Karl Macintosh
Early 2000s Contemporary Figurative Photography
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Color Photography
C Print
1980s Contemporary Abstract Prints
Foil
People Also Browsed
2010s English Modern Figurative Sculptures
Fiberglass
21st Century and Contemporary French Stools
Wood
1980s Neo-Expressionist Abstract Prints
Woodcut
Vintage 1940s French Neoclassical Table Lamps
Brass
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Ceramic
Vintage 1940s French Art Deco Table Lamps
Ceramic
Early 1900s American Impressionist Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Vintage 1920s French Art Deco Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass, Bronze
Vintage 1940s French Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Upholstery, Beech
1930s Modern Still-life Drawings and Watercolors
Watercolor, Gouache, Handmade Paper
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Art Glass, Murano Glass
Antique 19th Century French French Provincial Paintings
Gesso, Canvas, Wood
1970s Abstract Expressionist Abstract Drawings and Watercolors
Paper, Gouache
Vintage 1960s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Flush Mount
Metal
Vintage 1940s French Neoclassical Chandeliers and Pendants
Bronze, Metal
Vintage 1950s Italian Baroque Table Lamps
Resin
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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