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Contemporary Photography

CONTEMPORARY STYLE

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.

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Style: Contemporary
Galerie Hetzler 1985 Offset Print, Contemporary Landscape Photography
Galerie Hetzler 1985 Offset Print, Contemporary Landscape Photography

Galerie Hetzler 1985 Offset Print, Contemporary Landscape Photography

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Reinhard Mucha's 1985 exhibition at Galerie Max Hetzler in Cologne was titled "First go Gerresheim – Glashütte." This title references the Gerresheim Glashütte, a historic glass fact...

Category

1980s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Offset

Rogue Gallery

Rogue Gallery

By Patty Carroll

Located in Sante Fe, NM

Anonymous Women: Domestic Demise In the latest narratives, “Domestic Demise,” the woman becomes the victim of domestic disasters. Her activities, obsessions and objects are overwhel...

Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

'Untitled' based on an original Polaroid, 20th Century, Contemporary

'Untitled' based on an original Polaroid, 20th Century, Contemporary

By Stefanie Schneider

Located in Morongo Valley, CA

Untitled (29 Palms, CA), 1999, 20x24cm, Edition 1/10, Photograph printed on Velvet Watercolor, based on a Polaroid, Certificate and Signature label, not mounted Artist Inventory Num...

Category

1990s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, Color, Archival Pigment, Polaroid

Peter and Victoria Sellers - Photograph - 1980s
Peter and Victoria Sellers - Photograph - 1980s

Peter and Victoria Sellers - Photograph - 1980s

Located in Roma, IT

Vintage b/w photograph realized in 1980s. Excellent condition.

Category

1980s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Nest 32

Nest 32

By Kate Breakey

Located in Sante Fe, NM

Kate Breakey's artistic process is an act of investigation – a passionate attempt to establish an understanding of the natural world – a version that incorporates both intellectual a...

Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silk, Archival Pigment

Race Track - Tarmac Race Track Skid Marks Melting Rubber Photograph
Race Track - Tarmac Race Track Skid Marks Melting Rubber Photograph

Race Track - Tarmac Race Track Skid Marks Melting Rubber Photograph

By Chris Frazer Smith

Located in Brighton, GB

Race Track is a dynamic C-Type Matte Print by Contemporary photographer Chris Frazer Smith. It is available in this size in an Edition of 25 and is sold unframed. This print is also...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper, C Print, Color, Digital

Barn Owl XVI

Barn Owl XVI

By Beth Moon

Located in Sante Fe, NM

My fascination with birds of prey began eight years ago. There have been nesting owls on my family’s land in the United Kingdom as far as I can remember. I have heard them calling to...

Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Cuban Socialists - Historical Photo - 1960s

Cuban Socialists - Historical Photo - 1960s

Located in Roma, IT

Cuban Socialists - Historical Photo is a black and white vintage photograph realized in the 1960s. It belongs to historical albumen including photo reportages of historical events an...

Category

1960s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Nothing to lose - Contemporary, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 21st Century

Nothing to lose - Contemporary, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, 21st Century

By Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde

Located in Morongo Valley, CA

'Nothing to Lose' 2019, 20x20cm, Edition 1/7 plus 2 Artist Proofs. Based on a Polaroid, digital C-Print, not mounted. Signed on the back and with certificate. Artist inventory PL219-...

Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Archival Paper, C Print, Color, Polaroid

The Factory -
The Factory -

The Factory -

By Chris Frazer Smith

Located in Brighton, GB

The Factory is a dynamic C-Type Matte Print by Contemporary photographer Chris Frazer Smith. It is available in this size in an Edition of 25, and is sold unframed. Frazer Smith pl...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Photography

Materials

C Print, Photographic Paper, Color, Digital

"Baltimore 67" Landscape Photography 18" x 27" in Edition 1/24 by Larsen Sotelo
"Baltimore 67" Landscape Photography 18" x 27" in Edition 1/24 by Larsen Sotelo

"Baltimore 67" Landscape Photography 18" x 27" in Edition 1/24 by Larsen Sotelo

By Larsen Sotelo

Located in Culver City, CA

"Baltimore 67" Landscape Photography 18" x 27" in Edition 1/24 by Larsen Sotelo Not framed. Ships in a tube Signed and numbered by the artist. Comes with COA issued by the artist. ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Rag Paper, Giclée

Come With Me 2, 2011 - Fern Plants on Forest Floor in English Woodland Landscape

Come With Me 2, 2011 - Fern Plants on Forest Floor in English Woodland Landscape

By Ellie Davies

Located in Brighton, GB

Come With Me 2 - Fern Plants on Forest Floor in English Woodland Landscape by Ellie Davies Come With Me 2 is a stunning Digital C-Type Print on Fuji Maxima Matte paper, available in...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper, Digital, C Print, Color

Amemasu Tree, Hokkaido, Japan

Amemasu Tree, Hokkaido, Japan

By Michael Kenna

Located in Sante Fe, NM

Michael Kenna is a master of contemporary photography. Known for clean compositions, long exposures and minimalist aesthetics, Kenna’s signature style remains highly influential amon...

Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Winter Pool - Contemporary, Photograph, Landscape, 21st Century, Color

Winter Pool - Contemporary, Photograph, Landscape, 21st Century, Color

By Cristina Fontsare

Located in Morongo Valley, CA

Winter Pool - 2013 50 x 75 cm, Edition of 1/5. Archival Photography printed on Canson Baryta 310gr (not mounted). Signed on back with Certificate. About myself I was born and rai...

Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Archival Paper, Archival Ink, Color, Archival Pigment

Cuban Socialists - Historical Photo - 1960s

Cuban Socialists - Historical Photo - 1960s

Located in Roma, IT

Cuban Socialists is a black-and-white vintage photograph realized in the 1960s. It belongs to historical albumen including photo reportages of historical events and political issues ...

Category

1960s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Still life with Tulips, and a Pale Blue  Opalina Vase, Antwerp. Color photograph
Still life with Tulips, and a Pale Blue  Opalina Vase, Antwerp. Color photograph

Still life with Tulips, and a Pale Blue Opalina Vase, Antwerp. Color photograph

By Michael James O’Brien

Located in Miami Beach, FL

O'brian's staged photographs masterfully balance organic forms with the geometric structure of books, vases, and other objects. The simplicity of the setting highlights the vibrant s...

Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Color, Archival Pigment

Still Life with a Yellow Tulip and a Yellow Opalina Vase, Antwerp. Photograph
Still Life with a Yellow Tulip and a Yellow Opalina Vase, Antwerp. Photograph

Still Life with a Yellow Tulip and a Yellow Opalina Vase, Antwerp. Photograph

By Michael James O’Brien

Located in Miami Beach, FL

O'brian's staged photographs masterfully balance organic forms with the geometric structure of books, vases, and other objects. The simplicity of the setting highlights the vibrant s...

Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Color, Archival Pigment

Jimmy Page "Cigarette"

Jimmy Page "Cigarette"

By Neal Preston

Located in Mount Pleasant, SC

Jimmy Page on stage together in 1977. Photograph by Neal Preston Photograph signed and numbered.

Category

20th Century Contemporary Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Afternoon Trees, Shexian, Anhui, China. 2008

Afternoon Trees, Shexian, Anhui, China. 2008

By Michael Kenna

Located in Sante Fe, NM

Michael Kenna is master of contemporary photography. Known for clean compositions, long exposures and minimalist aesthetics, Kenna’s signature style remains highly influential among ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Paris, Texas Wim Wenders - Vintage Photo - 1984

Paris, Texas Wim Wenders - Vintage Photo - 1984

Located in Roma, IT

Paris, Texas Wim Wenders is a vintage black and white photograph realized in 1984. Good conditions.

Category

1980s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Untitled (Ben)

Untitled (Ben)

Located in New York, NY

Untitled (Ben) Puerto Vallarta, Mexico 2017-2020 Signed and numbered, verso 40 x 30 inches, sheet 38 x 28 inches, image (Edition of 3) $4,500 28 x 22 inches, sheet 24 x 20 inches,...

Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

For the Only 4

For the Only 4

By Chaco Terada

Located in Sante Fe, NM

Chaco Terada, originally from Japan, was trained at a young age in the art of calligraphy. When Chaco was in her twenties she had the opportunity to work on her calligraphy in ten countries as a part of the cultural exchange programs, Up with People and The Ship for World Youth. When her time with those groups ended she moved to the United States, where she discovered photography and started incorporating it with calligraphy. Chaco has led demonstrations and has taught calligraphy workshops at the Dallas Museum of Art, The Crow Asian Art Museum, Greenhill School, and Saint Mark’s School of Texas among others. Chaco’s artwork has been exhibited in Dallas, Santa Fe, New York and Los Angeles and Paris. Process Statement My work uses the Japanese and Chinese calligraphic characters that I have practiced since childhood. I take a line from one character, and when that brushstroke is made it tells me where the next one should be placed. This method of working is untraditional. I have found that the details and individual lines of a character are beautiful by themselves. I may use the individual brushstrokes that form a written word, Japanese letters...

Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Sumi Ink, Archival Pigment

Dancing Flowers   - underwater nude photograph - print on aluminum 48" x 36"
Dancing Flowers   - underwater nude photograph - print on aluminum 48" x 36"

Dancing Flowers - underwater nude photograph - print on aluminum 48" x 36"

By Alex Sher

Located in Beverly Hills, CA

This ethereal underwater photograph captures a topless female figure draped in flowing turquoise tulle, suspended against a dramatic black backdrop. Vibrant magenta flowers float at the water's surface, creating striking color contrasts with the aquamarine tones. Sher's composition transforms the underwater environment into a stage for graceful movement, where fabric becomes liquid poetry. The work continues the tradition of underwater photography as contemporary fine art, exploring themes of weightlessness and transformation. The interplay between human form, textile, and botanical elements creates a dreamlike narrative that bridges dance, fashion, and aquatic artistry. Original digital print on aluminum plate signed by the artist. Limited edition of 12. Print #2 The artwork is furnished with certificate of authenticity, signed by artist with artist's name, edition number, edition limit, and other details. The artwork needs no framing; it is being hung by a hidden frame on the back. The most recent magazine publications: 2023 🇨🇦 VIGOUR Magazine (Canada) 2022 🇺🇸 Art Market (US) 2022 🇺🇸 Redwood Art...

Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Metal

Golden Girl

Golden Girl

By Patty Carroll

Located in Sante Fe, NM

Anonymous Women: Domestic Demise In the latest narratives, “Domestic Demise,” the woman becomes the victim of domestic disasters. Her activities, obsessions and objects are overwhel...

Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Vital Forms

Karol KallayVital Forms

$1,156Sale Price|20% Off

Vital Forms

By Karol Kallay

Located in Slovak Republic, SK

Fine Art Print, photographed in the US., Limited edition.

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Northern Carmine Bee-Eater and Grevy's Zebra by Cheryl Medow, 2021

Northern Carmine Bee-Eater and Grevy's Zebra by Cheryl Medow, 2021

By Cheryl Medow

Located in Denton, TX

Northern Carmine Bee-Eater and Grevy's Zebra by Cheryl Medow is a 21 x 24 inch archival pigment print, available in an edition of 10. This photograph features a colorful bird perched on a branch, with three zebras in a grassy field in the background. The image size 16 x 20 inches, the paper size is 21 x 24 inches. This photograph is signed and numbered in pencil, and blind stamp on print margin by Cheryl Medow. This photograph is signed, titled, dated, and print type in pencil on print verso by Cheryl Medow. This photograph is available in multiple sizes: Paper size: 14 1/2 x 18 in., Image size: 10.4 x 13 in., Edition of 25, $1700 Paper size: 21 x 24 in., Image size: 16 x 20 in., Edition of 10, $2300 Paper size: 31 x 36 in., Image size: 24 x 30 in., Edition of 6, $2900 Santa Barbara art photographer Cheryl Medow creates images that entice the viewer to enter her world, both real and imagined. Cheryl Medow's background in the arts is diverse, but interconnected. Medow studied ceramics at the famed Chouinard Institute and received a BA in Art from UCLA, concentrating on life drawing with charcoal and pastels. Continuing her art education, she studied printmaking at Hand Graphics in Santa Fe, New Mexico. With a wealth of materials and techniques, Medow layers her photographs and weaves them together to create visual narratives. There have been numerous articles written about her work. Avian Alchemy by Becca Cudmore was published by Audubon News/Culture on June 5, 2015, Proof. National Geographic - An Altered Reality by Becky Harlan along with National Geographics Sunday Stills, Sunday, July 12, 2015 and an article in Inspire Adobe Photoshop For The Birds by Alyssa Coppelman in August. In 2016, Medow was included in the SLIDESHOW Night at the Annenberg Space for Photography in Century City, California. She received the Juror's Award at PhotoPlace Gallery in Middlebury Vermont for Great Blue Heron With Chicks Revisited and her print will be exhibited from March 23 through April 22 and White Ibis With Fish will be part of the Online Gallery Annex at PhotoPlace. Medow was a finalist in the 89th Annual International Competition at The Print Center in Philadelphia given the Olcott Family Award. She is also a finalist at the LensCulture Earth Awards 2015. In 2015, Medow's images were exhibited at The G2 Gallery in Venice, CA and at Flock: Birds On The Brink / Ganna Walksa Lotusland, curated by Nancy Gifford...

Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Lockdown Swallows (Central Park)

Lockdown Swallows (Central Park)

By Doris Mitsch

Located in New York, NY

Signed and numbered on label, verso 11 x 17 inches // (Edition of 25 + 5 APs) 22 x 34 inches // (Edition of 20 + 4 APs) This work is offered by CLAMP in New York City.

Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Pool Party IX - underwater nude photograph - archival pigment print 16x24"
Pool Party IX - underwater nude photograph - archival pigment print 16x24"

Pool Party IX - underwater nude photograph - archival pigment print 16x24"

By Alex Sher

Located in Beverly Hills, CA

Underwater nude photograph of two models partially covered with bright tulle scarfs Original gallery quality print on archival metallic paper signed by the artist. Paper size: 18" x...

Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Archival Paper, Archival Pigment, Digital Pigment

Count Three
Count Three

Count Three

By William Wegman

Located in New York, NY

image size: 8 5/8 x 7 7/8 inches William Wegman is a renowned photographer famous for his unique and artistic photographs of Weimaraner puppies. His approach to is far from convent...

Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Pigment

Foyer VIII, Milan - Italian Design Interior Architecture Color Photography
Foyer VIII, Milan - Italian Design Interior Architecture Color Photography

Foyer VIII, Milan - Italian Design Interior Architecture Color Photography

By Richard Heeps

Located in Cambridge, GB

Foyer VIII, Italian interior photography from Richard Heeps series, A Short History of Milan. A Short History of Milan, began in November 2018 for a special project featured at the ...

Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper, C Print, Color, Silver Gelatin

Bunker Filing Cabinet, Ho Chi Minh City - Vintage Interior Photograph Print
Bunker Filing Cabinet, Ho Chi Minh City - Vintage Interior Photograph Print

Bunker Filing Cabinet, Ho Chi Minh City - Vintage Interior Photograph Print

By Richard Heeps

Located in Cambridge, GB

Bunker Filing cabinet, vintage interior photograph from Richard Heeps' Vietnam series, This is not America. This artwork is a limited edition of 25 gloss photographic print, accompa...

Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper, C Print, Color, Silver Gelatin

Machina Mundi Rio de Janeiro, Seascape
Machina Mundi Rio de Janeiro, Seascape

Machina Mundi Rio de Janeiro, Seascape

Located in New York City, NY

Machina Mundi Paris, Aerial View Archival Pigment Print, mounted and framed Edition of 5 Available sizes: 45 × 60 inches (120 × 150 cm) 64 × 80 inches (160 × 200 cm) Claudio Eding...

Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

Martin Luther King, Los Angeles, 1963 by Julian Wasser

Martin Luther King, Los Angeles, 1963 by Julian Wasser

By Julian Wasser

Located in Chicago, IL

Martin Luther King speaking at a civil rights rally in central Los Angeles in 1963. Julian Wasser took this photo for TIME Magazine. Years later former president Barack Obama purchas...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Kepha, Catimbau Valley 1, Abstract
Kepha, Catimbau Valley 1, Abstract

Kepha, Catimbau Valley 1, Abstract

By Jose Bassit

Located in New York City, NY

Jose Bassit Kepha, Catimbau Valley I, Brazil, 2012 Kepha series 72 x 48 inches Edition of 5 Archival Pigment Print UNFRAMED Ask us for framing options

Category

2010s Contemporary Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Six Pears

Six Pears

By Kate Breakey

Located in Sante Fe, NM

The Element ‘Gold, (Au) can only be make in the nuclear reactor of stars. It came to our planet when the Earth was first forming, as dust from catastrophic astronomical events –sta...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Photography

Materials

Gold Leaf

Contemporary photography for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Contemporary photography available for sale on 1stDibs. Works in this style were very popular during the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artists have continued to produce works inspired by this movement. If you’re looking to add photography created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of blue, purple, orange, red and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Stefanie Schneider, Tyler Shields, Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde, and Richard Heeps. Frequently made by artists working with Pigment Print, and Archival Pigment Print and other materials, all of these pieces for sale are unique and have attracted attention over the years. Not every interior allows for large Contemporary photography, so small editions measuring 0.4 inches across are also available.