Olga Alex
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Photography
Metal
2010s Contemporary Figurative Photography
Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
2010s Contemporary Figurative Photography
Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
2010s Contemporary Figurative Photography
Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
1990s Pop Art Figurative Sculptures
Slate
People Also Browsed
Vintage 1980s American Modern Prints
Other
Vintage 1980s American Modern Prints
Other
Early 2000s Contemporary Nude Photography
Color
Vintage 1970s Modern Prints
Other
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Photography
Other
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Photography
Other
1990s American Mid-Century Modern Photography
Paper
Early 2000s American Photography
Canvas
20th Century Japanese Showa Prints
Paper
Mid-20th Century American Modern Posters
Paper
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Photography
Other
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Photography
Other
2010s Contemporary Figurative Photography
Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Photography
Other
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Photography
Other
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Photography
Other
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.
Read More
11 of Annie Leibovitz’s Most Talked-About Photographs
See why the famed photographer's celebrity portraits have graced magazine covers and become headline grabbers in their own right for five decades and counting.
Tom Price Sculpted One of These Benches from Resin, the Other from Coal
Part art, part seating, they offer a fascinating meditation on life’s dualities.
The Stories behind the Most Famous Luxury Fashion Logos
From Chanel to YSL, the logos of some legacy fashion houses spark instant brand recognition and have come to symbolize a kind of luxury that feels at once aspirational and attainable.
Brooklyn’s Ground Floor Gallery Spotlights a Diverse Range of Emerging Artists
Cofounders Krista Scenna and Jill Benson highlight the work of underexposed talents and connect them with new collectors.
The Layered Story behind the Iconic Jewels of London’s Stephen Webster
On the 25th anniversary of his innovative Crystal Haze collection, the designer revisits its origins.
The Story behind James Banks’s Jewels Is As Dreamy As the Designs
Brought together by a love of jewelry with meaning, Adam Shulman and Heidi Nahser Fink built a brand that celebrates ingenious design and fine craftsmanship.
Photographer to Know: David Bailey
British portraitist David Bailey gets up close to his celebrity subjects.
High-Society Hijinks Fill the Imagination of Illustrator Tug Rice
The Pennsylvania-born, New York–based artist's whimsical creations affectionately satirize the foibles of his fellow Upper East Siders.