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.
1970s Contemporary Art
Paper, Graphite, Pencil
2010s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Fabric
Early 2000s Contemporary Art
Metal
2010s Contemporary Art
Screen
Late 20th Century Contemporary Art
Wood
2010s Contemporary Art
Rag Paper, Archival Pigment
2010s Contemporary Art
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Oil Crayon, Archival Paper, Color Pencil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Metal
2010s Contemporary Art
Oil
2010s Contemporary Art
Screen
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Earthenware
Early 2000s Contemporary Art
Glass
Early 2000s Contemporary Art
C Print
Late 20th Century Contemporary Art
Paint
Artist Comments
Marion exudes grace and charm with her serene gaze and calm stance. The afternoon sunlight bathes her lush red hair in a soft glow. Soft colors and brushwork im...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
C Print
Late 20th Century Contemporary Art
Earthenware
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Offset
2010s Contemporary Art
Archival Pigment
2010s Contemporary Art
Bronze
2010s Contemporary Art
Archival Pigment, Archival Paper, Archival Ink
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Paper, Gouache
2010s Contemporary Art
Oil
2010s Contemporary Art
Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Art
Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Art
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Archival Pigment
2010s Contemporary Art
Acrylic
Late 20th Century Contemporary Art
Paper, Oil
2010s Contemporary Art
Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Art
Gold Leaf
2010s Contemporary Art
Bronze
2010s Contemporary Art
Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Art
Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Art
Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Art
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Charcoal
2010s Contemporary Art
Archival Pigment
2010s Contemporary Art
Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Art
Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Art
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Art
Oil
2010s Contemporary Art
Watercolor, Archival Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Glue, Sumi Ink, Wood Panel, Washi Paper, Pigment
20th Century Contemporary Art
Offset
2010s Contemporary Art
Digital Pigment
2010s Contemporary Art
Archival Pigment
2010s Contemporary Art
Archival Pigment
1990s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Art
Paper, Ink
2010s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Art
Acrylic, Canvas