The ten most famous contemporary artists
Contemporary art occupies an important place in the art market.
The majority of auctions are conducted in the United States today.
China, the United Kingdom and France come next.
How to choose a contemporary artwork? Who are the essential contemporary artists?
Zoom in on ten famous contemporary artists who dominate the contemporary art market.
Summary
- Contemporary artists famous around the world
- Meeting between classical Japanese art and contemporary Japanese culture
- The street art movement
- The Young British Artists (YBA) movement
- Man and nature in Peter Doig7
- Neo-pop kitsch with Jeff Koons
- Art toys" and pop art with Kaws
- Neo-expressionism with Anselm Kiefer
- The art of photographic collage with JR
Contemporary artists famous around the world
Painters, sculptors or visual artists, contemporary artists are constantly exploring new techniques of expression.
Their works mark a break with classical figurative art.
discover ten must-see contemporary artists whose works are famous around the world.
Meeting between classical Japanese art and contemporary Japanese culture
Considered the successor of Andy Warhol, Japanese artist Takashi Murakami is very famous and highly regarded in the art world.
His works are inspired by the world of manga and Japanese cartoons: bright colors and stylized shapes reminiscent of kawaii style.
Painter and sculptor, Takashi Murakami embodies the modern generation steeped in Japanese culture.
Linked to the Japanese neo-pop trend, his work remains unique and unclassifiable.
The street art movement
In a few decades, street art has conquered the whole world. Still a subversive art, it has found its place in contemporary art.
Artist Bansky
Famous the world over, Banksy is a British artist who has established himself in contemporary street art.
His works are displayed in different forms: sculptures, paintings, stencils, etc.
He is considered one of the major artists of the 21st century. This committed artist often conveys a political or social message in his painting.
Provocative genius, Bansky saw his notoriety soar after the spectacular self-destruction of his painting "Girl with Balloon" in 2018 at an auction at Sotheby's.
In 2019, his painting "Devolved Parliament" is auctioned for more than 11.1 million euros.
This is a record for a work of street art. Bansky's real name and identity remain unknown to this day.
Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat
Died in 1988, this American visual artist has undeniably marked the world of contemporary art.
A pioneer of street art, Basquiat expresses his art through the streets of Manhattan.
He is credited with bringing the graffiti style into painting alongside artist Keith Haring. In a neo-expressionist style, his works are covered with numerous cultural references and painted, drawn or written symbols.
The Young British Artists (YBA) movement
Founded in the late 1980s, this movement of young British artists is revolutionizing the world of contemporary art in Great Britain, notably with the use of unusual artistic materials.
Artist Jenny Saville
Among the most famous women artists in the world, Jenny Saville has acquired her fame thanks to her paintings depicting nude and stylized portraits of voluminous bodies.
His fascination with bodies is reflected in his painting, which is often compared to the techniques of sculptors.
In 2018, Jenny Saville became the most popular female artist in the world.
She is part of the British movement of young contemporary artists "Young British Artists" alongside Damien Hirst.
Damien Hirst
is one of the most famous artists in the contemporary art market.
Fascinated by the theme of death, this artist is known above all for his animals cut out and showcased in boxes filled with blue liquid.
Very creative in his artistic vision, Damien Hirst is at the origin of the biggest auctions of contemporary art.
In 2008, her work "Mother and Child Divided" sold for over 88 million euros at Sotheby's.
Man and nature in Peter Doig
Peter Doig is one of the most influential contemporary Scottish artists of the day.
Highly rated, some of his works exceed 10 million euros.A figurative painter apart from any conceptual reference, Doig draws inspiration from the German romantics, the symbolism of Munch and the naturalism of Edward Hopper.
His large-format paintings most often represent landscapes from Canada or Trinidad, where he spent a long time.
His paintings seduce by their color, their luminosity and their enigmatic character.
Neo-pop kitsch with Jeff Koons
Active on the international scene since the 1980s, Jeff Koons is best known for his colorful inflatables.
His monumental works are famous all over the world.
His famous “Balloon Dog,” a dog created from inflatable balloons, sold for over $ 58 million at an auction at Christie’s.
This sale propels Koons' work to the rank of the most expensive piece of art ever sold by a living artist.
The darling of pop art, Jeff Koons is today an icon of contemporary art. His kitsch-inspired compositions appeal as much as they challenge.
"Art toys" and pop art with Kaws
Brian Donelly, whose real name is Kawas, is an essential artist on the contemporary scene.
This New York artist is known for his works steeped in pop art culture.
Famous for his plastic sculptures called "art toys", Kaws navigates between the worlds of art, music and luxury.
Coming from the graffiti scene, he made a name for himself in the 1990s by embedding characters in the advertising posters of major brands with a style of his own. He displays his art in the streets of New York, London, Tokyo and Paris.
Neo-expressionism with Anselm Kiefer
Anselm Kiefer is a contemporary German painter famous around the world.
His paintings explore German identity in the postwar period. A symbolic rapprochement emerges with the materials used in his paintings: lead, concrete, dry productions, glass, barbed wire and paint.
The many layers of colored pastes give his paintings a sculptural structure arousing great emotion.
The art of photographic collage with JR
The French artist JR has been known internationally for several years in the art of photographic collage.
In 2019, he shakes up the international contemporary scene with a giant collage to mark the 30th anniversary of the Louvre pyramid.
This artist works mainly on giant portraits of anonymous people printed in black and white.
He constantly travels the planet to defend various causes. According to JR, art is a tool for questioning the world.
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