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.
$3,000
Princess /// Contemporary Street Pop Art Painting Grace Kelly Abstract Colorful
Located in Saint Augustine, FL
Artist: Jack Graves III (American, 1988-) Title: "Princess" Series: Eclecticism *Signed by Graves lower left. It is also signed, titled, and dated on verso Year: 2024 Medium: Origi...
Canvas, Paint, Acrylic
Airplane in landscape - landscape painting
Located in New York, NY
This beautiful painting by Jeroen Allart is part of his minimalist landscape and animal painting he did in his home country the Netherlands. 'A farm stands before you on the horizon....
Canvas, Oil
"Apparition at the Border of Language"
Located in Lyons, CO
This print presents a fictitious encounter between contemporary colonial forces and Native Americans who are defenders of immigrant refugees and displaced populations. The artist de...
Lithograph
$2,853
Heart, Antelope Canyon, Arizona, Large Black-and-White Fine Art Photograph
Located in Vienna, Vienna
Archival pigment ink print, produced in a limited edition of 7 // Gallery ID: 11873 Fine art prints are produced to order on Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta. Each print is stamped on the...
Digital Pigment
Story of the Family Dog - Colorful Figurative Abstract Textural Mixed Media Art
By Olympio
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This textural mixed-media painting on canvas by Togolese artist Olympio delivers an unfiltered glimpse into the artist's soul through a powerful blend of texture, energy, and abstrac...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$2,851
Red Beach Huts Study 1, Sweden, Limited Edition Colour Fine Art Photograph
Located in Vienna, Vienna
Archival pigment ink print, produced in a limited edition of 7 // Gallery ID: 21285 Fine art prints are produced to order on Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta. Each print is stamped on the...
Digital Pigment
$1,781
Splash of Joy. Original Contemporary Figurative Acrylic Painting, Child - Rabbit
Located in Oslo, NO
Joy in Motion is an original acrylic painting on canvas that combines contemporary figurative painting with geometric abstraction. The artwork captures a carefree childhood moment as...
Canvas, Acrylic
Saddle ip, sunshine: Contemporary Cowboy Landscape Oil Painting
Located in DE
A vibrant oil painting captures a serene moment in a desert landscape. The scene unfolds under a soft pink sky. Figures of cowboys stand in quiet camaraderie. Their attire blends ear...
Canvas, Oil
"Beat, Beat. Plus Outro (Linea Pictura — Diptych)" Abstract Diptych with String
Located in Philadelphia, PA
"Beat, Beat. Plus Outro (Linea Pictura — Diptych)" is an original artwork by Hyland Mather made of acrylic, ink, string, pins on drop cloth, in tray frames. It measures approx 43”h x...
Canvas, Thread, Acrylic, Pins
$1,100
Field Painting August 3 - Contemporary Landscape Painting Wildflowers, 2023
Located in Kent, CT
In this contemporary landscape painting in oil on linen, a peaceful summer scene beautifully captures the idyllic feel of a field of wildflowers in early August. Signed, dated and ti...
Oil, Linen
Graft EH9 - Abstract Figurative Wall Sculpture - Tree Branch and Bronze Figures
Located in Los Angeles, CA
There is a metaphorical interplay between the natural imagery international artist, Jennyfer Stratman, uses and its multiple meanings. While the human figure features strongly, it is...
Metal, Bronze
"My Horizon - Barcelona" Color Field Painting on Paper Insured by Mark Rothko
By Cindy Shaoul
Located in New York, NY
An acrylic and oil on heavy weight paper piece with bright use of color and texture. We are focused on the simplicity of beauty in the moment as Shaoul creates a translucent but very...
Oil, Acrylic, Archival Paper
By the Pond
Located in Zofingen, AG
Size: 90×100 cm (overall size with stretching 100×110 cm) Year: 2026 Materials: acrylic on canvas Shipping: rolled By the Pond is a painting about the beauty of simple moments and t...
Canvas, Acrylic, Oil Pastel
Pink Dream
Located in Zofingen, AG
Size: 95×105 cm (overall size with stretching 105×115 cm) Year: 2026 Materials: acrylic on canvas Shipping: rolled Pink Dream is about our dreams and how important it is to allow our...
Acrylic, Canvas
Dandelion Yellow Drip III - Contemporary Abstract Figurative Sculptural Artwork
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Nebraka-based Jamie Burmeister is a sculptural artist known for his original artworks incorporating original small bronze and aluminum figures, standing at just up to 4 inches tall. ...
Metal
HEAT HAZE - Modern Landscape Oil Pastel Painting, Warm Tones, Bright Light
By Janusz Kokot
Located in Hallein, AT
Janusz Kokot was born in Kalisz in 1960. He studied at the Pedagogical University in Częstochowa at the Art Institute. He practices painting and drawing. In the years 1988 - 2020 he ...
Paper, Oil Pastel
"El Guapo" - Contemporary Acrylic Barn Painting on Canvas
Located in Denver, CO
Justin Wheatley was born and raised in Clinton, Utah. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Utah State University with an emphasis in drawing and painting, and a Masters of Arts fro...
Canvas, Acrylic
Syncrospective: Steel, Abstract, Outdoor Sculpture
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This contemporary outdoor minimalist steel sculpture features a globe. This sculpture is by Timothy Gordon Johnson, a Canadian artist who ...
Steel
Beginning XI - Contemporary Joyful Oil Painting, Beach View, Seaside, XL Format
Located in Hallein, AT
Signed to the verso Artodyssey "Julita Malinowska's paintings belong to those, which once seen - are never forgotten. The open spaces, sometimes cool and bright, at other times heav...
Canvas, Oil
Sweet Talk and Spurs: Contemporary Cowboy Landscape Oil Painting
Located in DE
Contemporary figurative oil painting of a sun-drenched desert landscape, depicting figures in cowboy attire gathered with blue horses across a vast sandy terrain. Figures in cowboy a...
Canvas, Oil
$1,544
Wildflowers and horses Cowboys, Minimalist Landscape oil painting , 80x80 cm
Located in DE
A serene landscape unfolds in a rhythmic dance of color and form. The composition balances human presence with the quiet dignity of animals. Figures in striped trousers and wide-brim...
Canvas, Oil
The Neverly Hills
Located in Zofingen, AG
Some places exist only in the imagination, where status is measured by confidence rather than possessions, and belonging has nothing to do with appearances. The Neverly Hills playful...
Canvas, Acrylic
$5,500
Tracey Emin - YES! coveted pencil signed and numbered homemade print YBA Framed
By Tracey Emin
Located in New York, NY
Tracey Emin YES!, 2012 Home made color inkjet print 11 3/4 × 16 1/2 inches Edition 111 from the edition of approx. 150 Pencil signed, numbered 111 and dated 2012 recto; bears Emin In...
Handmade Paper, Inkjet
"Overlook" - Contemporary Acrylic Barn Painting on Canvas
Located in Denver, CO
Justin Wheatley was born and raised in Clinton, Utah. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Utah State University with an emphasis in drawing and painting, and a Masters of Arts fro...
Canvas, Acrylic
$3,326
Jetty 12 January 16:02 - Modern Minimalistic Landscape Painting, See View
Located in Hallein, 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, Oil
My Favorite Blow In The Winds, Red Floral Soft Neutral Contemporary Textured Art
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles artist Amber Goldhammer paints floral abstract compositions in acrylic and mixed media on canvas featuring energetic brushstrokes. Goldhammer uses her contemporary painti...
Canvas, Latex, Mixed Media, Spray Paint, Acrylic, Ink, Oil
$3,985
Dancing Queens - Original Figurative Watercolor Painting on Paper in Wood Frame
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Marisa Mu’s watercolor paintings celebrate liberated bodies in motion, using playful gesture and vivid color to create scenes that feel joyful, intimate, and full of momentum. "Block...
Paper, Watercolor
$3,050
Summertime Smell Goods - Large Textured Airy Neutral Abstract Floral Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles artist Amber Goldhammer paints floral abstract compositions in acrylic and mixed media on canvas featuring energetic brushstrokes. Goldhammer uses her contemporary painti...
Canvas, Latex, Mixed Media, Spray Paint, Acrylic
"Midwinter" - Contemporary Acrylic Barn Painting on Canvas
Located in Denver, CO
Justin Wheatley was born and raised in Clinton, Utah. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Utah State University with an emphasis in drawing and painting, and a Masters of Arts fro...
Canvas, Oil
$1,075
Surf Wall 001 - Mixed Media Surfing Inspired Figurative Wall Rock Sculpture
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Kevin Perrault’s sculptural work exists at the intersection of permanence and play, blending monumentality Kevin Perrault’s sculptural work exists at the intersection of permanence a...
Stone, Copper
The Last Showgirl
Located in Zofingen, AG
Under the warm lights of a cabaret stage, the show is still going on. Surrounded by feathers, pearls, sequins, and an audience waiting to be entertained, one unlikely star takes cent...
Canvas, Acrylic
"In a Round About Way", Figurative Painting of a Girl Dancing with Skeletons
By Mando Marie (seeyouthroughit)
Located in Philadelphia, PA
"In a Round About Way" is a one-of-a-kind original work by Amanda Marie (Mando), created using acrylic and aerosol on canvas. The piece measures 32.75”h x 21”w framed, and is shipped...
Canvas, Spray Paint, Acrylic
On a Warm Summer Evening
By Jacob Burda
Located in Zofingen, AG
Life Is Beautiful is a celebration of the quiet richness hidden within ordinary days. We often feel that something is missing from our lives, believing happiness lies somewhere ahead...
Acrylic, Canvas
The Group Chat
Located in Zofingen, AG
Some conversations never really end. A glance, a whisper, a dramatic pause, someone pretending not to listen while hearing absolutely everything. This painting celebrates the quiet r...
Canvas, Acrylic
Gold Leaf Acrylic Painting of Cowboys, Minimalist Landscape, 80x60 cm
Located in DE
A sun-drenched landscape unfolds with rhythmic simplicity. This acrylic painting captures a quiet gathering in the arid heart of the West. Figures in traditional attire blend into th...
Gold Leaf
"Beat, Minus Verse, Outro (Linea Pictura — Diptych)", Minimalist White Abstract
Located in Philadelphia, PA
"Beat, Minus Verse, Outro (Linea Pictura — Diptych)" is an original artwork by Hyland Mather made of acrylic, ink, string, pins on drop cloth, in tray frames. It measures approximate...
Canvas, Thread, Acrylic, Pins
"On the Outskirts" - Contemporary Acrylic Barn Painting on Canvas
Located in Denver, CO
Justin Wheatley was born and raised in Clinton, Utah. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Utah State University with an emphasis in drawing and painting, and a Masters of Arts fro...
Canvas, Acrylic
$775
Open Your Heart - Abstract Blue Graffiti Inspired 'Love You' Mixed Media Art
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, Mixed Media, Spray Paint, Acrylic
$2,138
Road to Nowhere, Utah USA – Black-and-White Photograph, Limited Edition
Located in Vienna, Vienna
Archival pigment ink print, produced in a limited edition of 9 // Gallery ID: 11648 Fine art prints are produced to order on Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta. Each print is stamped on the...
Digital Pigment
Flag (Moratorium)
By Jasper Johns
Located in Bristol, GB
Offset lithograph in colours Edition 122 of 300 52 x 72 cm (20.5 x 1 in) Signed and numbered on the front Condition upon request Published by Committee Against the War in Vietnam
Lithograph, Offset
Tajine Silhouette. Still life Painting, Oil on canvas
Located in Miami Beach, FL
In most of the paintings, the artist uses an interior space as his subject, placing a table or similar object at its center. The use of symmetry and eye level often suggests an altar...
Oil, Canvas
Bananas. Still life Painting, Oil on canvas
Located in Miami Beach, FL
In most of the paintings, the artist uses an interior space as his subject, placing a table or similar object at its center. The use of symmetry and eye level often suggests an altar...
Canvas, Oil
$5,400
Combahee 3 Sisters - Large Sculptural Abstract Three-Dimensional Wall Artwork
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Atticus Adams' organically composed modern metal sculptures embody the transformative power of art, illustrating the creation of beauty, meaning, and emotional impact from industrial...
Wire
$2,375
The future is calling us for - Contemporary Architecture Pool House Oil Painting
By Lilly Muth
Located in DE
Lilly Muth's architectural paintings transport viewers on a visual journey to a different world, where imagination knows no bounds and the boundaries between reality and fantasy blur...
Canvas, Oil
Light as Air: Gold Leaf Abstract Painting, Minimalist, 100x160 cm
Located in DE
Katharina Hormel creates minimalistic landscape paintings featuring everyday scenes of life. Her art often portrays people engaged in their daily activities, such as taking a leisure...
Gold Leaf
Carbon Void Jade by Tom Price - Abstract Geometric Sculpture, Art & Design
By Tom Price
Located in Paris, FR
Carbon Void Jade is a sculpture by contemporary artist Tom Price. This sculpture is made of coal, polyurethane resin, steel, dimensions are 46 × 155 × 71 cm / 18.1 × 61 × 28 in. Th...
Steel
"I VI", Abstract Geometric Woven Paper Wall-Hanging Sculpture
Located in Philadelphia, PA
"I VI" is an original artwork by Shaun Kardinal made of woven paper ephemera and artist's tape. It measures approx. 65"h × 58"w. Shaun Kardinal is a cross-disciplinary visual artist...
Paper, Found Objects, Archival Tape
$800Sale Price|20% Off
AGE OF INNOCENCE - original round painting by Paula Craioveanu in New York
Located in Forest Hills, NY
"Age of Innocence", original unique painting. A feminine, innocent presence, portrait of a girl with a Venetian mask. acrylic on canvas. 20in / 50cm, round. Shipped from Forest Hil...
Acrylic, Canvas
$2,800Sale Price|20% Off
Bold - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Africa, Modern 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
$1,100
Incarnation (Color)(Translucent, Spray Paint, Portrait, Floral, Pattern Stencil)
Located in Kansas City, MO
Shepard Fairey Incarnation (Color), 2023 Screen print on thick Cream Speckletone Paper Year: 2024 (published) Size: 24 x 18 inches (60.96 x 45.72 cm) Edition: 550 Signed by Shepard F...
Screen
$4,800
Before Dawn, work on paper, by Melanie Yazzie, Navajo, yellow, bear, dragonfly
Located in Santa Fe, NM
Before Dawn, work on paper, by Melanie Yazzie, Navajo, yellow, bear, dragonfly unique, not part of an edition framed, light colored maple with acid free mat Melanie made this body of...
Gouache, Monoprint, Screen
$2,800Sale Price|20% Off
Thorns Before Roses - 21st Century Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Modern Men
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
This work questions what happens after arrival. When the life once desired is finally attained, soft, beautiful, without struggle, why does the mind remain unsettled? Thorns Before ...
Canvas, Acrylic
Craig, contemporary, wildlife, black & white photography, Elephant
Located in München, BY
Edition of 5 more sizes on request signed and numbered Craig, one of the last Big Tuskers in Amboseli, Kenya Joachim Schmeisser is represented by leading Galleries worldwide. His p...
Archival Pigment
$2,672
Yokohama Ticketservice- 21st Century Contemporary Cityscape of Yokohama, Japan
Located in Nuenen, Noord Brabant
Wijnand Driessen Yokohama ticketservice 29,7 cm x 42 cm (size with frame, included in price, 47 x 35 cm) oilpainting on cardboard In this painting, Wijnand Driessen takes the vie...
Oil, Cardboard
Summer Evening with Family
By Jacob Burda
Located in Zofingen, AG
Life reveals its true richness in simplicity—in enjoying the gifts of summer, the beauty of nature, and the warmth of being together with the people we love. We often believe that h...
Canvas, Acrylic
L'aparté des couleurs, Large Abstract, Contemporary, French, Oil on canvas
Located in LANGRUNE-SUR-MER, FR
Sophie Dumont is a French contemporary painter based in Normandy, France. Working exclusively in oil on canvas, she has developed a distinctive visual language rooted in layering, ma...
Oil
Drawing In, Contemporary Abstract Landscape Painting, Oil on Panel
Located in Santa Fe, NM
Inspired by the drama of nature and light, Cynthia creates abstracted landscapes with oil. Signed on the back.
Oil, Panel
Time Keeper. Large Acrylic Painting, Blue Orange Geometric Rabbit.
Located in Oslo, NO
An original acrylic on canvas depicting a young woman holding a geometric rabbit with a melting pocket watch, combining contemporary figurative painting with geometric abstraction. T...
Canvas, Acrylic
Hear Me Out
Located in Zofingen, AG
Everyone wants to be heard. Some whisper. Some raise their voices. And some simply lift a claw draped in pearls and wait for the room to fall silent. Confidence isn’t always loud. So...
Canvas, Acrylic
$2,475
Wood Drip III - Rainbow Contemporary Abstract Figurative Sculptural Artwork
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Nebraka-based Jamie Burmeister is a sculptural artist known for his original artworks incorporating original small bronze and aluminum figures, standing at just up to 4 inches tall. ...
Metal
The sculptural lithograph is part of the inimitable artist’s “Ruckus” series, now on view at the Brooklyn Museum.
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