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.
After the Game (Figurative Painting, Two Men in Athletic Uniforms by Mark Beard)
By Mark Beard
Located in Hudson, NY
Academic style figurative portrait painting of a handsome young men "After the Game", By Mark Beard as Bruce Sargeant (pseudonym in homage to the fashion photographer, Bruce Weber, a...
Canvas, Oil
TROPIC 1 by Ramon Enrich - Landscape Painting, Earth Tones, Architecture
By Ramon Enrich
Located in Paris, FR
TROPIC 1 is a unique acrylic on paper mounted on wood painting by contemporary artist Ramon Enrich, dimensions are 94.5 × 134 cm (37.2 × 52.8 in). The artwork is signed, sold frame...
Wood, Paper, Acrylic
In My White Boots - Colorful Abstract Feminine Figurative Still Life Art
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Southern California native Courtney Simone seamlessly blends her passion for abstract art with the exploration of everyday beauty, resulting in exuberantly inspired abstract figurati...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Mountains 16 January 10:41 - Modern Nature Landscape Painting
Located in Salzburg, AT
Robert Motelski's paintings are exceptional visions of nature, visions of space which surrounds us. They tell about being, fate and passing. They depend on the season of year, the ti...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,319
Landscape 07 - 21st Century Contemporary Impressionistic Landscape Painting
Located in Nuenen, Noord Brabant
Frank Dekkers Landscape 07 15 x 20 cm (framed, included in price 20 x 25 cm) oil on Panel About the artist: Frank Dekkers, an outdoor painter, but not a "square painter" as we know...
Oil, Wood Panel
With You - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Modern, Africa
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Artist Tos...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Hummingbird (260307)
Located in Atlanta, GA
Gwen Wong's work is both painterly and allegorical, caught somewhere in the middle between the representational painter and the narrator. "I am inspired by the idea of a childhood re...
Gold Leaf
Muriel Chazalon, "End of day" Oil on canvas, Contemporary Landscape
Located in Montfort l’Amaury, FR
Muriel Chazalon (b. 1957) – Fin de journée (End of Day) Oil on canvas, 2023, 31½ × 47¼ in. (80 × 120 cm) signed on the back Fin de journée is a large-scale landscape painting by Mur...
Canvas, Oil
$1,319
Landscape 20 - 21st Century Contemporary Impressionistic Landscape Painting
Located in Nuenen, Noord Brabant
Frank Dekkers Landscape 20 15 x 20 cm (framed, included in price 20 x 25 cm) oil on Panel About the artist: Frank Dekkers, an outdoor painter, but not a "square painter" as we know...
Oil, Wood Panel
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Passport 1 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Neo-Expressionism, Modern
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique; this is not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Ar...
Canvas, Acrylic
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Red Bow Tie - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Neo-Expressionism, Modern
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique; this is not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Ar...
Canvas, Acrylic
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Pleasure - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Africa Women
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity.
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Another Day Still Disable -21st Century, Contemporary Figurative Portrait Modern
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique; this is not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. (Issues b...
Oil, Canvas, Acrylic
Morning in Color
Located in Zofingen, AG
Morning in Color captures an intimate moment suspended within the warmth of early light. Two figures sit facing one another, framed by an open architectural structure that blurs the ...
Canvas, Acrylic
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Daddy's Girl -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Modern, Green
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube. This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Artist Olaosun draws h...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic
The Sacredness of the Invisible: Abstract Oil Painting on Canvas
Located in Bogotá, Bogotá
A composition dominated by dreamlike creatures in an abstract landscape. The painting uses a palette of intense, saturated colors, with shades of blue, yellow, green, red, brown, and...
Cotton Canvas, Oil
$1,319
Landscape 05 - 21st Century Contemporary Impressionistic Landscape Painting
Located in Nuenen, Noord Brabant
Frank Dekkers Landscape 05 15 x 20 cm (framed, included in price 20 x 25 cm) oil on Panel About the artist: Frank Dekkers, an outdoor painter, but not a "square painter" as we know...
Oil, Wood Panel
"Make Believer (V3)", Hand cut stencil, acrylic, aerosol
By Mando Marie (seeyouthroughit)
Located in Philadelphia, PA
"Make Believer (V3)" is a one-of-a-kind original work by Amanda Marie (Mando), created using acrylic and aerosol on paper. The piece measures 19.75 × 15.75 inches and is pencil signe...
Paper, Spray Paint, Acrylic
Sunday, Oil Painting
By Jesse Aldana
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A woman sits on a sofa, reading quietly as soft daylight filters through a large window. Warm tones and gentle light fill the room, creating a calm and inviting...
Oil
Sédhiou N1 by Calo Carratalá - Waterscape painting, Senegal, Africa
Located in Paris, FR
Sédhiou N1 is a unique oil on canvas painting by Spanish contemporary artist Calo Carratalá, dimensions are 150 × 300 cm (59 × 118.1 in) The artwork is signed, sold unframed and come...
Oil, Canvas
$4,000Sale Price|20% Off
Philosopher Original Oil Painting on Canvas, Surreal, 30x38in, Signed
Located in Forest Hills, NY
"Philosopher" . Original, unique painting. oil on canvas, 30x38in. Shipped rolled in a tube from Europe using DHL or FedEx, no custom or import fees in the US. Free shipping with FRE...
Canvas, Oil
Hummingbird (260310)
Located in Atlanta, GA
Gwen Wong's work is both painterly and allegorical, caught somewhere in the middle between the representational painter and the narrator. "I am inspired by the idea of a childhood re...
Gold Leaf
$2,120Sale Price|20% Off
Waiting To Blossom -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Mixed Media, Fabrics
By Bakare Abubakri-sideeq Babatunde
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube. This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Artist Bakare Babatund...
Fabric, Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
Meditation
Located in Burlingame, CA
Willard Dixon is widely recognized for his calm, contemplative landscapes and skyscapes, paintings that hold stillness, clarity, and a quiet reverence for nature. In this exhibition,...
Canvas, Oil
Fields - Modern Contemporary Atmospheric Landscape
Located in Salzburg, AT
A few words of the artist about his art: When i painting landscapes, I usually choose simple geometric arrangements, contrasts of verticals and levels. I juxtapose the smooth surfac...
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
In Still Waters
Located in Zofingen, AG
In Still Waters captures a quiet, suspended moment on the edge of land and reflection. A solitary figure drifts across calm water, surrounded by softened greens and diffused light. T...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,840Sale Price|20% Off
Roots and Rhythm - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Mixed Media, Fabrics
By Bakare Abubakri-sideeq Babatunde
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube. This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Artist Bakare Babatund...
Fabric, Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
Save Haven 6 - 21st Century Contemporary landscape painting
Located in Nuenen, Noord Brabant
Joost Verhagen Save Haven 6 45 x 85 cm Acrylic paint on canvas We ship worldwide for free in a wooden crate, framed as seen on the pictures. Because of the constantly changing pric...
Canvas, Acrylic
Dedicated, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A cowgirl holds steady as a horse descends from a jump, its body stretched forward toward the ground. A wooden fence and low structures stretch across the backg...
Oil
Dreaming in The Dark
Located in Zofingen, AG
Through my art, I share with viewers the profound importance of personal integrity in our lives. In my paintings, I explore the delicate balance between individual wholeness and deep...
Canvas, Acrylic
$2,000Sale Price|20% Off
Peaceful Synergy - 21st Century, Contemporary, Portrait, Africa Women, Blue
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Artist Sam...
Canvas, Acrylic, Charcoal
$2,360Sale Price|20% Off
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...
Canvas, Charcoal, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Bull III by Christophe Dupety - Animal painting, abstract, violet, vivid colours
Located in Paris, FR
Bull III is a unique acrylic on paper painting by contemporary artist Christophe Dupety, dimensions are 65 × 50 cm (25.6 × 19.7 in). The artwork is signed, sold unframed and comes wi...
Paper, Acrylic
$425
Don't Look Back - Abstract Vintage Inspired Figurative Horse Painting on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Jesse’s imagery often merges playful and gritty elements, blending floral patterns, vintage-inspired designs, and bold outlines with a touch of whimsy. His artwork exudes a sense of ...
Canvas, Acrylic
Cherry Delight
Located in Zofingen, AG
“Cherry Delight” is a work about an experience that does not seek to закрепить itself in the future. About intimacy accepted as an event rather than a promise. Like the taste of cher...
Canvas, Oil
$3,880Sale Price|20% Off
The Love - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Africa Women, Couple
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (Issued by the Gal...
Canvas, Charcoal, Mixed Media, Acrylic
"Let's Catch Up Soon" by Mando Marie, Stencilism, Acrylic on Canvas
By Mando Marie (seeyouthroughit)
Located in Philadelphia, PA
"Let's Catch Up Soon" is a one-of-a-kind original artwork by Amanda Marie (also known as Mando Marie). Executed in aerosol and acrylic paint on canvas in a solid wood tray frame, the...
Canvas, Spray Paint, Acrylic, Stencil
I Can Do Anything
Located in Zofingen, AG
The painting from the "Echo of Harmony" series, titled "I Can Do Anything". This work is my artistic statement on inner strength and emotional balance. Using acrylic on canvas, I ca...
Canvas, Acrylic
Summer Birches - Atmospheric Nature Painting, Framed
Located in Salzburg, AT
This painting is signed on the back, the frames are made of oak A few words of the artist about his art: When i painting landscapes, I usually choose simple geometric arrangements,...
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
Wild Flower Cowgirl - Abstract Colorful Figurative Pinup Painting on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Jesse’s imagery often merges playful and gritty elements, blending floral patterns, vintage-inspired designs, and bold outlines with a touch of whimsy. His artwork exudes a sense of ...
Canvas, Paint, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$13,193
Melody of Silence- 21st century Contemporary Interior painting with Young Woman
Located in Nuenen, Noord Brabant
Ksenya Istomina 'Melody of Silence' 105 x 70 cm Oil on linen Painted after life, the artist always works with a real scenery. Her realistic but impressionistic paintings look amazin...
Linen, Oil
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Proximity 2 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Modern, Africa
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique; this is not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Ar...
Acrylic
Hummingbird (260306)
Located in Atlanta, GA
Gwen Wong's work is both painterly and allegorical, caught somewhere in the middle between the representational painter and the narrator. "I am inspired by the idea of a childhood re...
Gold Leaf
Hummingbird (260304)
Located in Atlanta, GA
Gwen Wong's work is both painterly and allegorical, caught somewhere in the middle between the representational painter and the narrator. "I am inspired by the idea of a childhood re...
Gold Leaf
$400Sale Price|20% Off
Strokes and Emotions 2 -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Modern
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Strokes and Emotions captures struggles of identity, inner battles, and resilience. The fragmented strokes mirror fractured emotions, while the red/orange palette amplifies raw inten...
Canvas, Acrylic
$2,175
Island Life - Abstract Colorful Feminine Figurative Acrylic Artwork Beach Scene
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Southern California native Courtney Simone seamlessly blends her passion for abstract art with the exploration of everyday beauty, resulting in exuberantly inspired abstract figurati...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$1,000Sale Price|20% Off
Mixed Feeling 2 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Modern, Women
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
“Mixed Feelings” is a visual series that captures the emotional complexity of Black womanhood, strength, softness, pride, visibility, and invisibility. Each portrait in this series h...
Canvas, Charcoal, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$2,800Sale Price|20% Off
Orelisa - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Africa Women
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (Issued by the Gal...
Canvas, Charcoal, Mixed Media, Acrylic
"When the Moon Ascends" - Original Oil Animal Painting on Coin
Located in Denver, CO
Artist Statement I've always been drawn to little whimsical worlds, and unicorns have always felt like the peak of magic to me. However, I love the idea that magic doesn't have to be...
Oil
Armenian Contemporary Art by Kamsar Ohanyan - Armenian Village
Located in Paris, IDF
White pen on black paper, Kamsar Ohanyan is an Armenian artist born in 1991 who lives and works in Yerevan, Armenia. He studied in Yerevan at State Pedagogical University with Kh. A...
Paper, Pen
Ignite2
Located in Zofingen, AG
In my work, I explore how inherited emotional distance turns into a lifelong search for intimacy. I am interested in moments in which connection does not require justification, where...
Canvas, Oil
The Road by Valérie de Sarrieu - Oil on canvas painting, landscape
Located in Paris, FR
The Road is a unique oil on canvas painting by contemporary artist Valérie de Sarrieu, dimensions are 160 × 160 cm (63 × 63 in). The artwork is signed, sold unframed and comes with a...
Canvas, Paper, Oil, Tempera
THE SHADOW II - Contemporary Figurative Oil Painting, Women's Portrait
By Jarek Puczel
Located in Salzburg, AT
The Polish artist Jarek Puczel catches the calmness of apparently simple and unspectacular situations with an impressive modesty and apparent ease. He creates an interesting and tens...
Canvas, Oil
ENTRADA-L by Ramon Enrich - Geometric landscape painting, acrylic on canvas
By Ramon Enrich
Located in Paris, FR
ENTRADA-L is a painting by Spanish contemporary artist Ramon Enrich. This artwork is an acrylic on canvas. Dimensions are 40 x 30 cm (15.7 × 11.8 in). This artwork exemplifies the d...
Canvas, Acrylic
I've Been Everywhere - Abstract Vintage Inspired Figurative Painting on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Jesse’s imagery often merges playful and gritty elements, blending floral patterns, vintage-inspired designs, and bold outlines with a touch of whimsy. His artwork exudes a sense of ...
Acrylic, Canvas
The Best is Yet to Come For You - Abstract Mixed Media Graffiti Inspired Artwork
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...
Canvas, Latex, Ink, Mixed Media, Spray Paint, Acrylic
$1,160Sale Price|20% Off
Life Journey 2 - 21st Century Contemporary, Figurative, Figurative, Realism
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube. This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About the Artist Joy Eyitayo...
Canvas, Ink, Mixed Media, Acrylic
"Crossing Paths", girls at a crossroad, hand-cut stencils and spray paint
By Mando Marie (seeyouthroughit)
Located in Philadelphia, PA
"Crossing Paths" is a one-of-a-kind original work by Amanda Marie (Mando), created using acrylic and aerosol on paper. The piece measures 19.75 × 15.75 inches and is pencil signed an...
Spray Paint, Acrylic, Paper
$455
Last Shot - Vintage Inspired Figurative Pin Up Cowgirl Western Painting on Paper
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Jesse’s imagery often merges playful and gritty elements, blending floral patterns, vintage-inspired designs, and bold outlines with a touch of whimsy. His artwork exudes a sense of ...
Paint, Paper, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Permanent Marker, Spray Paint
Island Entertainment - 21st Century Contemporary Imaginary Landscapes
Located in Nuenen, Noord Brabant
Michiel Schrijver 'Island Entertainment' 30 x 40 cm (Framed included in price 34 x 44) acryl on canvas Dutch Painter Michiel Schrijver lives and works in the center of the Netherla...
Canvas, Acrylic