Hot Pink And Tiffany Blue
2010s Contemporary Still-life Sculptures
Mixed Media
Late 20th Century Moroccan Bohemian Moroccan and North African Rugs
Wool
2010s Contemporary Color Photography
Archival Ink, Encaustic, Tissue Paper
2010s Contemporary Color Photography
Archival Ink, Encaustic, Tissue Paper
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Vintage 1970s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures
Brass, Copper
21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Modern Sofas
Leather
1950s Abstract Expressionist Abstract Prints
Etching, Intaglio
Early 20th Century French Animal Sculptures
Wire
1990s Modern Figurative Prints
Etching
Late 20th Century Spanish Armchairs
Pine
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Leather
2010s American Modern Abstract Sculptures
Metal
Vintage 1970s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures
Brass, Copper
Vintage 1980s German Post-Modern Porcelain
Porcelain
Vintage 1970s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures
Paper
Vintage 1950s British Folk Art Animal Sculptures
Paper
Vintage 1970s English Animal Sculptures
Paint, Paper
2010s Abstract Abstract Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
20th Century Indian Anglo-Indian Animal Sculptures
Bone
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures
Brass
Recent Sales
2010s Contemporary Color Photography
Archival Ink, Encaustic, Tissue Paper
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.
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