List of contemporary artists
This is a list of artists who create contemporary art, i.e. those whose peak of activity can be situated somewhere between the 1970s (the advent of postmodernism) and the present day. Artists on this list meet the following criteria:
- The person is regarded as an important figure or is widely cited by his/her peers or successors.
- The person is known for originating a significant new concept, theory or technique.
- The person has created, or played a major role in co-creating, a significant or well-known work, or collective body of work, that has been the subject of an independent book or feature-length film, or of multiple independent periodical articles or reviews.
- The person's work either (a) has become a significant monument, (b) has been a substantial part of a significant exhibition, (c) has won significant critical attention, or (d) is represented within the permanent collections of several notable galleries or museums, or had works in many significant libraries.
See also: Art, List of painters, List of modern artists, List of sculptors
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A
- Above (born 1981) American street / installation artist
- Marina Abramovic (born 1946), performance artist
- Vito Acconci (born 1940), installation and performance artist
- Bas Jan Ader(1942–1979), conceptual artist
- Nadir Afonso (born 1920), geometric abstractionist
- Gustavo Aguerre (born 1953), conceptual, performance and installation artist
- Eija-Liisa Ahtila (born 1959), video artist
- Peggy Ahwesh (born 1954), video artist
- Rita Ackermann (born 1968), artist
- Chantal Akerman (born 1950), filmmaker
- Vikky Alexander (born 1959), installation artist
- Edward Allington (born 1951) sculptor
- Laurie Anderson (born 1947), performance artist
- Carl Andre (born 1935), sculptor
- Janine Antoni (born 1964), sculptor and installation artist
- Ida Applebroog (born 1929), painter
- Nobuyoshi Araki (born 1940), photographer
- Siah Armajani (born 1939), sculptor
- Mireille Astore (born 1961), conceptual, performance and installation artist
- Javier Arevalo (1936),Painter
- Mino Argento (born 1927), Painter
B
- Francis Bacon (1909–1992), painter
- Jo Baer (born 1929), painter
- John Baldessari (born 1931), conceptual artist
- Banksy (born 1974), graffiti artist
- Fiona Banner (born 1966)
- Matthew Barney (born 1967), filmmaker
- Artur Barrio (born 1945), Interactive artist
- Jennifer Bartlett (born 1945), painter
- Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960–1988), painter
- Vanessa Beecroft (born 1969)
- Zdzisław Beksiński (1929–2005), painter
- Larry Bell, (born 1939), sculptor
- Maurice Benayoun (born 1957), media artist
- Lynda Benglis (born 1941), sculptor
- José Bernal (born 1925), painter/sculptor
- Joseph Beuys (1921–1986)
- Ashley Bickerton (born 1959)
- Janet Biggs (born 1959), video and performance artist
- Thierry Bisch (born 1953), painter
- David Blatherwick (born 1960), painter and video artist
- Godfrey Blow (born 1948), painter
- Christian Boltanski (born 1944)
- Henry Bond (born 1966)
- Christine Borland (born 1965)
- Michaël Borremans (born 1963), painter
- Eberhard Bosslet (born 1953)
- Fernando Botero (born 1932), painter
- Louise Bourgeois (1911–2010), sculptor
- Robert J Brawley (born 1936), painter
- Stuart Brisley (born 1933), performance artist
- Glenn Brown (born 1966)
- Angela Bulloch (born 1966)
- Chris Burden (born 1946)
- Gerard Byrne (born 1969), installation artist
C
- Sophie Calle (born 1953)
- Nuno de Campos (born 1969), painter
- Janet Cardiff (born 1957), installation artist
- Gerard Caris (born 1925)
- Norman Carlberg (born 1928), sculptor
- Gillian Carnegie (born 1971), painter
- Anthony Caro (born 1924), sculptor
- Antonio Caro (born 1950), painter, conceptualization
- Nicolas Carone (1917–2010), painter, sculptor
- James Casebere (born 1953), photographer
- Maurizio Cattelan
- John Cederquist (born 1946), American sculptor
- Vija Celmins (born 1938)
- John Chamberlain (1927–2011), sculptor
- Jake and Dinos Chapman (born 1966 and 1962)
- Judy Chicago (born 1939)
- Illya Chichkan (born 1967), installation and video artist
- Dan Christensen (1942–2007), abstract painter
- Christo (born 1935)
- Lygia Clark (1920–1988)
- Francesco Clemente (born 1952)
- Chuck Close (born 1940), painter
- Claude Closky (born 1963)
- Jon Coffelt (born 1963), painter, new media, book arts, fiber art
- Mat Collishaw (born 1966)
- Tony Cragg (born 1945), sculptor
- Michael Craig-Martin (born 1941), painter, printmaker, digital artist, sculpture
- Martin Creed (born 1968), installation artist
D
- Dado (1933–2010)
- Hanne Darboven (1941–2009)
- Ian Davenport (born 1966), painter and printmaker
- Ronald Davis (born 1937), abstract painter
- Richard Deacon (born 1949), sculptor
- Tacita Dean (born 1965), conceptual artist, filmmaker
- Wim Delvoye (born 1965), neo-conceptual artist
- Guy Denning (born 1965), painter
- Rineke Dijkstra (born 1959), photographer
- Sam Dillemans (born 1965), painter
- Braco Dimitrijevic (born 1948)
- Stephen DiRado (born 1957), photographer
- Mark Divo (born 1966)
- Peter Doig (born 1959), painter
- Joel Ducorroy (born 1955), plate artist
- Marlene Dumas (born 1953), painter
- John Duncan (born 1953), performance, installation artist
E
F
G
- Anya Gallaccio (born 1963)
- Harry Gamboa, Jr. (born 1951)
- H.R. Giger (born 1940)
- Isa Genzken (born 1948)
- Gilbert and George, (born 1943 and 1942)
- Sam Gilliam (born 1933), painter
- Liam Gillick (born 1964)
- Michael Goldberg (1924–2007), painter
- Nan Goldin (born 1953), photographer
- Jack Goldstein (1945–2003)
- Andy Goldsworthy (born 1956)
- Peter Golfinopoulos (born 1928)
- Felix Gonzales-Torres (1957–1996)
- Robert Goodnough (1917–2010)
- Douglas Gordon (born 1966)
- Antony Gormley (born 1950), sculptor
- Dan Graham (born 1942)
- Robert Graham (1938–2008)
- Rodney Graham, (born 1949), photographer, installation artist
- Cleve Gray (1918–2004)
- Peter Grzybowski (born 1951), performance artist
- Don Gummer (born 1946), sculptor
H
- Hans Haacke (born 1936), conceptual artist
- Karl Hagedorn (1922–2005), painter
- Richard Hamilton (1922–2011), painter, collagist
- Keith Haring (1958–1990), painter, graffiti artist
- Mona Hatoum (born 1952), performance artist
- Carl Michael von Hausswolff (born 1956)
- Tim Hawkinson (born 1960), sculpture artist
- Gottfried Helnwein (born 1948), multimedia artist, installation artist, painter, photographer, performance artist
- Diango Hernandez (born 1970), conceptual artist, painter
- Eva Hesse (1936–1970), sculptor
- Hugo Heyrman (born 1942), painter, multimedia artist
- Gary Hill (born 1951), video artist
- Susan Hiller (born 1940), installation artist
- Damien Hirst (born 1965), installation artist
- Saskia Holmkvist (born 1971), conceptual artist
- Christian Holstad, (born 1972), conceptual artist
- Toos van Holstein (born 1949), painter
- Jenny Holzer (born 1950), interdisciplinary artist
- Peter Howson (born 1958), painter
- Gary Hume (born 1962)
- Pierre Huyghe (born 1962), media artist
I
J
- Alfredo Jaar (born 1956), conceptual artist
- Richard Jackson (born 1939), painter, installation
- Michael (Mike) Jansen (born 1951), painter, performer and composer
- Jeanne-Claude (1935–2009)
- Chantal Joffe (born 1969), painter
- Jasper Johns (born 1930), painter, printmaker
- Mary Jordan (born 1969), filmmaker, performance artist and activist
- Gerry Judah (born 1951), artist, designer
- Donald Judd (1928–1994), sculptor
- Isaac Julien (born 1960), filmmaker
K
- Ilya Kabakov (born 1933), installation artist
- Eduardo Kac (born 1962), transgenic artist
- Stanya Kahn (born 1968), performance, video artist
- Wolf Kahn (born 1927), landscapes, oil paints/pastels
- Nabil Kanso (born 1946), painter
- Anish Kapoor (born 1954), sculptor
- On Kawara (born 1949), conceptual artist
- Wladyslaw Kazmierczak (born 1951), performance artist
- Jonathan Keats (born 1971), conceptual artist
- Mike Kelley (born 1954)
- Ellsworth Kelly (born 1923), painter
- Anselm Kiefer (born 1945), painter
- Manfred Kielnhofer (born 1967), sculptor, installation artist, photographer, painter
- Edward Kienholz (born 1927), installation artist
- Scott Kildall (born 1969), performance, new media, conceptual
- Miru Kim (born 1981), photography
- Bodys Isek Kingelez (born 1948), sculpture
- Martin Kippenberger (1953–1997)
- Komar and Melamid (born 1943 and 1945)
- Jeff Koons (born 1949)
- Frans Koppelaar (born 1943), painter
- Mark Kostabi (born 1960), painter
- Barbara Kruger (born 1949), artist and photographer
- Yayoi Kusama (born 1929), installation artist, performance artist, painter
L
- Suzanne Lacy (born 1945), performance/public artist
- Ronnie Landfield (born 1947), painter
- Michael Landy (born 1963)
- Annika Larsson (born 1972), artist
- Maria Lassnig (born 1919), painter
- Matthieu Laurette (born 1970), multimedia, conceptual, installation, video artist
- Robert Lazzarini (born 1965), sculptor, installation artist
- Lee Bul (born 1964), sculpture, installation, conceptual artist
- Lennie Lee (born 1958), multimedia, performance, video, photography
- Zoe Leonard (born 1961), photographer and visual artist
- Mark Lewis (born 1958) installation and film artist
- Sol LeWitt (1928–2007), installation and conceptual artist
- Allan Linder (born 1966), painter and sculptor
- Claude-Max Lochu (born 1951), painter
- Richard Long (born 1945)
- Robert Longo (born 1953), painter and sculptor
- Rafael Lozano-Hemmer (born 1967), installation artist
- Sarah Lucas (born 1962)
- Cecilia Lundqvist (born 1971), video artist
M
- Terence Main (born 1954), American modernist sculptor
- Totte Mannes (born 1933), painter
- Brice Marden (born 1938), painter
- Milovan Destil Marković (born 1957)
- Agnes Martin (1912–2004), painter
- Eugene J. Martin (1938–2005), painter
- Richard Mayhew (born 1934), painter
- Paul McCarthy (born 1945)
- Allan McCollum (born 1944)
- Ryan McGinley (born 1977), photographer
- Steve McQueen, (born 1969)
- Cildo Meireles (born 1948), sculptor and installations
- Ana Mendieta (1948–1985)
- Thom Merrick (born 1963)
- Boris Mikhailov (born 1938), photographer
- Ksenia Milicevic (born 1942), painter and architect
- Franco Mondini-Ruiz (born 1961)
- Sebastian Diaz Morales (born 1975), Video Artist
- Robert Morris (born 1931)
- Loren Munk (born 1951), painter
- Leonard van Munster (born 1972), installation artist
- Antoni Muntadas (born 1942)
- Takashi Murakami (born 1962), sculptor and painter
- Elizabeth Murray (1940–2007), painter
- Wangechi Mutu (born 1972), painter
N
O
- Albert Oehlen (born 1954), painter
- Markus Oehlen (born 1956), painter
- Chris Ofili (born 1968), painter
- Jules Olitski (1922–2007), painter
- Arthur Omar (born 1948), photographer, filmmaker, video and installation artist,
- Yoko Ono (born 1933), musician, artist
- Orlan (born 1947)
- Roman Opałka (b. 1931, d. 2011), painter
- Julian Opie (born 1958), digital artist
P
- Nam June Paik (1932–2006), video artist
- Roxy Paine (born 1966), sculptor
- Niki de Saint Phalle (1930–2002) sculptor
- Cornelia Parker (born 1956)
- Ray Parker (1922–1990), painter
- Stefano Pasquini (born 1969), sculpture, video and installation artist
- Virginia Patrone (born 1950), painter
- Simon Patterson (born 1967)
- Oliver Payne and Nick Relph (born 1977 and 1979), video artists
- Pedro Pedraja (born 1974), painter
- Jacques Pellegrin (born 1944), painter
- Manuel Pereira da Silva (1920–2003), sculptor
- Grayson Perry (born 1960)
- Elizabeth Peyton (born 1965), painter
- Richard Piegza (born 1954), performance, video and installation artist
- Adrian Piper (born 1948), conceptual artist
- Steven Pippin (born 1960)
- Philip Pocock (born 1954), internet and installation artist
- Mark Podwal (born 1945)
- Sigmar Polke (born 1941–2010)
- Larry Poons (born 1937), painter
- William Powhida (born 1976)
- Richard Prince (born 1949), painter and photographer
- Martin Puryear (born 1941), sculptor
Q
R
- Alessandro Raho (born 1971)
- Yvonne Rainer (born 1934), performance artist
- Rallé (born 1949), artist
- Neo Rauch (born 1960), painter
- Robert Rauschenberg (1925–2008), painter, collagist, printmaker, neo-dadaist
- Peter Reginato (born 1945), sculptor
- Marc Rembold (born 1963), painter, sculptor, and new media
- Seund Ja Rhee (1918–2009), painter, printmaker, and ceramist
- Jason Rhoades (1965–2006), installation artist and sculptor
- Jesse Richards (born 1975), artist
- Peter Richards (born 1970), artist, curator
- Gerhard Richter (born 1932), painter
- Ken Rinaldo (born 1958), electronic installation/robotics
- Pipilotti Rist (born 1962)
- James Rosenquist (born 1933), painter
- Ernest Ruckle (born 1940), painter
- Thomas Ruff (born 1958), photographer
- Edward Ruscha (born 1937), painter, printmaker and filmmaker
S
- Anri Sala (born 1974)
- Chéri Samba (born 1956), painter
- Jean-Michel Sanejouand (born 1934), painter and sculptor
- Dominique Sanson (born 1949), painter
- Bojan Sarcevic (born 1974), sculptor
- Arthur Sarkissian (born 1960), painter
- Raymond Saunders (born 1934), painter
- Jenny Saville (born 1970), painter
- Julian Schnabel (born 1951), painter, sculptor and filmmaker
- Carolee Schneemann (born 1939), performance artist
- Thomas Schütte (born 1954),sculptor
- Richard Serra (born 1939), sculptor
- Stephen Shanabrook (born 1965), sculptor
- Joel Shapiro (born 1941), sculptor
- Cindy Sherman (born 1954), photographer, performance artist
- Yinka Shonibare (born 1962)
- Amy Sillman (born 1966), painter
- Lorna Simpson (born 1960), interdisciplinary artist
- Victor Sloan (born 1945), photographer, mixed media artist, video artist,
- Bob and Roberta Smith (born 1958)
- Kiki Smith (born 1954)
- Michael Snow (born 1929), filmmaker, musician, painter
- Joan Snyder (born 1940), painter
- Konstantia Sofokleous (born 1974), video artist, drawings
- Keith Sonnier (born 1941), sculptor
- Joe Stefanelli (born 1921), painter
- Frank Stella (born 1936), painter, printmaker
- Sarah Sze (born 1969), sculptor
T
- Tomoko Takahashi (born 1966), installation artist
- Mark Tansey (born 1966), painter
- Sam Taylor-Wood (born 1967)
- Diana Thater (born 1962), video
- Paul Thek (1933–1988)
- Wayne Thiebaud (born 1920), painter, printmaker
- Arthur Thrall (born 1926), printmaker, painter
- Wolfgang Tillmans (born 1968), photographer
- Rirkrit Tiravanija (born 1961)
- Mark Titchner painter and philosopher
- Slaven Tolj (born 1964), performance, installation artist
- Helmut Tollmann (born 1945), painter
- Scott Treleaven (born 1975)
- Rosemarie Trockel (born 1952)
- Zoja Trofimiuk (born 1952),sculptor, printmaker
- Ayako Tsuru (born 1941),Muralist Artist
- Gavin Turk (born 1967)
- Richard Tuttle (born 1941), postminimalist
- Luc Tuymans (born 1958), painter
- Cy Twombly (1928–2011), painter
- Jacek Tylicki (born 1951), multimedia artist
- Keith Tyson (born 1969)
U
V
W
- Jeff Wall (born 1946), photographer
- Magnus Wallin (born 1965), video artist
- Mark Wallinger (born 1959)
- Suling Wang (born 1968), painter
- Andy Warhol (1928–1987), pop artist
- Gillian Wearing (born 1963)
- Ai Weiwei (born 1957), Chinese, conceptual artist
- Lawrence Weiner (born 1942), conceptual artist
- Franz West (born 1947)
- Rachel Whiteread (born 1963), sculptor
- Hannah Wilke (1940–1993), sculptor
- Jerry Wilkerson (1943–2007), painter
- Jane and Louise Wilson (born 1967), installation artists
- Richard Wilson (born 1953), installation artist
- Shaun Wilson (born 1972), video artist
- Joel-Peter Witkin (born 1939), photographer
- Francesca Woodman (1958–1981), photographer
- Wu Guanzhong (born 1919), painter
X
Y
Z
Notes
References