contemporary art for pleasure essay

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(not so) Simple Pleasures: Pleasure and Contentment in Contemporary Art

Installation view, (not so) Simple Pleasures: Pleasure and Contentment in Contemporary Art , MIT List Visual Arts Center, 1989-1990.

This exhibition investigates painting, sculpture, crafts, and photography by ten artists from across the United States and Canada who uses various subtle strategies to embed contentious content within an attractive object or image.

With its selection of pleasant landscapes and nature scenes, portraits of sweet teenage girls, religious art in rich hues, exotic Edo-period Japanese scenes, and luxurious abstract bronzes, the art in (not so) Simple Pleasures  uses the unlikely lure of pleasure to wrestle art back from popular expectations of entertainment and decoration to assert intellectual, social, and political possibilities.

Publication available. Illustrated catalogue with an essay by curator Dana Friis-Hansen.

Installation view, (not so) Simple Pleasures: Pleasure and Contentment in Contemporary Art, MIT List Visual Arts Center, 1989-1990.

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(not so) simple pleasures: content and contentment in contemporary art.

1991, MIT List Visual Arts Center

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With Pleasure: Pattern and Decoration in American Art 1972–1985

Edited by Anna Katz

Essays by Elissa Auther, Anna Katz, Alex Kitnick, Rebecca Skafsgaard Lowery, Kayleigh Perkov, Sarah-Neel Smith, and Hamza Walker

Los Angeles: The Museum of Contemporary Art; New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2019. 328 pp.; 300 color illus. Hardcover: $65.00 (ISBN: 9780300239942).

With Pleasure: Pattern and Decoration in American Art 1972–1985 is an ambitious catalogue, wedded to an equally impressive exhibition (fig. 1) held in 2019–20 at the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art (LA MOCA) and slated for view at the Hessel Museum of Art at Bard College in the summer of 2021. Through the exhibition and catalogue, Anna Katz, LA MOCA Curator, argues for a new, full-body assessment of the status of Pattern and Decoration Art, or P&D. Katz’s inclusion of the word “pleasure” in the title highlights the sensory and visual pleasures offered by work associated with the P&D movement. But of course, joy in art is also controversial. P&D artworks counter modernism’s perceived constraints with their tactility and haptics, which amplify materiality and surface design. Further, the movement is a feminist expansion of abstract practices that rebuffs Modernism’s rules and regulations. These are just some frameworks that Katz and the catalogue’s six essayists explore in this wide-ranging contextualization of the movement. Using what Katz terms an “apparatus of promiscuity,” the authors position P&D artists as creating hybrids drawn from local, US, and global sources (51). Together, the seven essays demonstrate how P&D epitomizes the now-widespread use of diverse and diasporic forms and images.

Pairing eclectic works that use the vocabulary of P&D alongside canonical pieces from the movement, Katz’s volume forms an up-to-date, persuasive, and full-length scholarly study of P&D. The catalogue essays clarify that P&D artists sound a clarion call for visual pleasure and surface abundance. They rely primarily on patterning and decorative components drawn from a seemingly infinite range of sources gleaned from personal content (like the childhood home) and political engagement (such as the embrace of global imagery, patterns, and forms). Working from a Los Angeles-centric perspective, Katz not surprisingly keeps attention on the movement’s California roots, including ceramist Ralph Bacerra (1938–2008) and painter Takako Yamaguchi (b. 1952).

One of the notable aspects here is Katz’s main essay at the start of the catalogue, where she articulates the intricacies and anxieties attending P&D’s relationship with Minimalism, one of its immediate and most important predecessors. Katz outlines the similarities between the two movements, specifically their shared interest in ”architectural scale; emphasis on repetition and nonhierarchical composition through the deployment of the grid; and resistance to the gestural, expressive mark” (20). Significantly, while some of their interests aligned with Minimalism, P&D artists challenged the widespread approach to assessing art in the West, including the promotion of fine arts over decorative arts. This issue is fundamental to their rejection of modernism’s elitist stance and their adoption of what Katz terms “the plentitude of the visual world” (21). This neat distinction crystalizes the determinacy of the P&D movement—it embraced what the art world previously embargoed

Katz amplifies P&D’s parameters, speaking to the current zeitgeist of inclusionary politics by noting significant contributions by artists not typically discussed in the context of P&D, such as African American artists Faith Ringgold (b. 1930), Sam Gilliam (b. 1933), and Al Loving (1935–2005). In connecting such artists with the domesticity of quilts and the political nature of the home, Katz enthusiastically comments: “It is with this in mind that I propose a broader consideration of P&D that accounts for the vitality of quilting as an abstract decorative art form for artists of color in the 1970s and 1980s” (30). By positioning quilting as both abstract patterned decoration and as a consequential expressive format in P&D, Katz generates significant ground for reframing the field. The quilts of Jane Kaufman (b. 1938), in this construct, pivot from the margins to the center of the conversation.

Continuing in this vein, Katz links P&D with the Women’s Liberation movement and second-wave feminism in the 1970s art world (24–25). She focuses particular attention on local California activists, such as Merion Estes (b. 1938) and Constance Mallinson (b. 1948), while also recognizing the role of the Los Angeles-based Women’s Building (1973–91), which Miriam Schapiro (1923–2015) shepherded alongside Judy Chicago (b. 1939). Katz devotes attention to Schapiro’s role as a feminist, positioning the political nature of domesticity and the home as central to P&D. Significantly, underscoring the political involvement these artists had, Schapiro, Joyce Kozloff (b. 1942), and Valerie Jaudon (b. 1945) all participated in the Heresies Collective, a noted feminist artists group in New York City. Another intersection point between P&D and feminist art spaces is Susan Michod, a founder of Artemisia Gallery in Chicago. Katz also quietly pays tribute to the A.I.R. Gallery in New York, considering P&D-related works by artists associated with the gallery, including Mary Grigoriadas (b. 1942), Pat Lasch (b. 1944), Sylvia Sleigh (1916–2010), and Barbara Zucker (b. 1940). One essential scholarly contribution of this essay is how Katz overturns previous anecdotal evidence and draws upon the archive to securely link Zucker, Cynthia Carlson (b. 1942), and Ree Morton (1936–1977) to P&D.

The importance of Miriam Schapiro to P&D is the subject of Elissa Auther’s essay “Miriam Schapiro and the Politics of the Decorative” and is informed by her curation of the 2018 exhibition Surface/Depth: The Decorative After Miriam Schapiro at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York. Auther’s catalogue essay restates her analysis of the interdependencies between high art and craft and expands on the role of the decorative in providing grammar and syntax for feminist expression. She highlights Schapiro’s critical contributions to P&D and feminist art more broadly, as “pioneering a revival of the decorative in visual art in the late twentieth century” that “questions the way we conceive of both high art (painting) and everyday experience (in the form of women’s creative labor in the home)” (80; 81). Auther’s investigation into how Schapiro problematized decoration demonstrates the artist’s importance to P&D, specifically, and to contemporary art more broadly.

Gender remains a topic of interest in Rebecca Skafsgaard Lowery’s essay “Infinite Progress: Criss-Cross and the Gender of Pattern Painting.” Lowery, who is LA MOCA Assistant Curator and worked with Katz on the exhibition, focuses on the utopian artist collaborative community Drop City, started in 1963 near Trinidad, Colorado. Drop City ceased to exist by the mid-1970s and seemed to fade away like many utopian communities. In 1974, it re-emerged with some Drop City members as the Criss-Cross Cooperative in Boulder, Colorado. Pattern painting was one of the main focal points for these artists. The Buckminster Fuller geodesic dome served as a central inspiration for the earlier group, and later artists shared an interest in mathematics as the basis for developing an abstract, geometric, and patterned painting style. Lowery carefully notes the connections and disconnections between Drop City/Criss-Cross and P&D proper and lands on a mutual disinterest in decoration, as well as an absence of gender parity (120–21). Her analysis offers close consideration of the distinctions between the individual artists, including painter George Woodman (1932–2017) and his disdain for decoration, and sculptor Maryanne Unger’s (1945–1998) disinterest in dualism (114–15; 120). While Lowery’s treatment is a much-needed contribution to the literature on Criss-Cross, more attention to the numerous contributors to their journal, Criss-Cross Art Communications , would be beneficial.

The influence of art historian, critic, and artist Amy Goldin (1926–78), her mentor Oleg Grabar (1929–2011), and the much-touted new Islamic art collection galleries of the Metropolitan Museum of Art form the subject of Sarah-Neel Smith’s essay, “A Meeting of Two Minds: Oleg Grabar and Amy Goldin on the Met’s Islamic Art Galleries, 1975.” An art historian specializing in late Ottoman and early Turkish art, Neel has an interest in cultural interactions between the Islamic world, Europe, and the United States. Her essay is vital for its estimation of how Islamic art was framed for artists of the era through contemporaneous geopolitics and the intellectual efforts of Goldin and Grabar. Unfortunately, with the exception of one passage in Katz’s introductory essay and the inclusion of a critical text by Goldin in the historical reprints, the significant critical projects of Goldin get short shrift within the catalogue at large.

Hamza Walker, executive director of the Los Angeles nonprofit art space LAXART and an adjunct professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, contributes “Rebecca Morris and the Revenge of P&D.” In this essay, Walker offers a thought-provoking analysis of feminism and P&D, perceptively illuminating a compelling reason for P&D’s complicated reception: “It is easy to be ironic about P&D. It can be hard to look it in the eye and even harder to avail oneself to a course of painterly exploration in which you don’t choose your bedfellows” (182). Here, Walker successfully grapples with and conveys the overlapping concerns of Rebecca Morris (b. 1969), a thoroughly postmodern artist for whom the painting is always a palimpsest, with conceptual artist Daniel Buren (b. 1938), and P&D artists Valerie Jaudon (b. 1945), Robert Kushner (b. 1949), and Robert Zakanitch (b. 1935).

Kayleigh Perkov’s contribution, “Pattern Consciousness: Counterculture-Influenced Interior Design,” centers on the explosion of surface patterns and colors throughout US interiors in the 1960s and 1970s. A curatorial fellow at the Center for Craft in Asheville, North Carolina, Perkov explores the enthusiasm for patterning and decorative motifs at midcentury that “owes intellectual debts to a pop cultural notion of expanded consciousness, urging sensual experience and individuality” (218; 216). She historicizes “pattern-on-pattern,” arguing that it resulted from a short-lived embrace of the counterculture and that “it is this removal of hierarchies and the mixing of tropes in service of rebellion that produces the pattern-consciousness found in both trends” (223). In this way, Perkov continues a theme of the P&D movement (and catalogue) when she describes how robust visual patterning flipped traditional hierarchies by giving the decorator status usually reserved for the designer.

With Pleasure is beautifully illustrated with color images and also contains historical reprints, artist biographies, exhibition histories, an exhibition checklist, and a bibliography. Because it takes such an expansive approach to P&D, it collects previously dispersed materials into one much-needed volume. Ultimately, the P&D movement, which ran counter to modernism’s stern austerity, gets its due. The uninitiated will be introduced to the movement and its concerns, and curatorial attention will translate into museum acquisitions. All told, the catalogue allows these artworks to delight audiences once more, showcasing the issues the artists tackled.

Cite this article: Anne Swartz, review of With Pleasure: Pattern and Decoration in American Art 1972-1985 , ed. Anna Katz, Panorama: Journal of the Association of Historians of American Art 7, no. 1 (Spring 2021), https://doi.org/10.24926/24716839.11850.

PDF: Swartz, review of With Pleasure

About the Author(s): Anne Swartz is Professor of Art History, Savannah College of Art and Design

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129 Contemporary Art Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Contemporary art is a dynamic and ever-evolving field that encompasses a wide range of mediums, styles, and themes. When it comes to writing an essay on contemporary art, the possibilities are endless. However, with so many options to choose from, it can be overwhelming to select a topic that is both interesting and thought-provoking. To help you get started, we have compiled a list of 129 contemporary art essay topic ideas and examples. Whether you are interested in exploring the political implications of art or delving into the aesthetics of a specific artist, this list is sure to inspire your next essay.

The Role of Contemporary Art in Society

Art as a Form of Activism: Examples and Impact

The Intersection of Politics and Art in the 21st Century

The Influence of Technology on Contemporary Art

The Evolution of Street Art: From Graffiti to Galleries

Cultural Appropriation in Contemporary Art

The Power of Visual Storytelling in Art

The Role of Gender in Contemporary Art

Art and Identity: Exploring the Self in Contemporary Works

The Blurring of Boundaries: Traditional vs. Contemporary Art

The Impact of Globalization on Contemporary Art

Art and Sustainability: Examining Environmental Concerns

The Role of Museums in Shaping Contemporary Art

The Rise of Performance Art: Examples and Analysis

The Influence of Pop Culture on Contemporary Art

Art and Social Media: The Digital Age of Creation

Contemporary Art and the Fashion Industry: Collaborations and Critiques

Art and Mental Health: Expressing Emotions through Creativity

The Concept of Beauty in Contemporary Art

The Evolution of Abstract Art: From Kandinsky to Pollock

Art and Censorship: Exploring Boundaries and Freedom of Expression

The Impact of Colonialism on Contemporary Art

Art and War: Confronting Violence through Visuals

Art and the Human Body: Representation and Identity

The Role of Curators in Shaping Contemporary Art

The Influence of Science and Technology on Artistic Practices

Art and Religion: Expressions of Faith in Contemporary Works

Art and Capitalism: The Commodity of Creativity

The Representation of Race in Contemporary Art

Art and Memory: Exploring Personal and Collective Histories

The Role of Photography in Contemporary Art

Art and Education: The Power of Visual Literacy

The Influence of Surrealism on Contemporary Art

The Impact of the AIDS Crisis on Artistic Practices

Art and Nature: Exploring the Relationship between Humans and the Environment

The Role of Public Art in Urban Spaces

The Influence of Indigenous Cultures on Contemporary Art

Art and Globalization: Crossing Borders and Breaking Barriers

The Representation of Women in Contemporary Art

Art and Architecture: The Intersection of Design and Creativity

The Role of Sound in Contemporary Art

Art and Activism: Creating Change through Visuals

The Influence of Postmodernism on Contemporary Art

The Representation of Sexuality in Contemporary Art

Art and Advertising: The Impact of Consumerism on Creativity

The Role of Collaboration in Contemporary Art

Art and Technology: Exploring the Digital Frontier

The Influence of African Art on Contemporary Practices

Art and the Environment: Addressing Climate Change through Creativity

The Representation of LGBTQ+ Identities in Contemporary Art

The Influence of Asian Art on Contemporary Practices

Art and Colonialism: Reclaiming Narratives through Visuals

The Role of Installation Art in Contemporary Exhibitions

Art and Activism: The Legacy of the Guerrilla Girls

The Influence of Latin American Art on Global Contemporary Practices

Art and the Body: Exploring the Boundaries of Physicality

The Role of Social Media in the Promotion and Consumption of Contemporary Art

Art and Mental Health: Healing through Creativity

The Influence of Indigenous Art on Contemporary Practices

Art and Technology: The Emergence of Virtual and Augmented Realities

The Representation of Disability in Contemporary Art

Art and War: Documenting Conflict through Visuals

The Influence of Middle Eastern Art on Global Contemporary Practices

Art and Migration: Narratives of Identity and Belonging

The Role of Performance Art in Political Activism

Art and Globalization: The Impact of Cultural Exchange

The Influence of Southeast Asian Art on Global Contemporary Practices

Art and the Digital Age: Exploring New Avenues of Creation

The Representation of Indigenous Peoples in Contemporary Art

Art and Social Justice: Addressing Inequality through Creativity

The Influence of African-American Art on Global Contemporary Practices

Art and Urban Renewal: Transforming Cities through Creativity

The Role of Street Art in Political Resistance

Art and Globalization: The Commodification of Culture

The Influence of Australian Aboriginal Art on Global Contemporary Practices

Art and Environmental Activism: Awareness through Creativity

The Representation of Colonial Legacies in Contemporary Art

Art and Cultural Exchange: Celebrating Diversity through Creativity

The Influence of Asian-American Art on Global Contemporary Practices

Art and Public Spaces: The Impact of Site-Specific Installations

The Role of Contemporary Art in Preserving Indigenous Cultures

Art and Intersectionality: Exploring Multiple Identities through Creativity

The Influence of Latinx Art on Global Contemporary Practices

Art and Virtual Reality: Expanding the Boundaries of Perception

The Representation of Gender Fluidity in Contemporary Art

Art and Community Engagement: Creating Connections through Creativity

The Influence of Native American Art on Global Contemporary Practices

Art and Cultural Heritage: Preserving Traditions through Creativity

The Role of Contemporary Art in Confronting Colonial Histories

Art and Artificial Intelligence: The Fusion of Creativity and Technology

The Representation of Body Positivity in Contemporary Art

Art and Social Change: Inspiring Action through Creativity

The Influence of Caribbean Art on Global Contemporary Practices

Art and Sustainability: Promoting Environmental Consciousness through Creativity

The Role of Contemporary Art in Indigenous Rights Movements

Art and the Anthropocene: Addressing the Human Impact on the Environment

The Representation of Mental Health in Contemporary Art

Art and Community Development: Transforming Neighborhoods through Creativity

The Influence of Pacific Islander Art on Global Contemporary Practices

Art and Cultural Diplomacy: Fostering Understanding through Creativity

The Role of Contemporary Art in Redefining National Identity

Art and Technological Advancements: Innovations in Creative Practices

The Representation of Body Modification in Contemporary Art

Art and Social Entrepreneurship: Creating Change through Creative Ventures

The Influence of European Art on Global Contemporary Practices

Art and Aging: Exploring the Beauty and Wisdom of Seniors

The Role of Contemporary Art in Addressing Climate Crisis

Art and Transhumanism: Exploring the Boundaries of Human Enhancement

The Representation of Mental Illness in Contemporary Art

Art and Community Engagement: Empowering Marginalized Voices through Creativity

The Influence of East Asian Art on Global Contemporary Practices

Art and Posthumanism: Reimagining the Future through Creativity

The Role of Contemporary Art in Raising Awareness about Indigenous Rights

Art and Bioart: The Intersection of Biology and Creativity

The Representation of Body Dysmorphia in Contemporary Art

Art and Social Impact: Creating Change through Collaborative Projects

The Influence of South Asian Art on Global Contemporary Practices

Art and Cybernetics: Exploring the Relationship between Humans and Machines

The Role of Contemporary Art in Promoting Gender Equality

Art and Neurodiversity: Expressing Different Perspectives through Creativity

The Representation of Addiction in Contemporary Art

Art and Community Healing: Transforming Trauma through Creativity

The Influence of Indigenous Australian Art on Global Contemporary Practices

Art and Postcolonialism: Decolonizing Narratives through Creativity

The Role of Contemporary Art in Advocating for LGBTQ+ Rights

Art and Robotics: Exploring the Intersection of Technology and Creativity

The Representation of Body Image in Contemporary Art

Art and Mental Well-being: Promoting Self-care through Creativity

The Influence of African Diaspora Art on Global Contemporary Practices

These 129 contemporary art essay topic ideas and examples provide a diverse range of subjects to explore in your next essay. Whether you are interested in examining the social and political implications of art or exploring the aesthetics and techniques of a specific artist, there is something for everyone on this list. Remember to choose a topic that resonates with your own interests and passions, as this will make the writing process more enjoyable and engaging. Happy writing!

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Publications

In 1999, a series of commissioned writings on contemporary art, published in  the Foundation's annual grants booklet , was inaugurated. The essays, by renowned arts writers, artists and friends of FCA, deal with a myriad of topics relevant to contemporary art, from questions on the nature of performance art to global climate change.

2018 commissioned essay author and 2012 grantee Kate Millett in her studio, New York, NY, 2000. Photo by Bettina Flitner.

2017 commissioned essay author and 1997 grantee Neil Greenberg in Solo for Lost and Found, at Danspace Project, New York, 2016. Photo by Ian Douglas.

2012 commissioned essay author and 1999 grantee Stephen Petronio, from the premiere of Beauty and the Brut, at The Joyce Theater, New York, 2008. Photo by Sarah Silver.

179 Contemporary Art Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best contemporary art topic ideas & essay examples, 👍 good essay topics on contemporary art, 📌 most interesting contemporary art topics to write about, 🎓 simple & easy contemporary art essay titles, 📃 good research topics about contemporary art, ❓ essay questions about contemporary art.

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• Modern Art in Actions, Events, Performances The relationship between the audience and a work of art was drastically transformed from observation to involvement as for the first time the viewer was placed in the art context.
• Art-Society Nexus in the Museum of Modern Art Whether it is in the genesis of individual works, the act of reception, or the course of the history of style, the dialectical development of art does not proceed from the antagonism between social and […]
• Modernist Revolution in Art History Simultaneously, the works of Karl Marx challenged the assumption of the relative nature of the shortcomings of capitalist society and suggested its fundamental flaws and inherent contradictions as reasons for the current social issues.
• Australia’s Aboriginal and Modernist Visual Arts Indigenous Australian art is characterized by a lot of imagery that depicted the origin of the artist and the themes in the paintings.
• Modern Art: Painting, Sculpture, Architecture, Photography Duchamp and his work have a connection through the refusal to accept the views of the majority of artists and art lovers.
• Ideas in Neo-Expressionism and Contemporary Art The insights of identity can be seen in the artworks of many contemporary artists. The majority of them try to reveal their philosophical views and attract the public’s attention to those issues they consider to […]
• Visual Analysis of Nature in Modern Art In the age of modern arts, when both the creators and the audience is less concerned with the physical form and more with the underlying messages and feelings that art invokes, the multi-faceted topic of […]
• Montreal Museum of Contemporary Art’s Exhibitions In terms of mission, the Museum of Contemporary Art of Montreal is dedicated to revealing to the world the crucial position that the present-day art holds in the community.
• The Body in Contemporary Art Finally, the art of performance includes the human body in its motion; in this role, the body is viewed from a variety of angles and perspectives and in the combination with what is happening to […]
• Greek Mosaics in Later Greek Art and Modern Art For instance, all the decorated floors were usually confined to a unique principle whereby the dining room and the anteroom were considered.
• Contemporary Female Artists in Turkey The secrecy associated with Islam and gender roles in some parts of Asia has further compounded this mystery because few people know what to make of the place of women in traditional Islamic societies and […]
• Pregnant Female Body in Renaissance and Modern Art Thus, he considered Mona Lisa to be a symbol of the origin of life, and the female image as a symbolic source of natural powers of creation and destruction.
• Modernity Development in Art of 18-20th Centuries In turn, romanticism and realism are aimed at showing that modernity can be viewed as the search for new topics or questions that have not been examined by the representatives of the previous cultural movements.
• Contemporary Art at Saatchi Gallery of London The work states the idea that the “location of the soul was not necessarily in the body”, and the focus is not on the man trying to breathe above the water, but on the vivid […]
• Modern Art Works: Painting, Sculpture and Vintage Illustration The aim of this essay is to describe the painting Joy of Life by Henri Matisse, the sculpture The Kiss by Constantin Brancussi, and to present the vintage print illustration of 1930s.
• Modern Arts Development in the USA The research explores how the social status, the cultivation of esthetics, and attendance of artistic events affect the inherent attitudes of the cultural policies in the USA.
• Zhao Zhao and the Chinese Contemporary Art It is considered to portray the repression of the artist and Ai Weiwei by the authorities in China. The marks of the brush in Sky No.
• Exploration of Artwork From Modern Art History: Fauvism This painting by Henri Matisse was his first work that portrayed impressionism and also the advent of colored painting by the Fauvists.
• Modern Ceramic Art: Beatrice Wood and Bernard Leach She was widely exposed to art and yearned to run away to France which charted the direction of her life as she thwarted her mother plans for “coming out” into the society and leading a […]
• Contemporary Art in China However, the fruits of the struggles are worth the effort, if the current fame and reputation of China as a beacon of contemporary art is anything to go by.
• Modern Approaches to Creating of the Artwork The technological peculiarities of the installation are characterized by the fact that the author uses a projection screen and a room with four specific zones for producing of the effect of interacting with the characters […]
• Design Activism to Contemporary Designers As a result, scholars have coined the term “design activism” to enhance the role of designers to the society. The rise of many designers as a profession has been in a crossroads to decide on […]
• Authenticity in Contemporary Design One example of contemporary design that incorporates the aspect of actual handcraft is films production.”Films incorporate the aspect of nostalgic impulses, and as such it increases the film’s authenticity and production”.
• Effects of World War I on the Development of Modern Art For the artists and most of the people in Europe, the time that preceded the World War I, the actual war period and the aftermath of the was presented a period of profound disillusionment 13.
• Recent Modern Art Exhibition: Projects 89 Art exhibitions are the places, which will be interesting to people of any age and any gender any time.”A natural effect of the Museum exhibition will be to lead the public to enquire why it […]
• Post-Colonial and Contemporary British Muslim Artists The art presented by these Muslims bears the attitude portrayed by the British society towards them and the Islamic religion as a whole and the artists’ own views on Islam.
• Role of Modern Art Museum From the above we can say that the modern art museum acts as memory banks for all events and objects in the society which is of great utility to the members of a given social […]
• Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollock: The Revolutionary Modern Artists The essay addresses the contribution of these famous artists to their particular art movements and in general, the world of art.
• Contemporary Graffiti as Political Art Banksy’s graffiti art work is still considered as one of the best way of protesting against the government in order to remove the CCTV cameras from the cities or to use those cameras in proper […]
• The Artistic Life of Xu Beihong and His Influence to Modern Art in China Xu Beihong was a major player in the revolutionalization of Chinese art. The dissenting voice was however that of Xu Beihong who was convinced that the answer to Chinese art was in the 19th century […]
• Modern Art: From Impressionism to Contemporary This color unifies the parasol and the grass on the hill, creating a flow of the eyes from one point to the bottom.
• Music as a Contemporary Art Creativity involves manipulating words to appeal to the audience and for the audience to be able to relate to the music easily.
• Jeff Koons’ Contemporary Artwork The common artwork of the artist include the inflatable balloons toys and the pink panther, beside the life-size ceramic model of the late pop star Michael Jackson holding his favourite pet, chimpanzee babbles as shown […]
• Modern Philosophers: Martin Luther, Erasmus, Leonardo Davinci and Thomas Biley A fiery critic of the Papacy doctrines, Martin Luther believed that any good choice made by man has to be founded on God’s principles and not from institutions like Roman Catholic Church, which was based […]
• Postmodern and Modern Art: Essays by Claes Oldenburg and by Ad Rheinhardt Harrison and Wood observe that “The history of art is that of a long series of attacks upon social and aesthetic values held to be moribund, although the avant-garde position is frequently nostalgic and absolute”.[1] […]
• The Contemporary Artists and Their Contributions Since childhood, she admired the work of Mexican and Southwest artists and this drove her to apply their employment of warm colors in her individual paintings.
• Modern and Postmodern Art: The Book Theories of Modern Art Naum Gabo in his essay on neoplasticism and constructivism published in the book Theories of modern art tries to analyze the changes that have taken in the art world in modern years.
• “Theory in Contemporary Art Since 1985” Summary The article has laid out that the persona’s decision to stick to his race would take a two fold interpretation in which some of the whites who are closely tied to him and his work […]
• Contemporary Design Issues in Film Industry It is used in the film with an objective of closely aligning the audience with a serial killer. They both do this by providing the resolution expected by the audience at the end of a […]
• Exhibitions of Contemporary Arts in Three Different Museums This discussion looks at the exhibitions of contemporary arts in three different museums namely Armand Hammer Museum of Art and Culture, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
• Theory of Modern Art Institutions His proposals fit into a continuum of detachment from the real and the concrete that has been evident in the art and the writing on art in the 20th century.
• The Museum of Contemporary Art Each exhibition at MOCA is a unique opportunity for people to enjoy the beauty of the world they live in and to see how the professionals recognize the main aspects of the modern world.
• Theory of Modern Art: Theory of Realism The proper use of art, according to this declaration, was to document “a true picture of the events” and shape the mind towards the revolutionary ideal[7].
• Theory of Modern Art: Rationalization Buchloh observes the cyclical appearance of action and reaction in art since the advent of Cubism, and infers from this that art reflects somehow the state of society.
• Contemporary Art: New Ways of Seeing
• The Relationships Between Feminism and the Contemporary Art
• Contemporary Art: Work Comparison of Beth Lipman and Josiah McElheny
• Link Between Global Markets and Contemporary Art
• How Contemporary Art Owes the Renaissance
• Malaysia Contemporary Art Issues: Art as Idea-A View From Jalaini Abu Hassan
• How Contemporary Art Redefined the Meaning of Art Media
• Parallels Between Photography and New Media Concerning Contemporary Art Forms
• How the Dada Artists Challenged the Contemporary Art
• Consumer Desires and Value Perceptions Regarding Contemporary Art Collection and Exhibit Visits
• How Mobile Phones and Internet Changed Contemporary Art
• The Relationships Between Postmodernism and Contemporary Art
• Pricing Color Intensity and Lightness in Contemporary Art Auctions
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• Overview of Russian Modern and Contemporary Art
• Perspectives of Healing Children Through Contemporary Art
• Selling Out: The Financialization of Contemporary Art
• Site-Specific Installation Artworks Promote Appreciation of Contemporary Art
• Transcending Time and Place: Baroque and Contemporary Art
• Why People Don’t Understand Contemporary Art
• Andy Warhol and His Work on the Contemporary Art
• Building Consumer-Arts Institution Relationships: Exploratory Study in Contemporary Art Museums
• Linking Chinese Contemporary Art and Social Change
• Commercial Contemporary Art Market Overview and Analysis
• Contemporary Art and Art Theory of Africa and Asia
• Gabriel Orozco’s Impact on Contemporary Art
• Contemporary Art and Its Influence on Contemporary Culture
• The Relations Between Contemporary Art and Political Views
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• Overview of Contemporary Art From the Middle East
• Contemporary Art and the Search for History
• Creative Drawing and Contemporary Art and Design
• Contemporary Art Issues: Digital Art in Malaysia
• Cultural and Contemporary Art: The Nocturne Festival
• Contemporary Art Issues: Malay’s Identity in Lat’s Cartoon
• Don Thompson: The $12 Million Stuffed Shark: Curious Economics of Contemporary Art
• Contemporary Art: Role of Marina Abramovic
• Empathic Vision: Affect, Trauma, and Contemporary Art
• Contemporary Art Music Within the Music World
• Exploring Contemporary Art: Franz West Chameleon 2004
• What Inspires You in Contemporary Art?
• Which Contemporary Art Museums Do You Visit?
• What Is Andy Warhol’s Contribution to Contemporary Art?
• What Is the Commercial Side of Contemporary Art?
• What Artistic Practices Are Used in Contemporary Art?
• What Is the Influence of Contemporary Art on Modern Culture?
• Does Contemporary Art Reflect Political Views?
• What Is the Role of Contemporary Art in Society?
• What Is the History of Contemporary Art?
• Can Digital Art in Malaysia Be Called Contemporary?
• What Are the Currents of Contemporary Art?
• Contemporary Art: What Are the New Ways of Seeing?
• Why People Don’t Understand Contemporary Art?
• What Does Modern Art Owe to the Renaissance?
• What Is the Main Purpose of Contemporary Art?
• How Has Contemporary Art Rethought the Meaning of Art Media?
• How Did the Dada Artists Challenge the Contemporary Art?
• How Have Mobile Phones and Internet Changed Contemporary Art?
• Why the Feminist Movement Is Important for Contemporary Art?
• Is Modern Architecture a Contemporary Art?
• How Affordable Is It for Consumers to Visit Contemporary Art Exhibitions?
• What Is the Main Difference Between Contemporary Art and Postmodernism?
• How Is Pricing at Contemporary Art Auctions Formed?
• How Does Globalization Affect Contemporary Art?
• How Is Contemporary Art Used to Heal Children?
• Who Is the Creator of Contemporary Art?
• How Popular Are Installations in Contemporary Art?
• Which Representatives of Contemporary Art Do You Know?
• Can Body Art Be Called Contemporary Art?
• How Did the Attitude Towards Contemporary Art Change According to the Era?
• Impressionism Research Ideas
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• Popular Music Paper Topics
• Virtualization Essay Titles
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• Postmodernism Essay Topics
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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25 Contemporary Artworks you need to see

Table of contents

Artsper’s best sellers

Anatoly Tarabanov

80 x 120 x 2 Cm

Boris Serdyuk

In the park

50 x 70 x 2 Cm

Robert van Bolderick

Filmstars lll

40 x 30 x 0.3 Cm

Domenico Ronca

The flowery path - Tuscany landscape painting

40 x 30 x 2 Cm

Frédérique Fabri

Rivière Souterraine

117 x 91 x 2.5 Cm

Charles Lapicque

Les mouettes

45 x 45 x 0.2 Cm

Shepard Fairey (Obey)

Lennon Peace And Liberty (Red)

Megha Joshi

XVI From The Red Series

11.7 x 8.3 x 0.1 Inch

Red passion in the countryside - Tuscany landscape

50 x 40 x 2 Cm

Ivanyuk Oleksiy

30 x 20 x 2 Cm

Juliette June

55 x 46 x 2 Cm

Contemporary art is a period that is generally considered to span from the post-war period to present day. It encompasses numerous different styles, genres and artistic approaches, and so is difficult to fully comprehend. That’s where Artsper comes in! Today we’re breaking down 25 key contemporary artworks that you need to know to fully understand this artistic period! 

1. Andy Warhol, Campbell’s Soup Cans, 1962

One of the world’s most famous contemporary artworks is artist Andy Warhol ‘s Campbell’s Soup Cans . Symbolic of the Pop Art movement , the piece illustrates consumerist culture and mass media in American society. In addition to this, Warhol’s signature style is visible in his work. Through the repetition of the represented object, the artist reflects his critique of a consumerist society and its endless cycle of production and consumption.

2. Louise Bourgeois , Maman , 1990

Standing at a height of 30 meters in the shape of a spider, Maman is an iconic sculptural artwork by Louise Bourgeois . Various versions of the piece exist, created using a diverse range of materials. Built for an exhibition at the Tate Modern, it pays homage to Bourgeois ‘ mother, who died suddenly when the artist was just 21.

3. Jackson Pollock, Autumn Rhythm, 1950

Created at the peak of Jackson Pollock ’s career, Autumn Rhythm is a perfect example of the drip-painting technique. The technique, which is specific to Pollock, made him famous due to its originality. To create his works, Pollock stood on his canvas and dripped diluted paint onto the canvas, letting it fall naturally. He would drip, splash, scrape and pour paint onto his canvas. For the artist, the movement and paints themselves drove his art. This unique method of painting is considered to be the artist’s trademark.

4. Njideka Akunyili Crosby, I Still Face You , 2015

A young and dynamic artist, Njideka Akunyili Crosby unites her dual cultural experience in her vibrant contemporary artworks. After spending her formative years in Nigeria, she moved to America at the age of 16 and now lives and works in Los Angeles. Her intensely personal pieces unite her rich cultural influences with more “traditional” acetone paintings superimposed on complex sets, which are often a collation of elements taken from Nigerian folk culture.

5. Damien Hirst,  The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living , 1991

Preserved in formaldehyde, the work The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living by Damien Hirst today remains one of the most controversial contemporary artworks in history. The original piece was commissioned by collector Charles Saatchi in 1991, but the shark had to be replaced in 2004 when the piece was sold. Due to the nature of the work, many wonder whether or not the piece should be considered art.

6. Cecily Brown, The Girl Who Had Everything , 1998

British artist Cecily Brown is known for her luxurious and extremely textured contemporary artworks. Her art is a mix between that of the baroque masters and abstract expressionism. She mixes color and texture with sexually suggestive figures and biomorphic forms that stand out against the abstract swirls that dominate her paintings. By simply alluding to forms rather than offering a concrete representation, the artist forces the viewer to examine the paintings in depth, from which the erotic images come into focus.

7. Yayoi Kusama, Infinity Mirror Room , 1965

Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama has been described as being one of the most eccentric artists of our time. Her psychedelic and hallucinatory work use motifs and repetition to play with the concept of infinity. Infinity Mirror Room is an immersive installation designed to engulf the viewer/ participant in an overwhelming sense of infinity and possibility. Kusama has described her life as “a pea lost among thousands of other peas”.

8. Keith Haring, Untitled , 1982

This painting sums up the Pop Art style of Keith Haring , with dynamic figures and a simple composition. From his beginnings as a graffiti artist on the New York subway, Keith Haring began his career with his immediately recognizable figures and patterns. One of his most commonly represented symbols is the heart. He used his work to popularize important messages about sexuality and AIDS during a time when the stigma and taboo surrounding these topics were still prevalent.

9. Jean-Michel Basquiat, Untitled , 1981

This vibrant and dynamic work of art, painted when Jean-Michel Basquiat was just 20, is considered a kind of enigma by art critics. Sometimes called “Skull” because of the shape of the face, this complex composition certainly raises more questions than it provides answers. Does it depict a skull or a half formed face? Does the painting represent life or death? Some even wonder if it is not a kind of self-portrait of the artist.

10. Jenny Saville, Propped , 1992

The painting that launched the career of Jenny Saville is a striking self portrait. Saville made a name for herself with her large portraits (often self-portraits), depicting women who do not conform to societal beauty standards, but who reflect the grand diversity of beauty in women. Her distinctive handling of oil paintings and her warm skin tones are reminiscent of Lucian Freud and Francis Bacon .

11. Banksy, Girl with Balloon , 2002

This iconic street artist first appeared on Waterloo Bridge in London, although since then it has been repainted. This work has been repeated many times in support of various political campaigns, notably the Syrian refugee crisis in 2014. In 2018, a framed copy of the work spontaneously shredded during an auction at Sotheby’s, thanks to a device that Banksy himself installed in the frame. He re-titled the shredded work, Love is in the Bin. The buyer who had purchased the print for a record price decided to proceed with the sale.

12. Tracey Emin, My Bed , 1998

My Bed, as indicated by the name, is a reconstruction of the artist’s unmade bed. Tracey Emin has said that this idea came to her after a long period of depression caused by difficult relationships and alcoholism. After recovering from her depression, she was disgusted by the mess that had accumulated in her room and decided to expose it. The work was nominated for the Turner Prize, which sparked a huge controversy over whether or not it should qualify as art.

13. Roy Lichtenstein, Look Mickey , 1961

With Look Mickey, Roy Lichtenstein represented a scene and style belonging to pop culture for the first time in his career, a step towards an art style that would become his signature. His reconstruction of a pre-existing scene, right up to the speech bubble, has led many to describe the work as an insult to the fine arts. Nevertheless, this unique style came to be celebrated. Today he is considered as one of the pioneers of the Pop Art movement. 

14. Takashi Murakami, Flower Ball , 2002

Artist Takashi Murakami initially trained in the traditional Japanese art of Nihonga, before becoming frustrated by the elitism associated with the genre. He invented the term “superflat” at the beginning of the 2000s to describe the legacy of 2D art in Japanese culture through a long legacy of anime and manga, but also to address post-war Japanese society.

15. David Hockney, Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures), 1972

Considered the most expensive work of art by a living artist ever sold at auction, Portrait of an Artist is one of the most iconic pieces by David Hockney . The work was created using two photographs that were staged by the artist. The first version of the work was destroyed. However, a second version was repainted over two weeks in 1972.

16. Dorothea Tanning, Door 84 , 1984

This work by Dorothea Tanning marks the beginning of the evolution of figurative Surrealism towards more abstract compositions, thanks to loose, dynamic strokes and bright colors. The artist created this work using oil paint and a door segment. However, this is not one of the artist’s most well-known works. In fact, the artist became particularly famous for her works Birthday (1942) and Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (1943).

17. Jeff Koons, Balloon Dogs , 1994

Former Wall Street trader Jeff Koons is a very controversial figure in the world of art. He has admitted that his work holds no deeper meaning message beyond aestheticism. What’s more, he uses a workshop to bring his visions to life and therefore doesn’t create his works himself. For these reasons, many question whether or not his works can legitimately be considered art. His metallic Balloon dogs are arguably the most recognizable of his contemporary artworks.

18. Marc Chagall, ceiling of Paris Opéra Garnier, 1964

The ceiling of the Opera Garnier in Paris is without doubt one of the most famous works by Chagall . It has caused significant controversy since its creation and its official opening in 1964. In fact, the various panels were assembled under protection from military guards. This vibrant piece only affirms Chagall’s status as “one of the great painters of our time”, containing references to famous composers and artists from throughout history.

19. Frida Kahlo, Self Portrait , 1948

This striking self-portrait was the last that Frida Kahlo painted. Self-portrait is the only piece created by the artists in 1948 due to her deteriorating health. In this work, Frida Kahlo wears the traditional dress of Tehuana in Mexico, with an embossed collar framing her face and replacing her usual natural background. The sharpness of her face and pained expression accentuates her profound emotion.

20. Lucian Freud, Reflection , 1985

British artist Lucian Freud is known for his figurative depictions. All his pieces are autobiographical, and his self-portraits were made with the help of mirrors. This work is a perfect example of the artistic style of its creator: each line, every defect of his face and skin are visible. The grandson of the psychologist Sigmund Freud is considered by many to be an artist who portrays his subjects in a brutalist manner. He therefore offers the public a glimpse into their minds and their worlds.

21. Sophie Calle, Prenez soin de vous , 2007

In 2007, Sophie Calle ’s boyfriend ended their relationship by email, ending with the words “take care of yourself”. Sometime later, the artist distributed this email to 107 women, chosen for their professional expertise, and asked them to interpret his words. The answers include linguistic criticism, legal analysis, dance interpretations, coding, and even a short film of a cockatoo slowly eating the printed note. The different responses are brought together in this extraordinary exploration of relationships and vulnerability.

22. Antony Gormley, Angel of the North , 1998

Anthony Gormley is known for his anthropomorphic statues. These are often based on casts of his own body. Angel of the North is one of the most well known works by this artist. It is located in Gateshead in the United Kingdom. It was constructed over four years and cost around £800,000 to build. The wings are slightly tilted inwards, suggesting an embrace. In addition, the sculpture is intended to represent the passing of time.

23. Ai Weiwei, Remembering , 2009

The Chinese artist Ai Weiwei created this striking piece in order to pay homage to the child victims of an earthquake that took place in the Sichuan province in 2008. Particularly devastating, the natural disaster tore down many schools. These were poorly constructed and as a result led to the death of many children. The large scale work is composed of 9,000 student backpacks. The spectator can read the Chinese characters “she lived happily in this world for seven years”. This sentence is a quote from a grieving mother about her lost child.

24. Francis Bacon, Three Studies of Lucian Freud , 1969

Sold complete 2013, this triptych became the most expensive work of art sold by a British artist. It represents the friend and rival of the artist, Lucian Freud. Francis Bacon has always emphasized the importance of not separating the three studies. However, this has not always been possible, with the 3 canvases separately changing ownership many times over the years.

25. Mark Rothko, Orange, Red, Yellow, 1961

In 2012, Orange, Red, Yellow, beat records at auction during its sale. Known for his geometric abstraction and vibrant colors, Mark Rothko has received as much criticism as he has praise. Rothko made his works on a very large scale. For the artist, his work had to be “very intimate and human”. He recommended that the spectator stand 60 feet away from his works to fully experience the intimacy and transcendence between the work and the audience. 

Whose contemporary artworks will you discover next?

While you’re now familiar with these iconic contemporary artworks, there’s so many more to discover! Explore Artsper’s catalogue of contemporary artworks by both famous and emerginig artists!

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Founded in 2013, Artsper is an online marketplace for contemporary art. Partnering with 1,800 professional art galleries around the world, it makes discovering and acquiring art accessible to all.