The broad and widely-accepted definition of contemporary art refers to a new approach to art that began in 1945. Sculpture is a type of contemporary art that is used to create pop art, street art, and many other subcategories of contemporary art. What is contemporary sculpture? Read on as Artalistic brings you on a deep dive into the world of contemporary sculpture.



What is contemporary sculpture



Contemporary art: a paradigm shift 

Contemporary art is a new art form that came after the modern art movement. From an ontological point of view, contemporary art breaks the rules of classical art in order to reinvent itself, perpetually innovating and changing. One of the most important goals of contemporary art is to stop representing or capturing the world’s beauty and instead bringing a new perspective to the artwork with a more detached and distanced view without compromising the critical spirit inherent in contemplation.

Sculpture is a very important branch of contemporary art. However, you may be wondering what contemporary sculpture is exactly? There are several definitions. One of the most widely accepted definitions is as follows – it is a creative activity aimed at creating 3D forms using a variety of techniques. Contemporary sculptors produce this work using a variety of materials:

- Wood

- Steel

- Clay

- Metal (bronze, aluminum, pewter), plastic

- Cement

- etc.

Another one of contemporary sculpture’s main goals is to make contemporary art accessible to as many people as possible.



Contemporary sculpture and its various forms 

Contemporary art has branched off into countless new forms of art, such as, pop art, street art and land art.

Contemporary sculpture is a branch of contemporary art that often conveys an emotion that can lead to a critical distancing from the object, prompting the viewer to reflect on the meaning of creation itself and its place in the world around us.

Contemporary sculpture can take on countless forms and can implement a broad array of techniques. It's not necessary to have a perfect understanding of the artist's style or the work they create. What’s important is the emotion it provokes in you and how you interpret it.



Techniques

There are many different techniques for creating contemporary sculpture. These include:

- modelling, a technique used to create sculptures with your hands (earth, clay) 

- carving: extracting solid pieces from a block of raw material to create objects (wood, stone, ice, metal, polymers, etc.)

- assembly: bringing together different media to create a work of art

- 3D creation using computer software to create virtual objects that can then be brought to life using high-tech printers.

It's worth noting that new digital and IT tools are being used more frequently to create contemporary sculptures.



Examples of contemporary sculpture

There are many great works of art in the world of contemporary sculpture.

In 2013, the American Paul Riley made headlines with his work Light Bowl, which was a white bowl on a red background that symbolized loneliness.

The French artist Christian Hirlay, who often uses steel as his raw material, is also well known for his sculptures of animals and unicorns.

The iconic American artist Keith Haring (1958-1990) is one of the most famous artists from the street art movement who created countless works of art using an array of media.

The New York artist Jeff Koons is one of the most famous contemporary art sculptors who is famous for his steel Balloon Dogs.



Artalistic: one of the leading sites for buying contemporary art online



We hope that you have enjoyed our article about contemporary sculpture. Artalistic – one of the leading sites for buying and selling art online – brings you a large selection of contemporary sculptures for sale. Feel free to browse our collection of contemporary art and sculpture.

Feel free to browse Artalistic’s online gallery and explore contemporary artwork made with an array of media, including painting, photography and drawing, as well as limited edition prints by well-established and emerging artists.