What Is Contemporary Art? A Beginner's Guide to Understanding It

Contemporary art is work made roughly from the late 20th century to the present, and its defining trait is not a single style but an attitude: it favors ideas, experimentation, and current concerns over a fixed set of rules. If you are trying to understand a contemporary piece, start with what the artist is doing with materials and subject matter rather than asking only "what is it supposed to look like?" This guide explains the term, how it relates to abstract and expressionistic work, and how to look at it with more confidence.

What "contemporary" actually means

"Contemporary" is a moving label. It generally covers art made from the 1960s–1970s onward through today, though many people use it more loosely for anything made by living or recently active artists. The key point is that contemporary art is defined by when and why it was made, not by one visual style.

That means a contemporary show can include:

• Abstract paintings with no recognizable subject
• Expressionistic figures with visible, energetic brushwork
• Mixed media on paper, combining paint, drawing, and other materials
• Whimsical or narrative imagery
• Prints, commissions, and one-of-a-kind originals

A single artist can move across all of these. For example, the Salida, Colorado artist Paulette Brodeur, established in 1994, works in mixed media on paper as well as acrylic and oil on canvas, and her site organizes work into categories like Abstract, Expressionistic, Whimsical, Landscapes, The Wild West, Day of the Dead, and Pet Portraits. That range is typical of contemporary practice: the through-line is the artist's perspective, not a uniform look.

Contemporary vs. abstract vs. expressionistic

These terms overlap, which is why beginners often confuse them. Think of them as answering different questions:

A painting can be all four at once. An abstract canvas made today with expressive brushwork and combined materials is contemporary, abstract, expressionistic, and mixed media. So "contemporary art" is not a synonym for "abstract art" — abstract art is one thing contemporary artists often make, not the definition of the field.

How to look at a contemporary piece

You do not need art history training to get more out of a work. Work through these in order:

1. Subject and theme. What is it about — a place, a person, a mood, an idea? Brodeur's categories (landscapes, kayakers, pet portraits, Day of the Dead) show how a theme can be specific and still be handled in a contemporary way.
2. Materials. Oil, acrylic, or mixed media on paper each behave differently. In her own words, she loves "the way the paint is pushed and spread, layered and smudged, scribbled and dabbed" — that physical process is part of the meaning.
3. Color and composition. Where does your eye go first? What is balanced or deliberately off-balance?
4. The artist's background. Context helps. Brodeur began her career at ten, when she won 2nd place at the Texas State Fair for an oil painting, and has since shown in galleries in the U.S. and Europe and been featured in publications including the New York Times, Denver Post, Boston Globe, 5280 Magazine, and Frommers.

Ask "what is the artist doing, and why?" instead of only "what does it look like?"

How contemporary art reaches you: originals, prints, commissions

If you want to move from looking to owning, the main paths differ in a few practical ways:

• Original paintings — one-of-a-kind works; you are buying the specific piece.
• Prints — reproductions or editioned works; usually a more accessible way to live with an image.
• Commissions — you work with the artist to create something new, such as a pet portrait.

Brodeur Studio Gallery has operated since 1994, and her contemporary paintings continue to be purchased by collectors. The site lists Prints and Commissions alongside the gallery categories, so those routes exist — but the source material does not state prices, so confirm cost and availability directly rather than assuming.

Visiting in person

Seeing contemporary work in person reveals texture and scale that photos flatten. Brodeur Studio Gallery is open by appointment or when the artist is working, Thursday–Saturday 12–4 and Sunday 12–4, and closed in bad weather during winter. Contact: [email protected]. Because hours depend on working sessions and weather, an appointment is the safer plan if you are traveling to Salida, CO specifically to visit.

The takeaway: contemporary art is best understood as recent work driven by ideas and experimentation across many styles and materials. Learn to read the materials, theme, and artist's intent, and you can engage with almost any piece — abstract, expressionistic, or otherwise.