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Modern Contemporary Art

MODERN STYLE

The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw sweeping social change and major scientific advances — both of which contributed to a new aesthetic: modernism. Rejecting the rigidity of Victorian artistic conventions, modernists sought a new means of expression. References to the natural world and ornate classical embellishments gave way to the sleek simplicity of the Machine Age. Architect Philip Johnson characterized the hallmarks of modernism as “machine-like simplicity, smoothness or surface [and] avoidance of ornament.”

Early practitioners of modernist design include the De Stijl (“The Style”) group, founded in the Netherlands in 1917, and the Bauhaus School, founded two years later in Germany.

Followers of both groups produced sleek, spare designs — many of which became icons of daily life in the 20th century. The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics. While Bauhaus principals Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe created furniture from mass-produced, chrome-plated steel, American visionaries like Charles and Ray Eames worked in materials as novel as molded plywood and fiberglass. Today, Breuer’s Wassily chair, Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chaircrafted with his romantic partner, designer Lilly Reich — and the Eames lounge chair are emblems of progressive design and vintage originals are prized cornerstones of collections.

It’s difficult to overstate the influence that modernism continues to wield over designers and architects — and equally difficult to overstate how revolutionary it was when it first appeared a century ago. But because modernist furniture designs are so simple, they can blend in seamlessly with just about any type of décor. Don’t overlook them.

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Style: Modern
Color:  Green
Bob Matheny Acrylic Painting on Hardwood
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Acrylic painting on hardwood by San Diego artist, Bob Matheny. The painting featuring eyeballs throws a nod to the Great Gatsby and Dr. T.J. Eckleberg as displayed on the back of the painting. The piece showcases vibrant neon colors of green orange and blue. The San Diego conceptual artist and educator helped define the San Diego art scene in the 1960s and ’70s alongside other artist such as Richard Allen Morris...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Contemporary Art

Materials

Canvas, Paint

Heart Shaped Green Watercolor, 2022, Handmade in Italy, Anatomical Heart
Located in San Miniato PI, IT
Celebrating the human body by dissecting it. The human body as a great system of signs and symbols. We are expression, beyond words and gestures. A perspective of the flesh in wh...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Contemporary Art

Materials

Ceramic

Large Scale Mid-Century Modern Signed Abstract Oil On Canvas, Green /Red C.1972
Located in Kennesaw, GA
Modern art is wonderful for updating any decor! This is a large scale modern abstract signed oil painting completed by Scottish American born Ni...
Category

1970s American Vintage Modern Contemporary Art

Materials

Canvas, Paint

Bonnie Edelman "Pisello, Italy" Photograph, Scapes Series, 2010
Located in New York, NY
Contemporary artist Bonnie Edelman's "Pisello, Italy" was photographed in 2010 and is part of the Land Scapes Series. As her most recognized collection "Scapes" consists of landscapes, seascapes and skyscapes whose specific forms have been blurred in order to direct viewers’ focus toward colors and compositions. Sublime and abstract, the photographs capture grain fields, sea horizons, and sunsets from around the world. This photograph is being offered as a C-print face-mounted onto 1/8” non glare plexi with a custom maple floating frame (1/2" face x 2" deep with 3/8" gap). It will ship directly from the artist's printmaking studio with a signed certificate of authenticity. About the artist: Bonnie Edelman was born in New York City. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Connecticut College on an academic and athletic scholarship. Having been raised in a family of artists and architects, Bonnie was always creating. Whether it was sculpture, painting, jewelry making and interior design, she has always had an intense need to express herself through creativity. Fashion was an all encompassing self expression so it was because of this idea of materializing thoughts, desires and inspirations that she decided to devote her career to the editorial side of the fashion industry. After an internship at Rolling Stone Magazine and then formally starting her career as the assistant to the Fashion Director at Seventeen Magazine, Bonnie moved through the ranks at Glamour Magazine and MTV. She then settled into the position of Travel Editor at Sports Illustrated, where she navigated the world producing exotic and inspiring photo shoots for the magazine’s annual Swimsuit Issue. It was during this time spent in The Islands of the Maldives, Ecuador, Venezuela and Kenya, to mention a few, while working closely with photographers like Sante D’Orazio, Russell James...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Contemporary Art

Materials

Paper

21st Century Italy, Green Panel, Ceramica Gatti, Designer A. Anastasio
Located in Faenza, IT
The public buildings, the noble ones but also the more modest residences, have been decorated for centuries with decorative panels cemented on the facades. Bottega Gatti archive on i...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Contemporary Art

Materials

Ceramic

Bonnie Edelman "Carrara, Italy" Photograph, Scapes Series, 2012
Located in New York, NY
Contemporary artist Bonnie Edelman's "Carrara, Italy" was photographed in 2012 and is part of the Sky Scapes Series. As her most recognized collection "Scapes" consists of landscapes, seascapes and skyscapes whose specific forms have been blurred in order to direct viewers’ focus toward colors and compositions. Sublime and abstract, the photographs capture grain fields, sea horizons, and sunsets from around the world. This photograph is being offered as a C-print face-mounted onto 1/8” non glare plexi with a custom maple floating frame (1/2" face x 2" deep with 3/8" gap). It will ship directly from the artist's printmaking studio with a signed certificate of authenticity About the artist: Bonnie Edelman was born in New York City. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Connecticut College on an academic and athletic scholarship. Having been raised in a family of artists and architects, Bonnie was always creating. Whether it was sculpture, painting, jewelry making and interior design, she has always had an intense need to express herself through creativity. Fashion was an all encompassing self expression so it was because of this idea of materializing thoughts, desires and inspirations that she decided to devote her career to the editorial side of the fashion industry. After an internship at Rolling Stone Magazine and then formally starting her career as the assistant to the Fashion Director at Seventeen Magazine, Bonnie moved through the ranks at Glamour Magazine and MTV. She then settled into the position of Travel Editor at Sports Illustrated, where she navigated the world producing exotic and inspiring photo shoots for the magazine’s annual Swimsuit Issue. It was during this time spent in The Islands of the Maldives, Ecuador, Venezuela and Kenya, to mention a few, while working closely with photographers like Sante D’Orazio, Russell James...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Contemporary Art

Materials

Paper

Bonnie Edelman "African Dawn" Photograph, Scapes Series, 2012
Located in New York, NY
Contemporary artist Bonnie Edelman's "African Dawn" was photographed in 2012 and is part of the Sky Scapes Series. As her most recognized collection "Scapes" consists of landscapes, seascapes and skyscapes whose specific forms have been blurred in order to direct viewers’ focus toward colors and compositions. Sublime and abstract, the photographs capture grain fields, sea horizons, and sunsets from around the world. This photograph is being offered as a C-print face-mounted onto 1/8” non glare plexi with a custom maple floating frame (1/2" face x 2" deep with 3/8" gap). It will ship directly from the artist's printmaking studio with a signed certificate of authenticity. About the artist: Bonnie Edelman was born in New York City. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Connecticut College on an academic and athletic scholarship. Having been raised in a family of artists and architects, Bonnie was always creating. Whether it was sculpture, painting, jewelry making and interior design, she has always had an intense need to express herself through creativity. Fashion was an all encompassing self expression so it was because of this idea of materializing thoughts, desires and inspirations that she decided to devote her career to the editorial side of the fashion industry. After an internship at Rolling Stone Magazine and then formally starting her career as the assistant to the Fashion Director at Seventeen Magazine, Bonnie moved through the ranks at Glamour Magazine and MTV. She then settled into the position of Travel Editor at Sports Illustrated, where she navigated the world producing exotic and inspiring photo shoots for the magazine’s annual Swimsuit Issue. It was during this time spent in The Islands of the Maldives, Ecuador, Venezuela and Kenya, to mention a few, while working closely with photographers like Sante D’Orazio, Russell James...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Contemporary Art

Materials

Paper

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Modern contemporary art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Modern contemporary art for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage contemporary art created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include wall decorations, decorative objects, mirrors and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, glass and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Modern contemporary art made in a specific country, there are Europe, Italy, and Portugal pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original contemporary art, popular names associated with this style include sicis, Louise Heighes, Las Animas, and Sabrina Landini. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for contemporary art differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $110 and tops out at $191,803 while the average work can sell for $3,868.

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