materials

Paper, Mixed Media

Unavailable

H 33.5 in W 44 in D 1 in

Untitled (Wink), Contemporary Painting On Paper, 2017

By Paul Rusconi

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Untitled (Wink), 2017 is a unique contemporary textual painting on paper. The artist first creates a unique background atmosphere with matte spray paint and then meticulously hand-pa...

Category

2010s Contemporary Paintings

Materials

Enamel

Barry WolfrydNude with Cactus, Mixed Media on Paper, Contemporary Art, 1988

Unavailable

H 24 in W 20 in D 0.5 in

Blue Emersion - Original Abstract Acrylic on Paper

Located in Soquel, CA

Blue Emersion - Original Abstract Acrylic on Paper Vibrant composition by California artist Charles "Dave" Francis (American, 1951-2018). Multicolored layers of green, purple and or...

Category

Early 2000s American Modern Abstract Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Laid Paper

$3,717

H 27.56 in W 39.38 in

Untitled 10 (Abstract painting)

By Claude Tétot

Located in London, GB

Untitled 10 (Abstract painting) Acrylic and oil on paper - Unframed Claude Tétot is a French abstract artist whose work expresses harmony in disharmony by exploring the enigmatic ...

Category

2010s Abstract Expressionist Abstract Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Oil, Acrylic

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Contemporary Art On Paper For Sale on 1stDibs

On 1stDibs, you can find the most appropriate contemporary art on paper for your needs in our varied inventory. Find Abstract versions now, or shop for Abstract creations for a more modern example of these cherished works. Finding the perfect contemporary art on paper may mean sifting through those created during different time periods — you can find an early version that dates to the 18th Century and a newer variation that were made as recently as the 21st Century. When looking for the right contemporary art on paper for your space, you can search on 1stDibs by color — popular works were created in bold and neutral palettes with elements of gray, beige, black and blue. A contemporary art on paper from Stefanie Schneider, Waleria Matelska, Francie Hester, Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde and Amy Smith — each of whom created distinctive versions of this kind of work — is worth considering. Frequently made by artists working in paper, paint and archival paper, these artworks are unique and have attracted attention over the years. A large contemporary art on paper can prove too dominant for some spaces — a smaller contemporary art on paper, measuring 2.37 high and 1.5 wide, may better suit your needs.

How Much is a Contemporary Art On Paper?

The price for an artwork of this kind can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — a contemporary art on paper in our inventory may begin at $80 and can go as high as $66,000, while the average can fetch as much as $1,032.

A Close Look at 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.

Questions About Contemporary Art On Paper

What is contemporary art?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertSeptember 25, 2019
Contemporary art denotes work created by 21st-century artists.
What is conceptual art in contemporary art?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertFebruary 21, 2024
In contemporary art, conceptual art is a movement that began in the 1960s. Artists producing conceptual art assign more importance to the idea behind the art than to the piece itself. An example is Joseph Kosuth’s One and Three Chairs, a piece consisting of a real chair, a photograph of a chair and the dictionary definition of the word chair. When the work was displayed, Kosuth included instructions for any chair to be photographed and then displayed beside its image. In this way, the chair itself is not the artwork. Rather, the art comes from examining the way the object, image and words provide competing and complementary definitions of what a chair is. Find a large selection of fine art on 1stDibs.
What are the characteristics of contemporary art?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertSeptember 25, 2019
Contemporary art has no defining feature or characteristic.The term simply refers to recent creations.
What is the meaning of contemporary art?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertApril 26, 2024
The meaning of contemporary art is art produced by living artists. The category typically includes works created in the late 20th century as well as in the 21st century. Given its timeliness, contemporary art often responds to current issues and themes that are relevant to an everyday audience. Contemporary art succeeded modern art, which is art made during a period that began in approximately 1850. On 1stDibs, shop a wide variety of contemporary art.
What are the contemporary art genres?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertSeptember 25, 2019
Contemporary art encompasses painting, sculpture, photography, installation, performance and video art, among other genres.
Why is contemporary art important?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertApril 16, 2024
Contemporary art is important because of how it responds to the current moment. Contemporary art generally describes pieces created after 1970 or being made by living artists anywhere in the world. Through their works, contemporary artists provide commentary about social issues, history and the human condition. By engaging with contemporary art, viewers can gain a deeper understanding of the world and new perspectives. On 1stDibs, shop a wide range of contemporary art.
What is rice paper used for in art?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
In art, rice paper is often used as a surface for drawing. Artists may use it to create sketches with charcoals, graphite, pastels or ink. Shop a collection of rice paper art from some of the world’s top makers and sellers on 1stDibs.
What is the difference between contemporary art and modern art?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertSeptember 25, 2019
The term contemporary is applied to art by 21st-century artists; modern art refers to works created from the1880s and through the 1960s.
What is the difference between modern art and contemporary art?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertApril 26, 2024
The difference between modern art and contemporary art comes down to age. Contemporary art refers to art produced by artists who are still alive or were active during the 1960s and later. Modern art is the term for artworks made between 1850 or 1860 and 1960. On 1stDibs, shop a large collection of modern and contemporary art.

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