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 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 has become a significant monument, has been a substantial part of a significant exhibition, has won significant critical attention, or is represented within the permanent collections of several notable galleries or museums, or had works in many significant libraries.
A
- Marina Abramović, performance artist
- Vito Acconci, installation and performance artist
- Bas Jan Ader, conceptual artist
- Eija-Liisa Ahtila, video artist
- Peggy Ahwesh, video artist
- Rita Ackermann, artist
- Chantal Akerman, filmmaker
- Vikky Alexander, installation artist
- Edward Allington sculptor
- Francis Alÿs, conceptual artist
- El Anatsui, sculptor and installation artist
- Laurie Anderson, performance artist
- Carl Andre, sculptor
- Janine Antoni, sculptor and installation artist
- Ida Applebroog, painter
- Nobuyoshi Araki, photographer
- Diane Arbus, photographer
- Siah Armajani, sculptor
- Arman, sculptor
- John Armleder, performance artist, painter, sculptor, critic, and curator
- Art & Language, conceptual artist
- Richard Artschwager, sculptor and painter
- Roy Ascott, new media artist
- Frank Auerbach, painter
- Sofia Areal, painter
B
- Francis Bacon, painter
- Jo Baer, painter
- John Baldessari, conceptual artist
- Balthus, painter
- Banksy, graffiti artist
- Fiona Banner
- Matthew Barney, filmmaker
- Will Barnet, painter
- Artur Barrio, interactive artist
- Jennifer Bartlett, painter
- Georg Baselitz, painter
- Jean-Michel Basquiat, painter
- Noah Becker, painter
- Vanessa Beecroft
- Larry Bell, sculptor
- Maurice Benayoun, media artist
- Lynda Benglis, sculptor
- José Bernal, painter/sculptor
- Joseph Beuys, sculptor, performance artist, installation artist
- Ashley Bickerton , mixed-media artist
- Janet Biggs , video and performance artist
- Dara Birnbaum, video and installation artist
- Ronald Bladen,, sculptor
- David Blatherwick, painter and video artist
- Guy Bleus, performance artist, mail art
- Christian Boltanski, sculptor, photographer, painter and film maker
- Alighiero Boëtti, conceptual artist
- Maurizio Bolognini, post-conceptual media artist
- Henry Bond, writer, photographer and visual artist
- Christine Borland
- Michaël Borremans, painter
- Eberhard Bosslet, sculptor, installation artist
- Fernando Botero, painter
- Jack Boul, painter, printmaker and sculptor
- Louise Bourgeois, sculptor and installation artist
- Mark Bradford, painter
- Robert J Brawley, painter
- Candice Breitz, video artist
- Stuart Brisley, performance artist
- Marcel Broodthaers, poet, filmmaker and artist
- Glenn Brown
- Tania Bruguera, installation and performance artist
- Angela Bulloch, installation artist
- Deborah Butterfield, sculptor
- Chris Burden, performance artist, sculptor, installation artist
- Jack Bush 1909–1977, painter
- Gerard Byrne, installation artist
C
- Sophie Calle, conceptual artist from France
- Nuno de Campos, painter
- Janet Cardiff, installation artist
- Gerard Caris, sculptor
- Norman Carlberg, sculptor
- Gillian Carnegie, painter
- Anthony Caro, sculptor
- Antonio Caro, painter, conceptualization
- Nicolas Carone, painter, sculptor
- James Casebere, photographer
- Maurizio Cattelan
- Nick Cave, performance artist, sculptor
- John Cederquist, American sculptor
- Vija Celmins, painter
- Saint Clair Cemin Brazilian sculptor
- John Chamberlain, sculptor
- Suki Chan, video and installation artist
- Gordon Cheung,, contemporary artist
- Jake and Dinos Chapman
- Judy Chicago, feminist artist
- Dale Chihuly, glass artist
- Luke Ching conceptual artist
- Dan Christensen, abstract painter
- Abraham David Christian
- Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy, portrait painter and printmaker
- Christo and Jeanne-Claude
- Paolo Cirio, Internet artist
- Lygia Clark painter, installation artist
- Francesco Clemente, painter
- Chuck Close, painter
- Claude Closky
- Arnaud Cohen
- Robert Colescott, painter
- Mat Collishaw, photographer, video artist
- George Condo, painter
- Cortis & Sonderegger, installation
- Tony Cragg, sculptor
- Michael Craig-Martin, painter, printmaker, digital artist, sculpture
- Martin Creed, installation artist
- Patricia Cronin, cross-disciplinary artist
- José Luis Cuevas, painter, printmaker, sculptor
D
- Dado, painter
- Hanne Darboven, conceptual artist
- Ian Davenport, painter and printmaker
- Ronald Davis, abstract painter
- Richard Deacon, sculptor
- Tacita Dean, conceptual artist, filmmaker
- Wim Delvoye, neo-conceptual artist
- Walter De Maria, installation artist, conceptual artist
- Abigail DeVille, installation and sculpture artist
- Guy Denning, painter
- Richard Diebenkorn, painter
- Rineke Dijkstra, photographer
- Sam Dillemans, painter
- DOT DOT DOT visual, public, conceptual artist
- Braco Dimitrijevic
- Jim Dine, sculptor
- Mark di Suvero, sculptor
- Harry Dodge, visual artist
- Peter Doig, painter
- Marlene Dumas, painter
- John Duncan, performance, installation artist
E
- Martin Eder, painter
- Ólafur Elíasson
- Tracey Emin
- Ben Enwonwu, painter and sculptor
- Bracha Ettinger
- Valie Export
- Mary Beth Edelson feminist artist
F
- Jan Fabre, multidisciplinary artist
- Öjvind Fahlström, multimedia artist
- Harun Farocki,, filmmaker
- Angus Fairhurst, installation artist
- Hans-Peter Feldmann,, photographer, installation artist
- Kenneth Feingold, conceptual artist
- Brendan Fernandes, performance artist
- Teresita Fernández, multidisciplinary artist
- Carole Feuerman, sculptor
- Stephen Finer, painter
- Eric Fischl painter, painter, sculptor and printmaker
- Peter Fischli & David Weiss
- Dan Flavin
- Bruno Fonseca, painter, sculptor
- Caio Fonseca, painter
- Peter Forakis, sculptor
- Günther Förg, painter, graphic designer, sculptor and photographer
- Sam Francis, painter
- Helen Frankenthaler, painter
- Andrea Fraser, performance artist
- Lucian Freud, painter
- Tom Friedman, conceptual sculptor
- Esther Ferrer, conceptual and performance artist
G
- Ellen Gallagher, multidisciplinary artist
- Anya Gallaccio, installation artist
- Isa Genzken, sculptor
- Gilbert and George,, sculptors, performance artists
- Adrian Ghenie, painter
- Sam Gilliam, painter
- Liam Gillick, conceptual artist
- Karin Giusti, sculptor, installation artist
- Robert Gober, sculptor
- Michael Goldberg, painter
- Nan Goldin, photographer
- Jack Goldstein, painter
- Andy Goldsworthy, sculptor, photographer
- Peter Golfinopoulos, painter
- Leon Golub, painter
- Felix Gonzales-Torres, sculptor, installation artist
- Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, artist and filmmaker
- Robert Goodnough, painter
- Douglas Gordon, video art, photography
- Antony Gormley, sculptor
- Dan Graham, multidisciplinary artist
- Robert Graham, sculptor
- Rodney Graham, photographer, installation artist
- Cleve Gray, painter
- Kaloust Guedel, painter, sculptor
- Genco Gulan, sculptor, performance artist
- Don Gummer, sculptor
- Andreas Gursky, photographer
H
- Hans Haacke, conceptual artist
- Jacques Halbert, neo-dada artist
- David Hall, video artist
- Richard Hamilton, painter, collagist
- Keith Haring, painter, graffiti artist
- Mona Hatoum, performance artist
- Carl Michael von Hausswolff, sound artist
- Tim Hawkinson, sculpture artist
- Al Held, painter
- Gottfried Helnwein, multimedia artist, installation artist, painter, photographer, performance artist
- Diango Hernandez, conceptual artist, painter
- Jeremy Henderson, artist and painter
- Eva Hesse, sculptor
- Andreas Heusser, conceptual artist
- Hugo Heyrman, painter, multimedia artist
- Gary Hill, video artist
- Susan Hiller, installation artist
- Charles Hinman, painter
- Thomas Hirschhorn, installation artist
- Damien Hirst, installation artist
- David Hockney , painter
- Jim Hodges, installation artist
- Howard Hodgkin, painter
- Candida Höfer, photographer
- Tom Holland, mixed media artist, painter
- Frank Holliday
- Saskia Holmkvist, conceptual artist
- Christian Holstad, conceptual artist
- Jenny Holzer, interdisciplinary artist
- Roni Horn, sculptor, installation artist and writer
- Peter Howson, painter
- Teresa Hubbard/Alexander Birchler, video artists
- Gary Hume, painter
- Philipp Humm, painter, multi-disciplinary artist
- Pierre Huyghe, media artist
I
- Jörg Immendorff, painter
- INO, visual artist
J
- Alfredo Jaar, conceptual artist
- Richard Jackson, painter, installation
- Chantal Joffe, painter
- Jasper Johns, painter, printmaker
- Ray Johnson, pop artist, mail art
- Jennie C. Jones, multidisciplinary
- Donald Judd, sculptor
- Isaac Julien, filmmaker
K
- Ilya Kabakov, installation artist
- Eduardo Kac, transgenic artist
- Stanya Kahn, performance, video artist
- Wolf Kahn, landscapes, oil paints/pastels
- Anish Kapoor, sculptor
- Allan Kaprow, painter, performance artist
- Deborah Kass, mixed media artist
- On Kawara, conceptual artist
- Mary Kelly, conceptual artist
- Mike Kelley, sculptor, installation artist, performance artist
- Ellsworth Kelly, painter
- William Kentridge, draughtsman, film maker and sculptor
- Anselm Kiefer, painter
- Manfred Kielnhofer, sculptor, designer, photographer
- Edward Kienholz, installation artist
- Karen Kilimnik, painter
- Bodys Isek Kingelez, sculpture
- Martin Kippenberger, conceptual artist, installation artist
- Komar and Melamid, conceptual artist
- Jeff Koons, conceptual artist
- Mark Kostabi, painter
- Barbara Kruger, artist and photographer
- Alfred Freddy Krupa, painter, book artist
- Peter Kuckei, painter
- Yayoi Kusama, installation artist, performance artist, painter
L
- David LaChapelle, photographer
- Suzanne Lacy, performance/public artist
- Ronnie Landfield, painter
- Michael Landy, conceptual artist
- Thomas Lanigan-Schmidt, installation, collage
- Maria Lassnig, painter
- Matthieu Laurette, multimedia, conceptual, installation, video artist
- Robert Lazzarini, sculptor, installation artist
- Lee Bul, sculpture, installation, conceptual artist
- Marc Lee, installation, new media and conceptual artist
- Zoe Leonard, photographer and visual artist
- Mark Lewis, installation and film artist
- Sol LeWitt, installation and conceptual artist
- Richard Long, sculptor, photographer, painter
- Robert Longo, painter and sculptor
- Lee Lozano, painter
- Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, installation artist
- Sarah Lucas, photographer, sculptor, conceptual artist
M
- Robert Mangold, painter
- Robert Mapplethorpe, photographer
- Christian Marclay, composer, conceptual artist
- Brice Marden, painter
- Kerry James Marshall, painter
- Milovan Destil Marković, painter, performance artist
- Agnes Martin, painter
- Eugene J. Martin, painter
- Enrique Martinez Celaya, painter, sculptor
- Gordon Matta-Clark, conceptual artist
- Amanda Matthews, sculptor, painter, public art designer
- Paul McCarthy, performance and installation artist
- Allan McCollum, sculptor, installation artist
- Ryan McGinley, photographer
- Steve McQueen,, filmmaker
- Cildo Meireles, sculptor and installation artist
- Ana Mendieta, sculptor, performance and video artist
- Yucef Merhi, installation and new media artist
- Thom Merrick, sculptor, painter
- Boris Mikhailov, photographer
- Ann Mikolowski, portrait miniaturist, waterscape painter, printmaker, book artist
- Haroon Mirza, sculptor, installation artist
- Eva Moll, painter, performance and installation artist
- Dianna Molzan, painter, sculptor
- Franco Mondini-Ruiz, painter, sculptor, performance and installation artist
- Jonathan Monk, conceptual artist
- Sebastian Diaz Morales, video artist
- François Morellet, painter, engraver, sculptor and light artist
- Yasumasa Morimura, photographer
- Robert Morris, sculptor, writer and conceptual artist
- Ed Moses, painter
- Antoni Muntadas, installation and new media artist
- Vik Muniz, photographer
- Bruce Munro, installation artist
- Takashi Murakami, sculptor and painter
- Elizabeth Murray, painter
- Zoran Mušič, painter
- Wangechi Mutu, painter
N
- Bruce Nauman
- Ernesto Neto, installation artist
- John Nieto, painter
- Odd Nerdrum, painter
- Shirin Neshat, visual artist
- NEVERCREW, urban artists, installation artists
- Alexander Ney, sculptor and painter
- Graham Nicholls, installation artist
- Olaf Nicolai, conceptual artist
- Kenneth Noland, painter
- Thomas Nozkowski, painter
- Jim Nutt, painter
- Marina Nuñez
O
- Albert Oehlen, painter
- Markus Oehlen, painter
- Chris Ofili, painter
- Georgia O'Keeffe, painter
- Claes Oldenburg, sculptor
- Jules Olitski, painter
- Nathan Oliveira, painter
- Yoko Ono, musician, artist
- Bruce Onobrakpeya, printmaker, painter and sculptor
- Orlan, performance and body artist
- Roman Opałka, painter
- Catherine Opie, photographer
- Julian Opie, digital artist
- Dennis Oppenheim, conceptual and installation artist
- Gabriel Orozco, conceptual and installation artist
- Tony Oursler, multimedia and installation artist
P
- Nam June Paik, video artist
- Roxy Paine, sculptor
- Eduardo Paolozzi, sculptor
- Niki de Saint Phalle sculptor
- Cornelia Parker, sculptor and installation artist
- Ray Parker, painter
- Ed Paschke, painter
- Simon Patterson, conceptual artist
- Oliver Payne and Nick Relph, video artists
- Grayson Perry, ceramicist
- Raymond Pettibon, drawing, video and installation artist
- Elizabeth Peyton, painter
- Adrian Piper, conceptual artist
- Steven Pippin, sculptor
- Michelangelo Pistoletto, painter, action and object artist
- Lari Pittman, painter
- Paola Pivi, multimedia artist
- Sigmar Polke, painter, photographer
- Larry Poons, painter
- William Powhida, drawing, painter, writer
- Kenneth Price, ceramicist, sculptor
- Richard Prince, painter and photographer
- Laure Prouvost, installation artist, 2013 Turner Prize winner
- Martin Puryear, sculptor
Q
- Marc Quinn, sculptor
R
- Alessandro Raho, painter and photographer
- Arnulf Rainer, painter
- Yvonne Rainer, performance artist
- Rallé, painter
- Paul Henry Ramirez, painter
- Neo Rauch, painter
- Robert Rauschenberg, painter, collagist, printmaker, neo-dadaist
- Peter Reginato, sculptor
- Paula Rego, painter
- Rotem Reshef, painter
- Seund Ja Rhee, painter, printmaker, and ceramicist
- Jason Rhoades, installation artist and sculptor
- Jesse Richards, artist
- Gerhard Richter, painter
- Pipilotti Rist, video artist
- Larry Rivers , painter, multi-media
- James Rosenquist, painter
- Martha Rosler, video artist, installation artist and performance artist
- Dieter Roth, artist's books, sculptor, installation artist
- Thomas Ruff, photographer
- Allen Ruppersberg, conceptualist, mixed media, installation artist
- Edward Ruscha, painter, printmaker and filmmaker
S
- Anri Sala, video artist
- Chéri Samba, painter
- Jean-Michel Sanejouand, painter and sculptor
- David Salle, painter
- Bojan Sarcevic, sculptor
- Wilhelm Sasnal, painter
- Jenny Saville, painter
- Raymond Saunders, painter
- Markus Schinwald, painter, sculptor and filmmaker
- Julian Schnabel, painter, sculptor and filmmaker
- Carolee Schneemann, performance artist
- Thomas Schütte, sculptor
- Richard Serra, sculptor
- Joel Shapiro, sculptor
- Cindy Sherman, photographer, performance artist
- Yinka Shonibare
- Amy Sillman, painter
- David Simpson,, painter
- Lorna Simpson, interdisciplinary artist
- Maggie Siner, painter and teacher
- Bob and Roberta Smith
- Jack Smith, film director
- Kiki Smith, feminist artist
- Robert Smithson, land artist, sculptor and photographer
- Michael Snow, filmmaker, musician, painter
- Joan Snyder, painter
- Keith Sonnier, sculptor
- Pierre Soulages, painter
- Nancy Spero, painter
- Joe Stefanelli, painter
- Pat Steir, painter
- Frank Stella, painter, printmaker
- Thomas Struth, photographer
- Hiroshi Sugimoto, photographer
- Sarah Sze, sculptor
- Sonia Landy Sheridan art researcher
T
- Tomoko Takahashi, installation artist
- Mark Tansey, painter
- Sam Taylor-Wood, filmmaker, photographer
- Diana Thater, video artist
- Paul Thek, painter, sculptor, installation artist
- Wayne Thiebaud, painter, printmaker
- Hank Willis Thomas, conceptual artist
- Arthur Thrall, printmaker, painter
- Agnes Thurnauer
- Wolfgang Tillmans, photographer
- Rirkrit Tiravanija, conceptual and installation artist
- Mark Titchner, painter
- Slaven Tolj, performance, installation artist
- Scott Treleaven, filmmaker
- Rosemarie Trockel, installation artist
- Gavin Turk, sculptor
- James Turrell, installation artist
- Richard Tuttle, postminimalist
- Luc Tuymans, painter
- Cy Twombly, painter
- Keith Tyson, drawing, painter, installation artist
U
- Francis Upritchard, installation artist
- Tomasz Urbanowicz, architectural glass artist
V
- Koen Vanmechelen, multimedia artist, social art
- Lydia Venieri, painter, sculptor, photographer
- Bill Viola, video artist
- Wolf Vostell, multimedia artist
- Peter Voulkos, ceramicist, sculptor
W
- Kara Walker, installation artist
- Jeff Wall, photographer
- Magnus Wallin, video artist
- Mark Wallinger, conceptual artist
- Suling Wang, painter
- Andy Warhol, pop artist
- Gillian Wearing, conceptual artist
- Carrie Mae Weems, photographer
- Lawrence Weiner, conceptual artist
- Monika Weiss, installation, video and performance artist
- Ai Weiwei, Chinese, conceptual artist
- Tom Wesselmann, painter
- Franz West, drawing, painter, sculptor
- Rachel Whiteread, sculptor
- Jack Whitten, painter
- Alison Wilding, sculptor
- Hannah Wilke, sculptor
- Thornton Willis, painter
- Jane and Louise Wilson, installation artists
- Richard Wilson, installation artist
- Joel-Peter Witkin, photographer
- Francesca Woodman, photographer
- Wu Guanzhong, painter
- Erwin Wurm, sculptor, photographer
- Andrew Wyeth, painter
X
- Xing Xin, performance artist
Y
- Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, painter
- Peter Young, painter
- Jack Youngerman, painter
Z
- Andrea Zittel, installation artist
- Larry Zox, painter
- Ricardo Estanislao Zulueta, interdisciplinary artist