Ten Defining 21st-Century Paintings Highlighted in Contemporary Art Survey
A recent survey highlights ten significant paintings from the 21st century, reflecting the development of the art form. Among these, Luc Tuymans's 'Still Life' from 2002, housed in the Pinault Collection, explores the trauma following 9/11. Julie Mehretu's 2004 piece, 'Stadia II,' showcases dynamic architectural shapes. In 2017, Cy Twombly's 2005 'Untitled' from the 'Bacchus' series fetched $46,437,500 at Christie's. Gerhard Richter's 'Cage 1–6' from 2006 has been exhibited at both Gagosian and Tate Modern. David Hockney's 2007 'Bigger Trees Near Warter' measures over 4.5 by 12 meters. Marlene Dumas's 2008 'Dead Marilyn' critiques celebrity culture, while Nicole Eisenman's 2009 'The Triumph of Poverty' nods to historical artists. Mickalene Thomas's 2010 work reinterprets Manet, and Dana Schutz's 2016 'Open Casket' ignited controversy. Lastly, Amy Sherald's 2018 portrait of Michelle Obama is a landmark piece.
Key facts
- The list includes ten paintings created between 2002 and 2018.
- Luc Tuymans's 'Still Life' (2002) debuted at Documenta 11 and is in the Pinault Collection.
- Cy Twombly's 'Untitled' (2005) sold for $46,437,500 at Christie's New York in 2017.
- Gerhard Richter's 'Cage 1–6' (2006) was inspired by composer John Cage.
- David Hockney's 'Bigger Trees Near Warter' (2007) measures over 4.5 by 12 meters.
- Mickalene Thomas's 2010 work reinterprets Édouard Manet's 'Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe'.
- Dana Schutz's 'Open Casket' (2016) provoked controversy at the 2017 Whitney Biennial.
- Amy Sherald's portrait of Michelle Obama (2018) hangs in the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery.
Entities
Artists
- Luc Tuymans
- Julie Mehretu
- Cy Twombly
- Gerhard Richter
- David Hockney
- Marlene Dumas
- Nicole Eisenman
- Mickalene Thomas
- Dana Schutz
- Amy Sherald
- Kehinde Wiley
- Andy Warhol
- Édouard Manet
- Hans Holbein the Younger
- Pieter Bruegel the Elder
- John Cage
- Cézanne
- Marilyn Monroe
- Emmett Till
- Mamie Till-Mobley
- Michelle Obama
- Barack Obama
- Condoleezza Rice
- Parker Bright
- Hannah Black
- Malcolm Bull
Institutions
- Pinault Collection
- Documenta
- Palazzo Grassi
- Christie's
- Gagosian
- Tate Modern
- David Zwirner
- ICA Philadelphia
- MoMA
- Whitney Biennial
- Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery
- Petzel Gallery
- Contemporary Art Issue
Locations
- Venice
- Italy
- New York
- United States
- Beverly Hills
- Berlin
- Germany
- Mississippi
- Yorkshire
- United Kingdom
- Warter
- Congo
- Belgium
- Ethiopia
- South Africa
- France