Contemporary art refers broadly to art made in the present and recent past, typically understood as work produced from roughly the 1980s or later that reflects the complex cultural, social, and technological conditions of our time. Rather than subscribing to a single stylistic programme or unified ideology, Contemporary art is distinguished by its plurality of materials, methods, concepts, and subjects, and by its openness to constant redefinition as artists engage with the world around them. It encompasses a wide range of practices: from painting, sculpture, and installation to performance, video, digital media, and participatory forms. Contemporary art in India emerged in the early 1990s against the backdrop of economic liberalisation and rapid globalisation, distinguished by its engagement with pressing socio-political realities—from gendered violence and religious polarisation to surveillance and militarisation—while also negotiating legacies of modernism and national narratives. Practitioners such as Subodh Gupta, Bharti Kher, Shilpa Gupta, Jitish Kallat, and Mithu Sen exemplify this eclectic and pluralistic field, whose practices continue to evolve within both national and global discourses.

Read—A Guide to 101 Modern and Contemporary Indian Artists by Amrita Jhaveri