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 in this list have gained recognition or proven their importance because their work has been shown in contemporary art exhibitions of worldwide importance, such as the documenta or the Venice Biennale, the Sao Paulo Art Biennial or exhibited in major modern or contemporary art museums and institutes.

There may be some overlap with the list of modern artists, since it is difficult to define the boundaries between modern and contemporary art.

Add names in alphabetical order.

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

• Marina Abramovic (born 1946), performance artist
• Vito Acconci (born 1940), architect & installation artist
• Rita Ackermann (born 1968), painter
• 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
• Chantal Akerman (born 1950), filmmaker
• Edward Allington (born 1951) sculptor
• Laurie Anderson (born 1947), performance artist
• Carl Andre (born 1935), sculptor
• Ida Applebroog (born 1929), painter
• Nobuyoshi Araki (born 1940), photographer

B

• Jo Baer (born 1929), painter
• John Baldessari (born 1931), conceptual artist
• 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
• Tobias Bernstrup (born 1970), video and performance artist
• 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)
• Iñaki Bonillas (born 1981)
• Eberhard Bosslet (born 1953)
• Louise Bourgeois (born 1911), sculptor
• Robert J Brawley (born 1936), painter
• Stuart Brisley (born 1933), performance artist
• Chris Burden (born 1946)

C

• Nuno de Campos (born 1969), painter
• Sophie Calle (born 1953)
• Janet Cardiff (born 1957), installation artist
• Norman Carlberg (born 1928), sculptor
• Gillian Carnegie (born 1971), painter
• James Casebere (born 1953), photographer
• Vija Celmins (born 1938)
• John Chamberlain (born 1928), sculptor
• Jake and Dinos Chapman (born 1966 & 1962)
• 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)
• Suzanne ClotzInstallation artist
• Tony Cragg (born 1945), sculptor
• Michael Craig-Martin (born 1941), painter, printmaker, digital artist, sculpture
• Martin Creed (born 1968), installation artist

D

• Ian Davenport (born 1966), painter and printmaker
• Ronald Davis (born 1937), abstract painter
• Richard Deacon (born 1949), sculptor
• Guy Denning (born 1965), painter
• Damon Denys (born 1974), painter
• Sebastian Diaz Morales (born 1975), Video Artist
• Braco Dimitrijevic (born 1948)
• Mark Divo (born 1966)
• Marlene Dumas (born 1953), painter
• John Duncan (born 1953), performance, installation artist

E

• Leif Elggren (born 1950)
• Ólafur Elíasson (born 1967)
• Tracey Emin (born 1963)
• Rob Erdle (1949-2006)
• Ali Omar Ermes (born 1945)
• Bracha Ettinger (born 1948)

F

• Jan Fabre (born 1958)
• Öjvind Fahlström (1928-1976)
• Ingrid Falk (born 1960)
• Bernd Fasching (born 1955)
• Kenneth Feingold (born 1952)
• Stephen Finer (born 1949)
• Dan Flavin (1933-1996)
• Bruno Fonseca (1958-1994)
• Caio Fonseca (born 1959)
• Peter Forakis (born 1927)
• Jane Frank (1918-1986)
• Helen Frankenthaler (born 1928), painter
• Lucien Freud (born 1922)
• Tom Friedman (born 1965), conceptual sculptor

G

• Harry Gamboa, Jr. (born 1951), Chicano artist
• H.R. Giger (born 1940)
• Gilbert and George, (born 1943 & 1942)
• Sam Gilliam (born 1933), painter
• Michael Goldberg (1924-2007), painter
• Jack Goldstein (1945-2003)
• Andy Goldsworthy (born 1956)
• Felix Gonzales-Torres (1957-1996)
• Antony Gormley (born 1950), sculptor
• Dan Graham (born 1942)
• Robert Graham (born 1938)
• Rodney Graham, (born 1949), photographer, installation artist
• Cleve Gray (1918-2004)
• Johannes Grenzfurthner (born 1975)
• Alex Grey (born 1953)
• Peter Grzybowski (born 1951), performance artist
• Don Gummer (born 1946), sculptor

H

• Hans Haacke (born 1936), conceptual artist
• Madeline Haase (born 1931)
• Karl Hagedorn (1922 - 2005), painter
• Richard Hamilton (born 1922)
• Keith Haring (1958-1990), painter, graffiti artist
• Mona Hatoum (born 1952), performance artist
• Tim Hawkinson (born 1960), sculpture artist
• Diango Hernandez (born 1970), conceptual artist, painter
• Eva Hesse (1936-1970)
• 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
• Pierre Huyghe (born 1962), media artist

I

• Ishikawa Koji (born 1968)
• John Stuart Ingle (born 1933), painter

J

• Alfredo Jaar (born 1956), conceptual artist
• Richard Jackson (born 1939), painter, installation
• Michael (Mike) Jansen (born 1951), painter, performer and composer
• Jeanne-Claude (born 1935)
• Jasper Johns (born 1930), painter, printmaker
• Dan Jones (born 1960), painter
• Donald Judd (1928-1994), sculptor
• Isaac Julien (born 1960), filmmaker

K

• Ilya Kabakov (born 1933), installation artist
• Eduardo Kac (born 1962), transgenic artist
• 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
• Miru Kim (born 1981), photography
• Bodys Isek Kingelez (born 1948), sculpture
• Martin Kippenberger (1953-1997)
• Komar and Melamid (born 1943 & 1945)
• Jeff Koons (born 1949)
• Frans Koppelaar (born 1943), 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
• Annika Larsson (born 1972), video artist
• Matthieu Laurette (born 1970), multimedia, conceptual, installation, video artist
• Lee Bul (born 1964), sculpture, installation, conceptual artist
• Lennie Lee (born 1958), multimedia, performance, video, photography
• 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
• Katarina Löfström (born 1970), video artist
• Richard Long (born 1945)
• Robert Longo (born 1953), painter and sculptor
• Rafael Lozano-Hemmer (born 1967), installation artist
• Cecilia Lundqvist (born 1971), video artist

M

• Totte Mannes (born 1933), painter
• Milovan Destil Marković (born 1957)
• Brice Marden (born 1938), painter
• Agnes Martin (1912-2004), painter
• Eugene J. Martin (1938-2005), 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)
• Stani Michiels (born 1973), artist and architect
• Franco Mondini-Ruiz (born 1961)
• 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

• Bruce Nauman (born 1941)
• Odd Nerdrum (born 1944), painter
• Alexander Ney (born 1939), sculptor and painter
• Graham Nicholls (born 1975), installation artist
• Kenneth Noland (born 1924), painter

O

• Albert Oehlen (born 1954), painter
• Markus Oehlen (born 1956), painter
• Chris Ofili (born 1968), painter
• Arthur Omar (born 1948), photographer, filmmaker, video and installation artist,
• Yoko Ono (born 1933), musician, artist
• Orlan (born 1947)
• Julian Opie (born 1958), digital artist

P

• Roxy Paine (born 1966), sculptor
• 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
• 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
• Philip Pocock (born 1954), internet and installation artist
• Mark Podwal (born 1945)
• Sigmar Polke (born 1941)
• Larry Poons (born 1937), painter
• Richard Prince (born 1949), painter and photographer
• Martin Puryear (born 1941), sculptor

Q

• Marc Quinn (born 1964), sculptor
• Tim Quinn (born 1956), algorist, sculptor

R

• 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
• Jesse Richards (born 1975), painter and filmmaker
• Gerhard Richter (born 1932), painter
• Ken Rinaldo (born 1958), electronic installation/robotics
• James Rosenquist (born 1933), painter
• Ernest Ruckle (born 1940), painter
• Thomas Ruff (born 1958), photographer
• Edward Ruscha (born 1937), painter, printmaker and filmmaker

S

• Chéri Samba (born 1956), painter
• Jean-Michel Sanejouand (born 1934), painter and sculptor
• Dominique Sanson (born 1949), painter
• Bojan Sarcevic (born 1974), sculptor
• 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
• Joel Shapiro (born 1941), sculptor
• Cindy Sherman (born 1954), photographer, performance artist
• Amy Sillman (born 1966), painter
• Lorna Simpson (born 1960), interdisciplinary artist
• Bob and Roberta Smith (born 1958)
• Michael Snow (born 1929), filmmaker, musician, painter
• Keith Sonnier (born 1941), sculptor
• Konstantia Sofokleous (born 1974), animation artist
• Frank Stella (born 1936), painter, printmaker
• Nathaniel Stern (born 1977) interdisciplinary artist
• Sarah Sze (born 1969), sculptor

T

• Tomoko Takahashi (born 1966), installation artist
• Mark Tansey (born 1966), painter
• Arthur Thrall (born 1926), printmaker, painter
• Wolfgang Tillmans (born 1968), photographer
• Rirkrit Tiravanija (born 1961)
• Mark Titchner painter and philosopher
• Helmut Tollmann (born 1945), painter
• Scott Treleaven (born 1975)
• Richard Tuttle (born 1941), postminimalist
• Luc Tuymans (born 1958), painter
• Keith Tyson (born 1969)

U

• Francis Upritchard (born 1976)

V

• Cybèle Varela (born 1943)
• Bill Viola (born 1951)
• John Virtue (born 1947)
• Carl Michael von Hausswolff (born 1956)

W

• Jeff Wall (born 1946), photographer
• Magnus Wallin (born 1965), video artist
• Andy Warhol (born 1928), pop artist
• Lawrence Weiner (born 1942), conceptual artist
• 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
• Francesca Woodman (1958-1981), photographer
• Wu Guanzhong (born 1919), painter

Y

• Peter Young (born 1940), painter

Z

• Larry Zox (1936-2006), painter