Does art move you? Can contemporary artistry be defined? Some argue that current artists must challenge the nature of "Artwork" itself. Contemporary art dares to defy description with more techniques, materials, and mediums available than ever before. The expression of individuality has never been more celebrated than in the modern-day, and we want to discuss ten of the most influential voices of our time.  

Quick definitions: Modern Art is anything created between the 1860s and 1970s. The Modern Art movement began as a rebellion by artists frustrated with the strict academic boundaries placed on them. Choked by narrow definitions, they struck out against the doctrine of the great art schools of the time. In contrast, Contemporary Art is “the art of today,” produced after this period and notable for its lack of defining characteristics. 

10. Joan Cornella 

Barcelona-born, Joan Cornella Vazquez has struck international fame through his unique ability to entertain, enrapture, and despair at the outrageous behaviors of the modern day. Characterized by bubble-gum bright color palettes, manically smiling figures, and simple satirical phrases, he has collaborated with publications like the New York Times, Le Monde, and El Periodico. 

9. Damien Hirst

Turner Prize winner Damien Hirst is the most prominent member of the Young British Artists that dominated the English art scene in the 1990s. An expert in the provocative, his groundbreaking works hit death, rebirth, medicine, and morality. Few will forget 2003 when he released a series of pieces consisting of animals preserved in formaldehyde, most notable among them a shark, sheep, and a cow.  

8. Jeff Koons 

Emerging in the 1980s, Koons embodied the philosophy “shock and awe.” Producing work after work with a pointed aim at modern society. He refused to stay within the limits of one medium, dipping his toes not only in the painting world but those of sculpture and photography as well. His illustrious career spans numerous solo exhibitions worldwide, catapulting the “King of Kitsch” to America’s Most Expensive Artist spot. The sale of his work “The Rabbit” closed at almost 92 million USD. 

7. Cecily Brown 

Ms. Brown is credited as a critical influencer in the resurgence of painting around the turn of the century. Highly regarded in the Art world, her pieces blur the lines between expression and abstract. Focusing heavily on the female form, her works have been described as erotic, violent, and disturbing simultaneously. Originally from England, she moved to New York in the mid-1990s to pursue her career and hasn’t looked back. 

6. Yayoi Kusama 

Yayoi Kusama paints herself as the quintessential “obsessional artist”; she voluntarily admitted herself into a psychiatric hospital in Tokyo over 40 years ago. At 91 years of age, she works with a team for a minimum of ten hours daily before returning to the ward where she still resides. The “Most Loved Artist in the World” uses art to free herself of her experiences in Japan during the Second World War and her demons. The dots that formed the basis of many of her hallucinations are repeated consistently throughout her works.

5. Jenny Saville 

Another alumnus of the Young British Artists, Jenny Saville, defied previous conceptions about figurative painting. A maestro in the female form, her works are often large scale and center on women’s bodies. Her use of oil paint gives a visceral, alive feeling to her subject matter, and in her quest to breathe true life into her work, she shadowed a plastic surgeon to gain even more insight into the human body. This devotion to precision paid off as she has now taken the title of the world’s most expensive female artist. 

4. Ai Weiwei 

Ai WeiWei is the most famous Chinese artist living today. Studying art in New York in the 90s, he felt the sharp circumscription in his ability to express his beliefs through art on returning to his native country. His experiences stateside solidified his commitment to fighting against the human rights violations he could see happening all around him. As he rose to fame in the Beijing art scene, he experienced government surveillance and the unexpected destruction of his studios. A committed anti-authoritarian, he was one of the first artists to use social media as a tool to express their views. 

3. Takashi Murakami

The “Warhol of Japan” is influential in his own right, having carved out a unique space in which “high” and “low” art has no distinction. Manga, sculpture, pop culture, and paint combine into “maniacally cheerful” works, playing on the Japanese concept of otaku. Creating the genre “Superflat,” which aims to merge Japanese history and modern pop culture, he is deeply critical of Western intervention in Japan. 

2. Jean-Michel Basquiat 

Though dying at only 28 in the late 1980s, his legacy remains in the contemporary art space. A tumultuous life saw his art carry him from sleeping on the streets and coating downtown New York in his graffiti to being considered one of the leaders of the Neo-Expressionist movement. Befriended by Andy Warhol, his art contained a rich visual alphabet of symbols, markings, and figures and explored his mixed African, Latino, and American background. He tragically passed due to a heroin overdose. 

1. Bansky

A political activist, graffiti artist, and international prankster, Bansky has risen meteorically to the world of elite artists while retaining his anonymity. Playing on dark humor, subversion, and satire, he continues to draw attention on the international stage with stunts, including shredding his piece just as it sold for millions at auction. Through his trademark stencil aesthetic, he makes striking statements about the modern-day political and social climate. 

Stay informed about the exciting and ever-changing world of art and auctions - whether you’re a seasoned collector or just getting your feet wet. We curate & deliver the most essential & exciting art and auction news, once a week (in a way that won’t make you fall asleep.) Sign up via the form below!