Contemporary More 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.
20th Century Contemporary More Art
Vinyl
Artist Comments
This still-life painting depicts white roses arranged in a brass vase, with a pink one at the bottom. The earth-toned palette and thick bravura brushstrokes impart a timeless aura to the piece. Against the brown background, the elements stand out with their soft and endearing details.
About the Artist
Sherri Aldawood didn't intend to always paint flowers, but over time her love of gardens started to permeate her art. She focuses on the light and color of the flowers on the canvas. Sherri prefers alla prima, working with wet layers of paint instead of letting them dry. She keeps the paint as wet as possible by using walnut and clove oil...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Oil
2010s Contemporary More Art
Marble
2010s Contemporary More Art
Metal, Copper
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Watercolor, Archival Paper
Trees line a golden field, their silhouettes stretching across the horizon. The layers of colors, accented with metallic finishes, len...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Encaustic
2010s Contemporary More Art
Clay, Wood, Glaze
2010s Contemporary More Art
Porcelain, Screen, Ceramic, Mixed Media, Board
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Tapestry, Wool
2010s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Acrylic, Pencil, Color Pencil
2010s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Acrylic, Pencil, Color Pencil
2010s Contemporary More Art
Glass, Plaster
Artist Comments
Silhouettes of trees cut across the horizon, defining the beige sky and turquoise field. The layers of colors with accents of gold metallic finish add an ethe...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Encaustic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Metal, Bronze
Early 2000s Contemporary More Art
Cotton, Nylon, Mixed Media
Artist Comments
A diptych of trees boasts distinct silhouettes, with their roots seemingly reaching towards each other. Similarly, birds from their branches appear to exchang...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Encaustic
2010s Contemporary More Art
Wool, Yarn
Artist Comments
Artist Shuxing Fan paints alluring florals in shades of lilac, blue, yellow, and white. He fixes them on a contrasting chic gray ce...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Metal
2010s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Yarn, Wood, Dye
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Paper
Early 2000s Contemporary More Art
Mixed Media, Permanent Marker, Lithograph, Offset, Board
1980s Contemporary More Art
Offset
Artist Comments
As the sun slowly sets behind the headlands, a bold and colorful drama unfolds above. This painting is on a gallery wrapped canvas with all sides finished in...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Oil
2010s Contemporary More Art
Granite, Metal, Bronze, Enamel
Early 2000s Contemporary More Art
Porcelain, Mixed Media, Board
1990s Contemporary More Art
Mixed Media, Lithograph, Offset, Plastic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Cotton, Resin, Wood
2010s Contemporary More Art
Marble
2010s Contemporary More Art
Paper, Ink, Mixed Media, Lithograph, Offset, Board
Artist Comments
"This painting was inspired by the idea that we are shaped by outside forces, but remain unchanged, we persist in the face of adversity," says Shao. "It is what makes us human." Shao's energetic paintings of stallions explore and illustrate movement through nature. This work represents an immigrant's journey, filled with strength and perseverance. Shao incorporates both contemporary watercolor and traditional ink calligraphy styles into this series of oil paintings.
About the Artist
Art has been with Shao Yuan Zhang for the majority of his extraordinary, and at times difficult, life journey. Raised in communist China...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Oil
Early 20th Century Contemporary More Art
Paper
2010s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Early 2000s Contemporary More Art
Paper, Ink, Mixed Media, Lithograph, Offset
1970s Contemporary More Art
Paper, Offset
2010s Contemporary More Art
Lithograph
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Ceramic
2010s Contemporary More Art
Screen
1990s Contemporary More Art
Etching, Color
1960s Contemporary More Art
Paper, Ink
2010s Contemporary More Art
Acrylic, Pencil, Canvas
2010s Contemporary More Art
Oil, Panel
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Vinyl, Plastic
2010s Contemporary More Art
Luster, Porcelain, Glaze
20th Century Contemporary More Art
Paper, Lithograph
Early 2000s Contemporary More Art
Fabric
2010s Contemporary More Art
Mixed Media, Acrylic, Textile, Ink, Archival Paper
2010s Contemporary More Art
Fabric, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Pencil, Color Pencil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Paper, Ink
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Lithograph
Artist Comments
A magnificent black jaguar rests atop glowing clouds of teal and coral. Artist Miranda Gamel shares that she created this oil pa...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Oil
1970s Contemporary More Art
Paper, Offset
2010s Contemporary More Art
Paper, Ink, Mixed Media, Lithograph, Offset
Artist Comments
Orange and yellow candy-colored Gerbera daisies exploding on a nostalgic patterned blue background featuring pink flowers. Painted on Arches heavyweight oil primed paper, which can be framed with our without glass.
About the Artist
Words that describe this painting: Gerbera daisies, daisies, vase, floral, bouquet, flowers, still life, flora, representational, vintage, oil painting, orange
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Oil
2010s Contemporary More Art
Ceramic, Stoneware, Glaze, Underglaze
2010s Contemporary More Art
Paper, Acrylic, Pencil, Color Pencil
Artist Comments
This piece reflects my engagement with color, shape, the body and the deeper issues of humanity. I chose "lying" for the title to suggest that "truth" can be...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Acrylic
2010s Contemporary More Art
Paper, Acrylic, Pencil, Color Pencil
2010s Contemporary More Art
Archival Paper, Magazine Paper
2010s Contemporary More Art
Clay, Stoneware, Glaze
