What Is Contemporary Art?

Contemporary art is the art of now. It’s made by living artists—across disciplines, mediums, and cultures—and it speaks to the complexity of our world in real time. Sometimes it’s political. Sometimes intensely personal. Sometimes it’s a giant blue rooster. Or a set of instructions on a simple notecard.

The answer is simple: contemporary art is art made today by living artists. At its core, contemporary art reflects this moment in culture: our identities, technologies, tensions and dreams. It reflects the complex issues that shape our diverse, global, and rapidly changing world. Through their work, many contemporary artists explore personal or cultural identity, offer critiques of social and institutional structures, or even attempt to redefine art itself. In the process, they often raise difficult or thought-provoking questions without providing easy answers. Curiosity, an open mind, and a commitment to dialogue and debate are the best tools with which to approach a work of contemporary art.

Since its founding in 1940, the Walker has been a platform for contemporary artists creating what’s next. As a center for contemporary art, the Walker champions art in all its expressions—from the visual arts to performing arts to moving image and design—and supports the artists who stretch the edges of each medium. These works often challenge our ideas about what art should look like or how it should behave. During your visit, you might encounter a dance in which the movement is barely perceptible or a painting made from nothing more than fabric and light.

Questioning established forms is something artists have always done, and supporting today’s makers as they experiment with new, multidisciplinary ways of working is central to the Walker’s mission. But it isn’t just about what’s on our walls, stages, or screens. It’s about the exchange between you and contemporary art itself. We are committed to offering audiences deep and meaningful access to the ideas that animate the works. Lectures, post-show conversations, informal receptions, and long-term community residencies are just a few of the ways our visitors can gain real-time insight into an artist’s creative process. This kind of direct engagement with the artwork and artists of our own time is only possible at a center for contemporary art.

Whether you are surprised, perplexed, or thrilled by what you see, we hope you are inspired to reflect on the issues important to you and your community. Please come back often, and remember: every artwork was once contemporary.

So what is contemporary art? It’s your world, as seen through the eyes of today’s artists. It reflects personal and cultural identity, critiques social and institutional structures, and sometimes attempts to redefine art itself. It’s a mirror. A megaphone. A meeting place. And most importantly, it’s happening now.