In the Here and Now – Contemporary Art
Contemporary art goes beyond simply beautiful images. It explores concepts, ideas and forms of expression relating to our everyday lives today, which is what makes it so fascinating. Contemporary art is bold, experimental and accessible. No historical context is required here; the present age is explored artistically. The original works from the student art market invite you to engage with them and add character to your space. For everyone who appreciates vibrant art.
Contemporary Art – The Present in Colour
Contemporary art is a living reflection of our present: diverse, ever-changing and open to new forms of expression. It responds to social developments, draws on the artists’ personal perspectives and playfully combines tradition with innovation. This freedom is particularly evident in contemporary painting – colours, materials and techniques are recombined and experimented with in new ways. Visual habits are questioned, motifs reinterpreted, conventions broken. It is not merely about depicting reality, but about triggering something in the viewer: emotions, thoughts, moments of surprise. It is precisely this openness that makes contemporary art so appealing – it remains in constant flux and invites you to see the world through fresh eyes.
What is contemporary painting?
Contemporary art and artists stand in a long line of art-historical influences and build on movements such as Impressionism, Expressionism, Surrealism, Pop Art, Realism or Cubism and more. From Pablo Picasso to Mark Rothko and Andy Warhol – strong personalities have laid the vital foundations upon which today’s art continues to develop. At the same time, new media have become established: digital art, video art, performance art, installations and mixed media, which expand upon classical painting.
Contemporary art is characterised by its thematic openness. It reflects social, political, cultural or personal issues. Contemporary artworks can be loud or quiet, abstract or figurative, playful, austere, poetic or confrontational. It is not the style that matters, but the attitude: contemporary art explores the here and now. What moves us? Which themes need to be brought to the fore? And how can colours, shapes or materials help to express this?
Its spatial impact also makes contemporary art particularly exciting. A vibrant field of colour can inject energy into an office, a calm abstract motif can lend depth to a living room, and a politically charged work can transform corridors into spaces for reflection. Contemporary art creates atmosphere, broadens our perspective and opens up spaces for reflection – whether you prefer clean lines, expressive gestures or minimalist compositions. Within the diversity of contemporary art, you’ll always find works that suit you and your sense of space.
Modern art: what’s the difference?
Modern art and contemporary art are often used interchangeably in everyday language, but they refer to two different periods. Modern art began around the 1870s and continued into the 1960s. It is characterised by a break with classical painting: Abstraction, new perspectives, vibrant experiments with colour and radical forms of expression shaped the thinking of the modern era. Artists such as Monet, Kandinsky, Matisse, Picasso and Chagall played a decisive role in shaping these modern works of art.
Contemporary art, on the other hand, builds on this phase. It is a further development of the artistic experiments of modernism, yet is even more open to social and political issues. It combines traditional media with new technologies, challenges role models, explores identities and utilises performative or digital forms. A key difference lies in its temporal context: modern art reflects the changes of the early 20th century – whilst contemporary art is created today and influenced by present-day perspectives.
Whilst modern art focused heavily on formal innovations in painting, contemporary art goes one step further: it engages with global challenges, cultural exchange, diversity and individuality. In doing so, it invites dialogue and reflection and finds its place in both museums and private homes.
Buy original contemporary art
Buying contemporary art means not only bringing an aesthetic object into your home, but also a piece of the present, a thought, an attitude. That’s what makes the purchase so special: contemporary painters and modern abstract art appeal to you because they stir something within you – and enrich your everyday life for the long term. At Studierenden Kunstmarkt, you can buy modern art online and find a selection of originals by contemporary artists that meet precisely this criterion. Each work tells its own story and brings fresh perspectives to your space.
With us, you’re not buying from anonymous dealers, but receiving your modern painting directly from the artists’ studios. This means you get authentic contemporary art with a personal story – whilst also supporting the careers of young artists. Contemporary art can transform spaces: abstract modern art makes a statement in the living room, a serene colour study creates atmosphere in the office, and a figurative painting becomes a conversation starter in your practice or studio. Our range includes expressive modern paintings, abstract compositions, experimental forms and much more – all characterised by the openness typical of contemporary art. Get to know our contemporary artists:
Jana Mertens combines silent figures with great expressiveness: Her protagonists comment on social issues or the absurdities of everyday life without uttering a single word – sometimes critically, sometimes with subtle humour. Born in Wilhelmshaven and now living in Oldenburg, she is studying Art and Media as well as Philosophy at Carl von Ossietzky University. After early portrait drawings and her first technical experiences whilst studying for her A-levels in art, she discovered her passion for oil painting during her degree. Surrealism in particular shapes her current work: inspired by Edward Hopper and René Magritte, she develops visual worlds that interweave the familiar and the unfamiliar. In her series *Strangers*, she gives this approach a distinct style – calm, enigmatic, haunting.
Emiliano Bartling lives and works in Hamburg and pursues a style of painting that oscillates between abstraction and figuration. His studies at the University of Fine Arts, Hamburg, under Simon Denny, as well as his previous stints in Braunschweig with Frances Scholz and Thomas Rentmeister, have shaped his conceptual thinking. Awards such as the Deutschlandstipendium and funding from the Cusanuswerk underscore the relevance of his work. Emiliano’s painting appears almost three-dimensional, material-focused and sculptural; a field in which art-historical references appear alongside pop culture, internet aesthetics and digital imagery. With subtle humour, an analytical eye and a visible delight in materials, he questions conventional ways of seeing and strikes a balance between seriousness and playful openness.
Maximilian Dussmann has been studying at the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts since 2021 and has been furthering his work in the Image and Space specialism since 2024. His artistic career began with an apprenticeship as a graphic designer and cartoonist, before he became completely captivated by painting. A semester abroad at the Art Academy of Latvia in 2025 broadened his international perspective. His abstract paintings feature distorted, fluid figures and forms that explore themes such as physicality, identity and perception. Complemented by minimalist texts that succinctly capture social realities, an exciting dialogue emerges between form and narrative. Through his clear, direct visual language, Maximilian creates works that resonate both emotionally and intellectually.
