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.
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
$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
"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
Yellow Smudge - Vibrant Yellow Tone Abstract Figurative Sculptural Wall Artwork
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Nebraka-based Jamie Burmeister is a sculptural artist known for his original artworks incorporating original small bronze figures, standing at just up to 4 inches tall. His unique fi...
Metal
If you were the Mona Lisa
Located in Zofingen, AG
A black dog in pearls and the Mona Lisa in a golden frame. They sit together, separated only by a small table with two glasses. The landscape around them stretches endlessly, but wha...
Canvas, Acrylic
Light 15 July 13:22 - Modern Minimalistic Landscape Painting, Sea View
Located in Salzburg, 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...
Acrylic, Canvas
$8,490Sale Price|20% Off
Love
Located in London, London
Red, cow, kiss, girl, love, passion, animal. extra-large red painting, XXL, large oil on canvas painting, abstract expressionism. The painting will be shipped rolled, without stretc...
Oil, Acrylic, Canvas, Cotton Canvas
The Red Moon -from Light Series, Contemporary Woven and Painted Abstract Artwork
Located in Salzburg, AT
'The Red Moon', from The Light series, hand-weaving, linen yarn, organic cotton, wool, acrylic textile paint, 80 x 60 cm, 2026 This work are a symbiosis of two disciplines of art, P...
Textile, Cotton, Linen, Yarn, Acrylic
Morning in Color
Located in Zofingen, AG
Morning in Color captures an intimate moment suspended within the warmth of early light. Two figures sit facing one another, framed by an open architectural structure that blurs the ...
Canvas, Acrylic
Black & Pink Pearls
Located in Zofingen, AG
Series: Sea Within — Shells & Pearls A striking still life of an open oyster revealing luminous black and pink pearls. The pearls are rendered with exceptional realism, contrasted by...
Canvas, Acrylic
Shape of Water- original large nude art by Paula Craioveanu 39x27.5in
Located in Forest Hills, NY
"Shape of Water", pencil and ultramarine tempera on paper, inspired by Matisse. Part of Nude in Interior series. Large drawing. Shipped rolled in a tube, from Europe, using DHL or Fe...
Tempera, Paper, Pencil
After the (Last) Supper
Located in Zofingen, AG
After the (Last) Supper reflects that quiet moment when the grand story is already over and what remains is something much simpler and far more intimate; the drama has left the room,...
Canvas, Acrylic
Sky is the Limit original blue ultramarine couple by Paula Craioveanu
Located in Forest Hills, NY
"Sky is the limit", love and passion. Original work on colored paper, with blue ultramarine tempera on red colored paper, inspired by Matisse. Size 2is 7.5x19.5in / 70x50cm . Ship...
Tempera, Paper
"Cat Lovers" (2026) by Louis Recchia, Acrylic and Mixed Media Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Louis Recchia's "Cat Lovers" is an original, handmade mixed media painting using acrylic paint and collaging on plexiglass. Louis Recchia has been producing contemporary art in Denv...
Plexiglass, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Hero, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A white horse wearing a black eye mask and a cape appears heroic against a clay red background. Artist Jaime Ellsworth portrays the stylized animal with gracefu...
Acrylic
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Red Rose - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Neo-Expressionism, Modern
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique; this is not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Ar...
Canvas, Acrylic
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Passport 1 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Neo-Expressionism, Modern
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique; this is not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Ar...
Canvas, Acrylic
Vicky Christina, Venice
Located in Zofingen, AG
Vicky Christina, Venice is a gentle wink at the idea that travel has a strange power to loosen the scripts we usually live by; far from routines, expectations soften and identities b...
Canvas, Acrylic
In The Presence of Fragrant Bliss - Abstract Landscape Mixed Media Art on Canvas
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, Ink, Mixed Media, Spray Paint, Acrylic
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Red Bow Tie - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Neo-Expressionism, Modern
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique; this is not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Ar...
Canvas, Acrylic
The Beverly Hills - Passing Me By - Landscape Still Life Painting on Canvas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pete Kasprzak’s passion for city life is expressed in his dynamic urban artworks. Kasprzak’s artworks express energy and life with animated brush strokes. He adds dynamic movement an...
Mixed Media, Acrylic, Photographic Paper
$9,500
Bouquet - Colorful Acorns Wall Sculpture Neon Yellow Bright Pink Orange, 2022
By Julie Maren
Located in Kent, CT
This contemporary sculptural wall installation is comprised of more than 275 individual acorn caps mounted on brass pins - each cap is filled with plaster and paint in bright hues of...
Brass
H9-1 Justice - Damien Hirst Cherry Blossoms
Located in Manchester, GB
Damien Hirst, Justice, Laminated Giclée Print on Aluminium Composite Panel 120.1 × 96 cm (47 3/10 × 37 4/5 in) Limited edition of 1005 Hand-signed and numbered by the artist The Vi...
Acrylic, Archival Pigment
Turquoise Dots - Vibrant Yellow Contemporary Abstract Figurative Sculptural Art
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Nebraka-based Jamie Burmeister is a sculptural artist known for his original artworks incorporating original small bronze figures, standing at just up to 4 inches tall. His unique fi...
Metal
$4,943
Caroline's Torso by Yann Guillon - Nude bronze sculpture, female torso, body
By Yann Guillon
Located in Paris, FR
Caroline's Torso is a bronze sculpture by contemporary artist Yann Guillon, dimensions are 30 × 15 × 15 cm (11.8 × 5.9 × 5.9 in). Total height of the sculpture with base and shaft: 5...
Bronze
$1,025
OMG - Abstract Contemporary Unique Abstract Resin Text Wall Sculpture Artwork
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Nayla Saroufim creates sculptural installations that challenge the traditional notion of the passive viewer. Nayla’s art is a rich mix of media. She was always captivated by the dial...
Mixed Media, Resin
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Pleasure - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Africa 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.
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Peace - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Africa 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.
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Passport 2 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Neo-Expressionism, Modern
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique; this is not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Ar...
Canvas, Acrylic
MB083, Male Nude Drawing by Mark Beard, Custom Frame
By Mark Beard
Located in Hudson, NY
Academic life drawing of male nude with graphite and conte crayon by Mark Beard 30 x 17.5 inches 32.5 x 20.5 inches custom framed in cherry wood molding Stamped Artist's atelier st...
Conté, Archival Paper, Graphite
"Well, My Shadows..." Contemporary Realist Acrylic Painting
Located in Zofingen, AG
Description: This sophisticated contemporary realist painting depicts a poised female figure viewed from behind, clad in a sculptural black gown that emphasizes her form. Set within ...
Lacquer, Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
Out of skin. Semi-nude female portrait, warm gold, cosmic, symbolic figurative
Located in Oslo, NO
Out of Skin moves between figurative realism and symbolic imagery. A luminous female figure emerges from soft fields of light, while fine constellation-like lines echo her form. The ...
Acrylic, Oil, Canvas
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Royalty 2 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Africa 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.
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$17,362
YVES KLEIN L'OURS POMPON Limited sculpture includes COA IKB Contemporary Design
By Yves Klein
Located in Madrid, Madrid
L'OURS POMPON - EDITION YVES KLEIN Date of creation: 2022 Medium: Artisanal resin and pigments Edition: 999 (few numbers available, assigned randomly) Size: Plexiglas bell size - 49 ...
Resin, Plexiglass, Pigment
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Daddy's Girl -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Portrait, Modern, Green
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube. This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Artist Olaosun draws h...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Another Day Still Disable -21st Century, Contemporary Figurative Portrait Modern
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique; this is not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. (Issues b...
Oil, Canvas, Acrylic
The Sacredness of the Invisible: Abstract Oil Painting on Canvas
Located in Bogotá, Bogotá
A composition dominated by dreamlike creatures in an abstract landscape. The painting uses a palette of intense, saturated colors, with shades of blue, yellow, green, red, brown, and...
Cotton Canvas, Oil
$447
Room 310 - Off Print Fine Art Nude Photography From Collector Portfolio # 3/7
Located in Brussels, BE
You can choose your print from the 12 works offered in the box, select your favorite image, and your personalized box will be delivered with the same care as the complete set. Framin...
Archival Pigment, Rag Paper
$447
Room 217 - Off Print Fine Art Nude Photography From Collector Portfolio # 4/7
Located in Brussels, BE
You can choose your print from the 12 works offered in the box, select your favorite image, and your personalized box will be delivered with the same care as the complete set. Framin...
Archival Pigment, Rag Paper
Room 3 - Off Print Fine Art Nude Photography From Collector Portfolio # 7/7
Located in Brussels, BE
You can choose your print from the 12 works offered in the box, select your favorite image, and your personalized box will be delivered with the same care as the complete set. Framin...
Archival Pigment, Rag Paper
$448
Room 411 - Off Print Fine Art Nude Photography From Collector Portfolio # 2/7
Located in Brussels, BE
You can choose your artprint from the 12 works offered in the box, select your favorite image, and your personalized box will be delivered with the same care as the complete set. Fra...
Rag Paper, Archival Pigment
$447
Room 102 - Off Print Fine Art Nude Photography From Collector Portfolio # 6/7
Located in Brussels, BE
You can choose your print from the 12 works offered in the box, select your favorite image, and your personalized box will be delivered with the same care as the complete set. Framin...
Rag Paper, Archival Pigment
$447
Room 408 - Off Print Fine Art Nude Photography From Collector Portfolio # 1/7
Located in Brussels, BE
You can choose your artprint from the 12 works offered in the box, select your favorite image, and your personalized box will be delivered with the same care as the complete set. Fra...
Rag Paper, Archival Pigment
Room 2 - Off Print Fine Art Nude Photography From Collector Portfolio # 5/7
Located in Brussels, BE
You can choose your print from the 12 works offered in the box, select your favorite image, and your personalized box will be delivered with the same care as the complete set. Framin...
Archival Pigment, Rag Paper
Sunday, Oil Painting
By Jesse Aldana
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A woman sits on a sofa, reading quietly as soft daylight filters through a large window. Warm tones and gentle light fill the room, creating a calm and inviting...
Oil
$4,590
Large Nature Photograph Leopard Tree Black White Infrared Africa Wildlife
Located in Norfolk, GB
Aditya Dicky Singh Untitled Infrared photograph on fine-art Hahnemuhle archival paper 45" x 64" unframed (114cm x 163cm) 2016 Edition 4/10 *Should you wish the photograph to be prin...
Archival Ink, Archival Paper
$1,260
Don't Let Them Burst your Bubble: Cerulean 51425 - sculpture, blown glass, metal
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This contemporary cerulean colored glass wall sculpture was created by Cheryl Wilson Smith. Cheryl Wilson Smith is known for her uniquely beautiful glasswork—its form, color and tex...
Glass, Mixed Media
Lady in a Hat
Located in Zofingen, AG
It's a celebration of personal sovereignty and the power of composure that transcends the need for a royal lineage, inviting viewers to find their own moments of majesty in everyday ...
Canvas, Oil
Blessed Nude Drawing on Red Paper, Blue Tempera, 27.5x19.6in
Located in Forest Hills, NY
"Blessed" Part of "Nude in Interior" series. Original work on colored paper, with pencil and blue ultramarine tempera on red colored paper, inspired by Matisse. Size is 7.5x19.5in...
Paper, Tempera
Resting Among the Trees
Located in Zofingen, AG
Resting Among the Trees portrays a quiet gathering set within the shelter of tall, dark trunks and layered greenery. A small group sits around a long table, immersed in shared presen...
Canvas, Acrylic
Dreaming in The Dark
Located in Zofingen, AG
Through my art, I share with viewers the profound importance of personal integrity in our lives. In my paintings, I explore the delicate balance between individual wholeness and deep...
Canvas, Acrylic
Walking in Devon no.1 & no.2, diptych, Abstract, Contemporary, landscape
Located in Deddington, GB
Walking in Devon No.2 is an original oil painting by artist Alexa Roscoe. This landscape painting continues to draw inspiration from the Devon countryside where Alexa grew up and oft...
Canvas, Oil
Champagne - underwater nude photograph - archival pigment print 43x65"
By Alex Sher
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
This vibrant underwater nude photograph of a young woman wrapped in air bubbles transforms the human form into an abstract celebration of color and ef...
Archival Paper, Archival Pigment, Digital Pigment
Buildings in Paris - Lithograph by Orfeo Tamburi - 1980s
Located in Roma, IT
Parisien Café is a Modern artwork realized by Orfeo Tamburi (Jesi, 1910 – Paris,1994) in the 1970s. Colored Lithograph. Hand-signed. Numbered on the lower, Edition, 125 prints...
Lithograph
Male nude from the 29 Palms, CA series, 21st Century, Polaroid, Nude Photography
Located in Morongo Valley, CA
Male Nude (29 Palms, CA) - 1999, 58x56cm, Edition 6/10. Analog C-Print, hand-printed by the artist, based on the original Polaroid. Certificate and Signature label. Artist Inve...
Photographic Paper, Polaroid, Color, C Print, Archival Paper
Baroque Pearl
Located in Zofingen, AG
Series: Sea Within — Journey Between Light and Silence. A luminous baroque pearl emerges from an open oyster — a symbol of individuality shaped by time. Subtle pearlescent accents an...
Canvas, Acrylic
They Rode to Save Wildlife (Red) 95/100
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This contemporary bronze figurative tabletop sculpture featuring animals is by Gillie and Marc. The British/Australian artistic duo of Gillie and Marc’s humorous bronze sculptures h...
Bronze
Dedicated, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A cowgirl holds steady as a horse descends from a jump, its body stretched forward toward the ground. A wooden fence and low structures stretch across the backg...
Oil
They Were the Authentic Vespa Riders in Rome 97/100
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This contemporary bronze figurative tabletop sculpture featuring animals riding a Vespa is by Gillie and Marc. Australia’s Gillie and Marc, the contemporary artist duo, continue to...
Bronze
$2,850
Morning Blooming - Butter Yellow Floral Landscape Mixed Media Art on Canvas
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, Ink, Mixed Media, Spray Paint, Acrylic
The sculptural lithograph is part of the inimitable artist’s “Ruckus” series, now on view at the Brooklyn Museum.
See why the famed photographer's celebrity portraits have graced magazine covers and become headline grabbers in their own right for five decades and counting.
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Cofounders Krista Scenna and Jill Benson highlight the work of underexposed talents and connect them with new collectors.
British portraitist David Bailey gets up close to his celebrity subjects.
The Pennsylvania-born, New York–based artist's whimsical creations affectionately satirize the foibles of his fellow Upper East Siders.
A designer in his own right, gallerist Stefan Lawrence blurs distinctions between contemporary furniture, art and functional objects.
A new show at Upstate New York’s Corning Museum of Glass shows off the best and brightest contemporary works of the last few years.