The Most Famous Painters Today: A Reasoned Top 20 Using Objective Career Facts

[@nerfed6650]

I think being a master of "how you market your paintings" is the most important skill to adapt by the contemporary artists.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Or who you meet. Successful artists don't represent themselves but are being advised, supported and represented by excellent galleries. When there is a match, and the market and art world are enthousiast, great things can happen for an artist.

[@nerfed6650]

@@contemporaryartissueThank you for telling me that. Actually I'm an artist too, perhaps I should keep creating artworks and leave my comfort zone to meet great people.

[@contemporaryartissue]

@@nerfed6650 You should, get involved and things will happen!

[@scagmower3314]

Andre Herring art is wayyy better

[@c.w.6318]

I think in the opposite direction.

[@thomaspollhammer9627]

the most successful painters in business. Nothing more.

[@asstatedbelow9599]

Ain't that the truth... I chalk it up to good marketing

[@Vera-kh8zj]

correct. Interesting to note how many Germans made the list. Germans, Americans, Austrian.

[@hilohahoma1547]

Perhaps that would be a more appropriate title for this video. Art can be a volatile subject, pretentious ambitions abound and we the viewers must be aware and savvy for we are swimming in a sea of charlatans and publicity agents.

[@YoungDirtyMexicanOfficially]

@@Vera-kh8zj and not many black or brown artists....

[@W00DMAST3R]

Aren't Damien Hirst and Banksy even more famous and successful when it comes to selling art? I am wondering why they even didn't show up on this list...

[@wildfood1]

Watching this video put me in mind of the Dutch tulip craze.

[@perryaustin9821]

Now I know why myself and many artists I know are not famous. We are TOO GOOD!

[@PaTroNxMoD]

exactly

[@raoulduke5540]

there is an interview with an old director to the CIA, he explain why they promote the contemporary art in seventies. its not art but propaganda

[@Powitree1]

So..as to what is considered great art..I should skew my realism like most of these artists do...the weirder, the more attractive apparently... I've been working too hard.

[@johnstamos5579]

Never seen so much crap on one video

[@pilapila183]

@@Powitree1 Realism doesn't sell as well because you aren't doing anything new. You're not bringing anything to the table that we haven't seen for hundreds of years now. It's skillful but it's tired

[@georgelewicki877]

It's heart warming to see that even the untalented artist is given a voice through platforms as this!

[@contemporaryartissue]

😂

[@khalilac17]

Lmao, it's a load of rubbish

[@ART27ODYSSEY]

@@khalilac17 kzbin.info/www/bejne/p3zapIVsrcyad9k

[@ART27ODYSSEY]

@@contemporaryartissue kzbin.info/www/bejne/fmHKc4R6oqqppKs

[@SculptExpress-gv8jp]

🍻😂

[@fenner4117]

Regardless of how "important" or "groundbreaking" any of this art is, there isn't a single painting out of everything I just saw that I would want hanging on my wall.

[@contemporaryartissue]

De gustibus et colorbus... Thank you for tuning in!

[@XNY_Music]

It's not about pretty and well-proportioned, it's more to do with your ability to convince someone that it actually relates to something conceptual and is therefore worth obscene amounts of money.

[@thatrandomchannel8589]

@@XNY_Musicit’s about BS-ing a millionaire to buy a piece of garbage from an art gallery. “Did you here what’s his face multi billionaire bought X for Y$”. That’s it.

[@XNY_Music]

@@thatrandomchannel8589 The artist in question has to be on to something that is unique and also that the value of their work is on an upward trajectory.

[@noahlinkon496]

I could hang a Frank Stella

[@amberdreams_0]

I was surprised to see so few artists whose work I was familiar with, let alone had heard of, in this list of supposedly famous artists. And puzzled as to why so many of them were either German or Austrian, male and born in the '40s. It did make me wonder how their influence has been measured.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Hi there, thank you for watching and for joining us in the comments. The list has been created by the Artfacts algorithm which ranks artists based upon objective data and career facts (such as shows at major institutions, auction results, biennials, collections, et cetera). Indeed, the algorithm favors a certain generation of artists as it highly rates longevity.

[@amberdreams_0]

@@contemporaryartissue Hmm that certainly skews the results in their favour!

[@contemporaryartissue]

@@amberdreams_0 I agree with you 100%. When it comes to painting, the 'oldest' living painters are born around 1935-1945 had their peak in the 70s and 80s. At this point in time, the most important tendencies were Neo Expressionism (Neue Wilden & Viennese Actionism) and New European Painting reinvigorating the public's interest in painting and figurative painting after a period of pure abstraction, minimalism and conceptual art. That makes these painters so valuable and therefore the most exhibited or 'most famous'.

[@casteretpollux]

@@contemporaryartissue Are you sure you understand how algorithms work?

[@AndyCropperArt]

@@contemporaryartissue interesting ... a suggestion .. is there a way to find out the relative worth of artists born to different decades .. you could make a top 10 of those born in the 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's etc.. that too might bring up a more varied list and show a shift towards more women and non-white painters .

[@geoffreywarburton]

Contemporary art is the house style sanctioned by governments. Gnomic to the point of being meaningless, too incomprehensible to offend anyone, revolutionary in only the most sterile and harmless of ways, the works are essentially tokens used in elaborate tax scams. The effect any exhibition produces is a kind of weary dismay, which always elicits the question no one apparently dares ask: 'Is this it? Is this the best we can do?'

[@michaeljohnchapman8772]

We ? Do you paint ? And what about the world of contemporary literature, music, poetry? Or does good art mean 'technical facsimiles' ?

[@peterlangbridge4286]

The actual evidence is, and not necessarily here, that artistic talent is unlimited. There's plenty of good and sometimes excellent art and music to look at and listen to.

[@armstronghawkins9183]

Oh, my friend. The U.S. government has abandoned art decades ago.

[@jimmarks6437]

Never a more true comment than this. The world art market is run by controlling elite fraudsters.You said it all, geoffrey warburton. The scam is deep and dark.

[@petrolillos]

You nailed it, man.

[@SnartNik]

Thanks to everyone who named their favorites who did not make this list. It helped me to create a list of artists to check out. Thank you for producing this video.

[@contemporaryartissue]

That's wonderful! Teamwork makes the dream work! ;-)

[@hughjazz64]

And well-done for including a grand total of two female artists in this overwhelmingly patriarchal list of supposed "most famous" artists. Truly groundbreaking stuff.

[@ryanperrault8174]

@@hughjazz64 Most of the famous artists and ones at the top of the list are men though, so it's factually accurate. It doesn't mean they don't appreciate art by women. Relax buddy.

[@SillyTube9]

An algorithm is deciding this? Instantly problematic.

[@janlooper5423]

This is really out of date. Hockney hasn't lived in LA for a decade or more.

[@fanos2222]

From the drawings, I concluded I was one of the best artist when I was in grade 2. Now I lost all that nonsense drawings. I wish I have saved all my drawings.

[@volkantum]

Picasso once said " It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child. " . I also think the paintings you did in 2nd grade mostly are not nonsense. They were pure and core emotional expressions.

[@davidinger961]

All I can say about this is they must be amazing sales people!

[@PaTroNxMoD]

throw a tub paint on a canvas and call it art

[@keithgreenan7300]

It's what prominent art critic promotes your work

[@cibreopirate]

And I bet your five year old could do better.

[@myoldmanbaby]

We can't all be moved by beauty or interested in human experimentation and expression. I feel bad for you.

[@keithgreenan7300]

@@myoldmanbaby I am an artist and my favorite artist is vincent van gogh but when someone paints a canvas in one color like a wall that's not art.jackson pollack painted some interesting pixtures

[@nostalgic324]

I rolled my eyes during the entire video

[@Corrie-gk4go]

yes, maybe it's better to educate yourself first.

[@Johnconno]

Across the floor?

[@justanotherisekaiprotagoni7293]

Lol same no Kerry James Marshall or Kehinde Wiley or none

[@Demention94]

@@Corrie-gk4go Maybe it's not

[@barombolobombolo1501]

@@Corrie-gk4go could say the same to you

[@carljoseph8825]

I think there are some amazing artists on that list. It’s just hard for me to believe that the top artist in the world are old white men from Germany.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Yes, it's uncanny to see so many painters from the same generation of German painters in this top 20.

[@alexerz-geholz8924]

Why? Although the United States tried to seize the primacy in contemporary art, it is in Europe where the tradition is, and these "old white men from Germany", despite what they do, are heirs to a true Academy. While taking into account that, apart from the American mercantilist system, it is Germany who has created the "rules of the game" of contemporary art.

[@sweetiegraham3090]

You are correct in saying that the list comprises of old white men. Whether some are amazing is a matter of taste which I do not share with you.

[@hudiscool4186]

Bigazo alzo vas german ya ya!

[@ojayciao9652]

There are many others that are of other ethnicities that are more recognized for their artististry than many on this list. I can think of at least two from Asia, several in the US, and Africa.

[@ajwpowertothepeople3766]

That the world gone mad, is beyond doubt.

[@printesarazboinica4807]

Mad,mad,mad!🙄

[@davidbloem8122]

The video does prove this quite comprehensively I agree.

[@ajwpowertothepeople3766]

@@davidbloem8122 it sure does!

[@temotemosal2738]

Absolutly!!!

[@bozmundarts2614]

Well.. not really! This is just a *piece* of the art world! A market created by rich people to pass money around and keep around only "prestigious" artists around... or who will become one. Galleries manage their prices to a point that'd be illegal in most industries... everything else about it, is just a bluff! Look around the world, and people, to make a living and art in much healthier communities who just respect each other's work...

[@faithexplorers1]

And yet, interestingly, I haven't seen a single painting from any of these artists, worthy of hanging on my wall. I suppose, in the end, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

[@contemporaryartissue]

It certainly is! Thank you for tuning in

[@reubencooper2608]

If this is the best artist today iam shocked

[@contemporaryartissue]

I do agree on Gerhard Richter being the most famous painter of today. However 'the best' is a whole different discussion and very subjective.

[@davidbloem8122]

True, this is so much of the same old stuff. Trying to be as artsy, vague and “provoking” as possible, aka getting away with as little effort as possible, thinking of some vague reasoning and making the sheit for tax evaders. The results are absolute tragically shit in my opinion. The emperor is wearing no clothes. Old hobbyists prolific in filling canvasses.

[@TheHighlanderprime]

Not artists in general, painters according to this presentation.

[@artvsmachine]

@@davidbloem8122 "tragically shit" made me laugh. It's funny how much people hate contemporary art. Here, though, I think a lot of it is the presentation as well as the selection. Kiefer and Richter have done some great stuff, but, their fame has gotten to their heads and their more recent work has softened, and that's what we are seeing here.

[@luisaritosa9700]

best painters

[@semloclusa1630]

These artists are famous and successful ONLY BECAUSE the “Art Establishments” i.e. the “Art Industrial Complex” tells us so; for example: Art critics, art gallery owners, art gallery reception desk worker pretending they’re doing something important on their latest Mac, art school professors, brainwashed art school students wasting their parents money, art museum curators, art auctioneers, self-important over-priced Art magazines, popular culture news/media/gossip presenters, actors, con-artists, cult leaders, liars, adulterers, pop singers, fashion models, charismatic preachers wearing skinny jeans, satan, the NY times, politicians and other “contemporary artists”. Oh, and especially Jeff Koons.

[@mariaisabelgarciavazquez9675]

It's sad, cause there are real artist out there that you can't compare to these. They are really creators, pure artists. But they are so absorbed into their work, that they don't have time to sell theslmelves as Dali did, or these once are doing, they don't express nor create anything.

[@h.b16]

Artists just aren’t the same as they used to be, like da Vinci, Picasso, and Van Gogh. These guys were geniuses. The art I saw in Paris was unmatched. That’s the kind of art that fascinates me.

[@mamamia6925]

Kiefer is also a a genious!

[@zatushne]

I was also not particularly impressed by the art of the artists from this selection. I recognized only Richter. But not all modern artists do something superficial. I advise you to search for Ivan Marchuk on Google

[@laurinioperdomo7683]

Well, you won't find that in this list, but they do exist, and there is a whole new generation that is following those steps.

[@majdavojnikovic]

Looking at nationalities of most famous artists, it looks like the world wide fame can be achieved only in few places.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Great point! I was very surprised - and yet at the same time it is somewhat self-explanatory - to find so many artists from the three major political powers of the previous century: Germany, Great Britain and the United States. How power, politics and art are intertwined...

[@rmdebora]

And the right gender and skin color…

[@okamivolgan]

"Art" thrive in places where there are no wars ,no famine ,nor ignorance not colored skin.

[@madArt1981]

@@okamivolgan Oh, Really?

[@Johnconno]

And that place is Austria!

[@slightlyconfused876]

Always had a downer on Hockney, then I went to an exhibition at the Tate and realised I'd been wrong all the time. A genius.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Amen! He's brilliant indeed, saw a great retrospective recently at BOZAR in Brussels. Thank you for tuning in!

[@KpxUrz5745]

And I tried to keep an open mind on Hockney. Then became more familiar with his work, and now I feel confident in saying that all of it is overrated, and none of it is actually good.

[@toddaulner5393]

2nd behind Keifer in my list

[@268TERI]

As a Gerhard Richter fan I was glad to see him listed as #1. As a woman who has done doctoral research on the struggles women artists have always had navigating their way through the male gatekeepers of the art world, I was shocked at the ugly and tasteless art works that depicted the "top mostly male artists" in this study. Two out of twenty: it seems not much has changed over the centuries for women artists.

[@contemporaryartissue]

The list has been created by an algorithm (by Artfacts) that ranks artists based upon objective data and career facts (such as shows at major institutions, auction results, biennials, collections, et cetera). In other words, the list does not discriminate, however, it illustrates the art world still does - or certainly when it comes to this 'older generation of artists' with great longevity which is valued strongly for this list. However, I am convinced the list will be much more diverse within 10 or 20 years. For instance, our video on the top artists born after 1970 was much more diverse, using the same algorithm. Thank you for tuning in

[@matthewgardner5983]

bitter are we ?

[@heraldeventsandfilms5970]

@@matthewgardner5983 The overcrowded art 'industry' has many such people. Their work is never good and they find scapegoats. For this one it is men. Nobody is holding women back at all. It's just an excuse for not being very good.

[@arthurw1604]

Maybe women should start making good art then? Also most of them are sharlatans

[@matthewgardner5983]

@@arthurw1604 There are really great women artists. There are women in my 'top ten' or whatever. The issue I have is with people like the women who commented above, who like to drive divisiveness and drama ( I have a BFA in Painting). One random video on KZbin doesn't define the 'art world.

[@karllieck9064]

We live in an age where there are no famous artists.

[@mytinplaterailway]

Hockney? The exception I would say.

[@davidbloem8122]

Banksy

[@davidbloem8122]

But yes I agree. People are able to find in such specific detail what touches their heart, that it seems to be different people to be great for every person. A wonderful thing in my opinion.

[@elephantshelf3617]

I think the idea of fame has changed since the time of Picasso and Dali. To be famous is such a quick thing these days. One day you’re a hit, the next you could be a nobody. The world of art isn’t an exception. A quick rise or buzz is worth more these days then to be a constant ‘decent’. I don’t know, that’s just my idea on it.

[@casteretpollux]

Not true. Just not gallery painting.0

[@stanlibuda5786]

As a German, I had no idea how many German painters/artists are famous in the world. In fact I don't know any of them. 😵‍💫

[@pottpott7587]

Und einen der Größten, Neo Rauch, war nichtmal mit dabei.

[@stanlibuda5786]

@@pottpott7587 Kenne ich auch nicht. 😁

[@IAmWhatIAm7573]

You have nothing to lose. They all are execrable.

[@marklipson]

I can think of almost no good reason for this video other than to give me a list of contemporary artists I might use to try to impress people who might be impressed by that sort of thing.

[@albinobeach]

Different strokes, id be happy with almost all of them

[@anripascal]

For me Gerhard Richter is the freest artist because of the different styles he has chosen to create. Inspiring and liberating.

[@XX-ol7lf]

The different phases of painting, going back to the Renaissance, inspires me to paint as I feel. It may, or may not invoke reaction, nevertheless, I appreciate painters from the past. Expressing themselves. Contemporary painters approach and exert their expression from inspiration that seemingly is social and cultural abstract. This is how they are economically successful. Do they evoke a true feeling?

[@contemporaryartissue]

I believe they do. For instance a Mark Rothko, cultural abstract at its best and has an emotional impact as direct as hearing music. Thank you for tuning in

[@joeswampdawghenry]

I am thee greatest living artiste'.. Thank you for not comparing me to these other artists. Cheers

[@draganbabovic1337]

You made excellent presentation. The music overpowers the voice.

[@charlyroussel]

Its a nice list but I feel like you've taken mostly the old white male guard, I would have included, Stanley Whitney, Maria Lassnig, Chris Ofili, Mary Heilman and Dana Schutz to name a few.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Great suggestions one by one, terrific painters. When it comes to the selection, he list is based upon objective career data crawled by an algorithm. It is clear to say the algorithm values longevity strongly, which can be a bit problematic too. However, it was and is the ideal way to create these lists in the most objective manner I believe

[@dadlvr1088]

But most of those people aren’t old, male and white.

[@charlyroussel]

​@@contemporaryartissue intresting, sounds like the algorithm is checking out European auction houses:)

[@Racheldorenofficial]

I disagree. Algorithms are written predominantly by white men. Therefore algorithms are built to be racist, sexist, and biased in favor of a white man's perspective. Algorithms do not have a mind of their own, their decision-making logic is written by and decided on by the VALUES of a person or a small group of people. In the case of technology, 9/10 are white men. Technology, much like art, unfortunately suffers from a lot of racist and sexist gatekeeping.@@contemporaryartissue

[@Racheldorenofficial]

18/20 were old, male, and white. I counted.@@dadlvr1088

[@TriniRoyQuiReyes]

Thank you for sharing this awesome Artists. And the music 🎶

[@carlosmiranda2005]

Incredibly informative and interesting. However, I can't imagine a more annoying musical background.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Hi there Carlos, thank for you watching and for your honest feedback. It helps us a lot to improve our videos!

[@jperry6779]

I second that!

[@amberdreams_0]

@@contemporaryartissue I'd agree, it was dreadful. Why have music at all, especially when there are no long gaps in the narration? Oh and the closed captions were very faded into the background for some reason, which made them difficult to read, so there was no option but have the sound on.

[@twicv912]

@@contemporaryartissue Have you seen the paintings by Michael Lydon buffer art?

[@memmu65]

Couldn't agree more.

[@TheShaneBot]

Interesting - and nice to see. Thank you. The exclusion of some other living artists such as Banksy (who is currently, if arguably, more famous than anyone on this list) - and Yayoi Kusama (the most highly sold, quite likely known, and wealthy female artist at the moment) - as well as a few others - is a but telling of a number of things - but list are lists - and who in the end has ever got anything right - especially with something as subjective as art.

[@roxannetomlin3113]

The key word is subjective …..

[@TheShaneBot]

@@roxannetomlin3113 You take my point.

[@contemporaryartissue]

The key word with these lists is objective in fact... Thank you for tuning in!

[@contemporaryartissue]

With Banksy, the perception of fame and the reality in the art world are two differen things - especially how fame is measured with this algorithm, valueing museum retrospectives over Instagram followers for instance. The case for Kusama, which also would apply Hirst for instance, is that she isn't 'a painter' per se, although she paint, she is more a multidisciplinary artist

[@liv0003]

Banksy is 🗑️

[@alexandroconca]

Hi, great video! I would like to advice you that next time I would control better the volume of the background music.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Noted, thank you very much!

[@themetropolitains]

David Hockney lives and works in Normandy, France since 2019.

[@Chillton]

If they were most famous they wouldn't need a showcase video listing them as most famous. And yet Hockney is the only one of this bunch I've ever even heard of.

[@contemporaryartissue]

They don't need this video at all, it is not the video making the artists famous, the artists are famous and as a result they were featured in this video.

[@jaydnsmiley]

what is the blue painting all the way to the right at 7:57?

[@contemporaryartissue]

It is a painting by the artist in question, Zobernig. A terrific one imo!

[@JackReynolds-w7g]

Caravaggio, Boucher, Michaelangelo, or Rubens - I am grateful that I learned from the masters.

[@ankhpom9296]

Would the old masters do just as good today?

[@EunStudio]

I was very inspired by your video Thank you, Happy New Year~~

[@mikoacaso9886]

Undisputed gerhard richter at no. 1 no doubt. From the appearance, technique, relevance and subject matter of his works he is really the top dog.

[@contemporaryartissue]

I agree completely. No. 1 painter today and no. 1 artist as well.

[@SeeTheWholeTruth]

Most laughs I have in forever. Better than "Award Winning Short Comedy Films". Thank you.

[@shaunshelly3314]

I think this list meets the mandate: The most famous painters ALIVE TODAY - as calculated y an algorithm using measurable career facts. It would be interesting to see the measures the algorithm uses. I would imagine it would include: Solo Exhibitions in major galleries with weighted scores for the galleries, cumulative values on auction sales, number of works held by major collections, current price trends, number of academic articles about the artist in peer-reviewed journals, mentions in traditional, social and web media etc. These will be weighted, so there will be some bias, but there will also be consistency. Interesting that the value of sales is not dominant, otherwise Jeff Koontz would be right up there. I think that is right. Nice job. Good to see Kentridge up at number four.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Hi Shaun, thank you for tuning in and for your excellent analysis in your comment. You are right when it comes to the algorithm as it measures not only the number of solo and group exhibitions, but also the quality of the shows in relation to the galleries or institutions in question. Also, price trends, auction results, public and private collections, participations in fairs or at major art events. Concerning Koons, we have included him in our video on the top 20 sculptors in the world.

[@rumo8811]

So glad about Kentridge being way up there and he is not 90yrs old yet !

[@rumo8811]

And Kentridge is also not bald and he creates his masterpieces 10 000 km away from the Germans and Austrians ranked here

[@liv0003]

Jeff Koons isn't a painter

[@kristinamullen4066]

I am repelled by the majority of this work with the exception of Hockney.I've always liked his work.The message conveyed is that artists must drug themselves, contort their bodies, blindfold themselves,Be male, bald or have white hair,be German, perform disgusting "rituals",use saws and humungous paintbrushes, etc,,and the result will be "ART".

[@EricBuechel]

Spot on. Thank you for the video. 😊

[@contemporaryartissue]

Thank you Eric!

[@Ididnahthither]

Great, just awesome. Pure craftsmanship and devotion to the visual arts.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Thank you so much for tuning in! Have a great day

[@TheKevphil]

Do we really need to be repeatedly reminded that *New York City* is in "the United States of America"?

[@Racheldorenofficial]

They use ChatGPT to write all of their videos it seems.

[@MaceWinduDuHuen]

if you are a modern art painter, really, you cannot compete with someone who can actually paint. its a different game today and just because art operates differently because the modern world is weirdly different, it doesnt mean that it is equally good.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Personally, I believe painting abstract can be a lot harder than painting figuratively (from my own experience as an artist). It is not about being 'good' at painting, it's about creating compelling and intriguing art. Nevertheless, artists like David Hockney or Gerhard Richter are very skilled painters, yet as the years go by they develop towards abstraction. Why depict reality if we can depict anything we want

[@sheneesespiecesfineart]

Interesting watch. There are sooo many of us well diversified and living artists that will never get their props. Big ups to you and US for the true passion that we keep displaying. Don’t stop! As a woman artist, I have to add I am glad a woman made the cut. 🤗

[@roxannetomlin3113]

I also abstract paint and its a wonderful escape from a dark world to pour awesome color and enjoy life through paint !

[@yassercastillo2607]

Two women

[@jayegees1554]

Agree! I too was happy to see them mentioned as some of the best. So many women are unrecognized in this field.

[@johntate5050]

There's always someone playing the sexism or racism card.

[@3dEmil]

I guess the Artfacts algorithm was programed to find the painters with the best skills to sell their art. Otherwise I doubt these painters stand out in any way from all other abstract and modern artists today.

[@contemporaryartissue]

The algorithm was designed to find 'the most famous' painters. Wether they are 'the best' is open for interpretation.

[@Foxglove963]

3dEmil. That crap is pushed by the starmakers of the new for the new theorists of the art world.

[@PBodytko]

@@contemporaryartissue Really? In which language?

[@TheHighlanderprime]

Their longevity seem to be a common theme in this presentation.

[@okamivolgan]

@@TheHighlanderprime I've noticed that as well .

[@deceptivepanther]

About as inspiring as watching a list of the most famous politicians today. Yippee.

[@henkmeerhof8647]

Interesting to see there are no contemporary artists included in this list that are born after say 1960... Did contemporary art stop at a sudden or is this just a personal choice/preference?

[@contemporaryartissue]

Hi Henk, well spotted. The truth is the algorithm in question - and the art in general - strongly values longevity. As a result, artists who have been around longer have a more extensive exhibition history and are more likely to get invited for new shows at major institutions. Thank you for tuning in!

[@jmlfa]

Missing Pierre Soulages. I would put him #2.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Excellent shout! Great artist and certainly deserving of a spot in this list

[@gustavoberocan]

2:24 to the canvas or to the paper?

[@ericswain4177]

A significant part of contemporary art is Rubbish ! I am an Art Collector of nearly 20+ years

[@oblensksyddeed9581]

Why do you say so?

[@ericswain4177]

@@oblensksyddeed9581 Evidence !

[@dusankojic4727]

The Emperor's New Clothes

[@coz_DS]

I agree with the poater, "how you market your paintings" I like Hockney and a few others on this video, however, if I compare my work with many of these artis, I must be a genius!!

[@omen4873]

Need to do this for younger artists. Fresh ideas in this new world

[@contemporaryartissue]

We have; feel free to watch our video on emerging artists (abstract and figurative), and the top artists born after 1970. Enjoy!

[@GS-vb3zn]

Go start your own channel, junior.

[@qriminal1648]

Seriously, if all of these people are “artists”, then modern art must be a joke. Most of this looks like the work of a 1st grader. There are 1 or 2 great artists here. The rest are simply framing the gullible.

[@VikkehBee]

it's all about perspectives, look beyond the spaces, notice textures, feelings within, this is what respresents good art. A painting that looks just like a photograph is wonderful don't get me wrong but where is the imagination in it, the feeling, the experience?

[@tkraid2575]

@@VikkehBee Yeah a random splatter and a chicken scratch doodle reeeeeeeeally gives me an authentic artistic experience. You can paint abstract art and yet make it aesthetic. Minimalism does this. Cubism does this. There's a reason why subjectivity in art is something joked about for years now. Modern art is colored by "creativity" but no grasp of fundamentals like color theory or basic forms.

[@oblensksyddeed9581]

The old first grade comment is everywhere. Maybe There is something the graduated smart guy is not able to grasp from the modern painters.

[@ByGraceThroughFaith777]

It's Contemporary Art, besides, art is subjective but above all a business and storage of value. Once the work of a painter gets recognition and sells for millions, it becomes something similar to a bar of gold, in that it is unique, unreplicable, and scarce.

[@an882]

Art is subjective, do you not realize that?

[@artworld9799]

Great work👍👍👍👍

[@contemporaryartissue]

Thanks 🙌

[@emiliopoljanec9006]

I would add to the list 3 VERY important painters, important not only for their art market value but also for their important influence in the painters community : 1)- MARTIN KIPPENBERGER 2)- JEAN MICHEL BASQUIAT 3)- PETER DOIG This three names are crucial in the Contemporary Art of nowadays. Thank you very much 🙏

[@contemporaryartissue]

Three absolute greats of the contemporary art world for sure! The first were not included as they have passed away sadly and the query was about painters today (living). When it comes to Peter Doig, I have no clue why his name wasn't in the top 20 results, as with Luc Tuymans and Yayoi Kusama to complete the major absentees

[@stephenhanger2521]

Maybe you should put Thomas KinKade at the top of this list ?

[@shalomaleichem7402]

@@stephenhanger2521 While this would've been hilarious, he un-forutunately also passed away already.

[@rumo8811]

Where are the female artists ? All the missing artists mentioned in the comments are 98% Males .

[@emiliopoljanec9006]

@@rumo8811 hi, that is what I asked him in a further reply, you can read it after my question about Peter Doig ... , SOOO IMPORTANT !

[@NurHidayah-te2wq]

The more rubbishy the artwork, the more intellectual+creative+fantastic the artist. Phooey! Alexander Averin and Vincente Romero Redondo are still my fav painters!

[@carlweeks539]

Thank you, watching this top 20 I found myself saying I may actually be interested in maybe two of the artist mentioned works and could respect maybe three more the rest are dust bin for me. I looked up your two and vastly prefer them. Thank you for introducing me to them.

[@mundomanual7308]

These is not deep art, mostly rubbish, yeah

[@Romel-qg4qs]

Where's the trash can??😂

[@Ina3144]

Marvelous. Very informative and inspiring.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Thank you very much for your kind words. Have a great day!

[@kingarthurgames739]

An interesting watch. I was very pleased to see Sean Scully in the list, whose body of work over the course of his career is utterly extraordinary. Marlene Dumas and Alex Katz are two other personal favorites that I was happy to see make the cut, but I am surprised not to have seen more female artists - I would have thought Bridget Riley and Julie Mehretu could warrant being included?

[@contemporaryartissue]

Hi there, thank you for tuning in and for joining us in the comments. Yes, I was also surprised only to find Dumas and Ikemura. Riley and Mehretu are indeed very deserving of a place in this list. Also, Yayoi Kusama is in my opinion one of the greatest absentees too.

[@Eris123451]

The same thought struck me and particularly as several of the paintings shown owe an obvious debt to Riley and of course where was Yoko Ono ?

[@chivasuk]

I came on to question the same - thank you for raising it

[@mourneswanderer1767]

Can't understand Sean Scully paintings, and being Irish, I really wish I could. I reckon they chose the number one spot (Mr Richter) well though

[@liv0003]

@@Eris123451 but Yoko Ono isn't a painter

[@janismacolley2395]

I realize that he is gone now but I especially enjoyed Keith Haring's animated imagery! So full of life!!

[@contemporaryartissue]

I agree 100%!

[@mcflypainter7212]

did you? yuk

[@janismacolley2395]

@@mcflypainter7212 we're all entitled to our own opinions - even you and even if it is wrong! 🙄

[@sorincucean3307]

I know art is relative in the watcher eyes, but from number 6 to 1 I understand and see the skill others is like kinder garden shapes and expressions.

[@lisengel2498]

I find it very interesting but also very understandable that Contemporary art seems to move between the explosive and the very minimalistisk searching for some calm and maybe even beauty. But all art must be Rosted in experience - and human experiences truly limitless - andso is Contemporary art 😊

[@contemporaryartissue]

Dear Lis Engel, thank you for putting this to words so beautifully and accurately. I agree, the Appolonian versus Dionysian forces are as ubiquitous as ever.

[@notnek202]

The academic artists of the 19th century are artists. Today we have frauds

[@contemporaryartissue]

@@notnek202 The 19th century academics all painted the same things in exactly the same way. So I am most grateful for the arrival of Modern Art at the end of the same century, and the copernican revolution in art at the start at the following century.

[@notnek202]

@@contemporaryartissue no they didn’t see even you don’t know. For that matter you could say the same thing about 20th & 21st cen painters. Today just throw some paint on the canvas, something any child could do, then you need a so called art snob to tell you what it’s all about. Art is now more for the elites even more so then in the 19th cen. In the 19th century at the Paris Salon millions of people of all classes flocked to that great art exhibition. In this day and age only the educated elites with money attend such events. Art of the 20th & 22st cen really about ugly and lowest common Denominator. In the past art was about beauty and lifting you up not bringing you down. Modern art was based in one thing & one thing only money. You don’t need talent just be able to produce it fast enough to turn a profit for the dealers. Modern & contemporary is about one & one thing a only 🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑

[@nicksincredibleopinion]

This makes me sad. If these are the best artist our culture can offer, then the western world has truly lost something special about itself.

[@DaniellReddinger]

Regardless of how "important" or "groundbreaking" any of this art is, there isn't a single painting out of everything I just saw that I would want hanging on my wall.

[@vince-1337]

6:25 When I try a new brush on Photoshop

[@davidbloem8122]

Sell that shit. Tax evaders love that stuff.

[@giulias.5104]

The question of who became influential in Art was really interesting to me growing up as an artist, and I observed that those who became famous are people who have a strong practice AND who have strong connections. Both the two are necessary to make it. More often than not, in addiction, males are more predominant than female artists, and masculine way of making art seen as more significant than practices that express more soft and feminine qualities. Another aspect I noticed is how involved is the artist in his/her craft. I have my own list of who is great and why for me, and I let others have other opinions as well. 🕉☮

[@contemporaryartissue]

Interesting remarks for sure. But I do believe the tide has been turning the past two decades. Feel free to share you list here as well, I am curious!

[@cowboybeboop9420]

Honestly as a normal person I have no idea who these people are. I really don`t think this stuff is what the normal person wants. I think this appeals more to some snobby intellectuals somewhere that I can`t fully know. As for their art judging by the video I`m actually positively surprised. Their art is not as horrible as I thought. Some of it is garbage obviously but there were some pieces that were ok. Can`t say I`d be dying to have them but they were ok.

[@beckbabej]

​@@cowboybeboop9420"Normal people", listen to Cardi B, wear t-shirts from Walmart, and eat McDonald's.

[@cowboybeboop9420]

@@beckbabej I`m from Eastern Europe so we don`t have Cardi B or Walmart here and there is McDonald`s only in a few big cities and mostly tourists eat there because.... well idk why but they do. That being said this stuff is literally of the same value as those things it`s a bunch of ugly stuff maybe slightly less ugly than I imagined that is bought for tons of money by a bunch of rich snobs so they pretend to look intelligent. We don`t really see great art like the one before WW1 or beautiful architecture or high literature or good music and movies. I`m an engineer and I work in the construction industry and the biggest enemy to architecture are architects. What is considered great architecture today is just shocking kind like porn but it`s not beautiful.

[@beckbabej]

@@cowboybeboop9420 I totally agree with you that much of what's in this video isn't equal to the great masters and some of it is garbage. Some is masterful though, and like the works of Jackson Pollock, many people say it's just thrown paint, but the composition and the color is carefully thought out. In architecture it's easier to see that classic beauty standards are better than shiny boxes. Frank Lloyd Wright who you sort of quoted, refused accolades from "big architecture" of the time as they were making everything ugly. As an American, I must say your standards are well above what is "normal" here. It's interesting that you equate the bad but expensive art to porn, because many rich people are quite perverted in many ways here. The disgusting "art" of Marina Abramovic is a perfect example of your point. Some people say if art evokes a feeling (even nausea?) then it is successful. Empirically, some part of everyone knows that it's ugly. I think I misunderstood your original comment to mean that if the masses didn't appreciate art then it was garbage. I realize now that's not what you meant.

[@warrenstutely7151]

What about Roger Hilton , Peter lanyon and ivon hitches. ???

[@contemporaryartissue]

Great suggestions! Thank you for tuning in

[@reese8097]

For everyone asking something along "Why have I never heard of them?"...because they're all gimmick makers, hardly artists.

[@fulippuannaghiti1965]

There's a reason why your comment in on the bottom of the comments section.. truth is always bitter.

[@novadino2]

My lifelong goal is to influence this list one day... Contemporary painting needs a lot of pre-xx century skilled craftsman painting and stringer connections with close to viewer heart, etnic and antique designs

[@contemporaryartissue]

More Michaël Borremans in contemporary art!

[@stephenhanger2521]

Honey, you really don't want to be on this list. Trust me.

[@stephenhanger2521]

Maybe what you really seek is recognition. Which there is certainly nothing wrong with as long as we keep in a healthy perspective. World record seekers, Artist of all types, high achievers. It's a double edge sword. Reflect.

[@mikedunn8104]

Probably mentioned elsewhere but David Hockney lives and works in Northern France now. Informative film - many thanks. I saw some of Katz’s work in the Guggenheim recently - fabulous

[@contemporaryartissue]

Indeed, thank you for tuning in! Katz is impressive indeed, would've liked to have seen the show, it looked fabulous!

[@amaurysart]

The problem with most of this art work is that it can only be displayed in some giant Mac mansion compound of the lobby of a building with 30 feet walls.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Thank you for tuning in and for sharing your interesting thoughts. Many of these artworks are indeed monumental in seize. However, almost every artist takes on different sizes too I believe

[@rumo8811]

Ja, lots of monumental works there, small works are also very beautiful - Mona Lisa for eg…. Know that Richter also does small works

[@eduardoegea6008]

I think it is a great omission not to have included Frank Auerbach, not only because his extraordinary painting, but also he was part of a type of painters who transformed pictorial materiality in relation to figurative representation, such as Lucian Freud, Leon Kossof, Eugene Leroy... today you can see their heritage in artist like Allison Schulnik and others... In short, the "natural" insensitivity of the algorithm...

[@contemporaryartissue]

Thank you Eduardo for watching and for adding this great point to your discussion. In fact, Auerbach was sitting in spot 26 when we crawled the algorithm. I agree when it comes to the insensitivity of the algorithm. It's a bit 'too ruthless' for sure!

[@colinleahy9918]

Frank Auerbach really deserves to be right up near the top. Legend.

[@contemporaryartissue]

@@colinleahy9918 Agreed!

[@mamamia6925]

@@contemporaryartissue Disagreed!

[@nz-vg2jd]

Alle vorgestellten Kūnstler MEGA professionelle Handwerker mit absolut sauberen und durchdachten Arbeiten. Respekt.

[@contemporaryartissue]

I agree!

[@JosueWithContext]

How did you guys manage to over look Wayne Thiebaud 👀

[@contemporaryartissue]

Great shout, great painter!

[@daikayll1897]

The con is that its virtually impossible to call ANY work of "ART" a dud. The lines have been , purposely in my view , blurred so as to exploit rich people. Who have zero artistic skill or intention other than to acquire. The fact an artist can not afford to buy his own work is very telling to me. A bit spooky too. I find none of these artists inspirational. Bring back BEAUTY.

[@lcsgarcia84]

u can find that on artstation i think

[@adamwalker47]

Not able to buy their own art...Pete doig agrees

[@MumtazKhan-yb6cd]

what about Luc Tuymans and Peter Doig ?

[@contemporaryartissue]

Sadly, the list consists of just 20 artists. And some of my personal favorite painters are not included. As a result, I invite you to write down your top 5/10/20 in the comments below. Looking forward to it!

[@FLSharkdiver]

Jean Michel Basquiat is my favorite artist of the 20 th century!

[@contemporaryartissue]

An icon for sure! Thank you for tuning in

[@texasred2702]

He's also been dead for over 30 years.

[@ErikBongers]

That music is way too loud. I can hardly hear you.

[@AL_THOMAS_777]

For all the critics here: do NOT forget, that theses dudes stated with GREAT paintngs (like Picasso too). When o l d and established, they can SMEER what they WANT ! Thats their reward. So you have to judge the WHOLE work of every artist . . . and not only the most recent one . . .

[@clownpocket]

I guess I just don't like art since I find much of it to be either trash, fraud, unskilled or amateurish looking.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Art is marked by subjectivity. It is its strength, yet at the same its weakness. Therefore we have used an algorithm based upon objective data the create this list

[@Foxglove963]

John Watson. It are the star makers with rotten morals that strive to make this surreptitious new for the new trash famous. There are still many honest artists whose soul is singing, but you don't get to see them. The makers of this video don't want to know about them.

[@aquelpibe]

@@Foxglove963 Surreptitious?

[@Foxglove963]

@@aquelpibe That's right, surreptitous. Art was always a song of the soul. Shamanism was part of art, and that what the modern surrepteous theorists assume to be 'new' was already used in the Neolithic, especially land art, it was even coupled to astronomy. When the theorists declared Kandinsky's black square, Mondrian's squares and Picasso's deformed female portraits the greatest of Western art they threw away the baby with the bath water.

[@mytinplaterailway]

And boring.

[@wildsmooth9201]

Looks like something my kid can paint.

[@donnadees1971]

Just remarkable, all for art

[@contemporaryartissue]

Thank you so much for tuning in! 🙌

[@ahmed.90]

Each artist has his own vision and message in every painting he draws, all the best to all

[@contemporaryartissue]

Well said! Thank you for tuning in!

[@lisengel2498]

Interesting with a presentation like this even if it seemed a little hectic in the presentation of the 10 artists. I did not know all the artists, but I know Georg Baselitz, Gerhard Richter, David Hockney, Jasper John, Anselm Kiefer and Frank Stella, but I discovered some artists that I did not know e.g. I really liked the mystical landscapes of Ikemura and the abstract expression of beauty and freedom of Albert Oehlen and I also found Heino Zobernig interesting and the hazed beauty of the photo paintings of Gerhard Richter. - thank you for the presentation

[@contemporaryartissue]

Thank you very much for tuning in. Happy to hear you discovered some new artists.

[@gracie99999]

holy crap the second idea

[@Universalist1000]

I would have included also Antonio López García and Peter Doig in that list.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Hi there, thank you for watching and for your joining the discussion in the comments. I agree 100%! Also Tuymans and Kusama are missing in my humble opinion

[@aquelpibe]

It would be interesting to see how the algorithm works. What does it consider, sales? Auction prices? Mentions in art media? The opinion of museum curators, art dealers and critics? Some of the choices seem odd. Alex Katz? Please. I wonder how Luc Tuymans, Yayoi Kusama, Ai Weiwei, Murakami, Damien Hirst, Peter Doig, Jeff Koons, Kara Walker, Jenny Saville, among others, are rated.

[@contemporaryartissue]

The algorithm is based upon objective career facts such as shows at major institutions, collected by renowned private and public collections, auction results, coverage in major art publications and participating in major art events. However, I certainly agree some choices may seem a bit odd. I was also very surprised not to find Saville, Doig, Tuymans and Kusama in the list. The other artists you mention aren't seen as 'painters' with painting not being their main practice. I conclude the algorithm isn't perfect and the list needs to be interpreted critically. However, it does offer us the possibility to answer a subjective question in an objective manner, which is maybe more valuable than if we would pick our top 20 based upon the subjective opinion of a few art critics. Anyhow, thanks for the interesting comment and thank you for watching!

[@aquelpibe]

@@contemporaryartissue Thank you for your thorough explanation! I agree that the algorithm, while not perfect, is a valuable contribution. It is impossible to avoid some subjectivity when ranking artists, and the algorith provides an objective counterweight. And you are right, several of the artists I mentioned are not primarily painters. I got a bit carried away!

[@contemporaryartissue]

@@aquelpibe My pleasure. I got a bit carried away too when I first saw the list so I can understand completely! A natural thing to do when you're talking about something you're passionated about. Best regards from Belgium!

[@lalarandela]

☀️🌻Thank you very much for the interesting art movie . 🌻☀️

[@contemporaryartissue]

The pleasure is all mine! Thank you for tuning in

[@vandolmatzis8146]

Was Lucky to see a Richter retrospective in Paris and a major Kentridge exhibition here in Cape Town.When I was an art student in the eighties you could pick up a Kentridge print for a few hundred dollars at a local gallery.Dang.

[@contemporaryartissue]

My god what a bargain! Yes, Richter's retrospectives always have something iconic about them. Really looking forward to visit the Hockney retrospective at Bozar Brussels too

[@rumo8811]

I LOVE Kentridge , he is a genius, met him in Johannesburg, I was also an art student in the 80’s in Cape Town . Now I live and work in Europe , where there is a great appreciation of the Arts

[@vandolmatzis8146]

@@rumo8811 Regards from Cape Town.Enjoy

[@marilynrodgerson3331]

Some of these paintings I’m my opinion are just a load of CRAP ‼️

[@printesarazboinica4807]

Right

[@davidbloem8122]

Most of them

[@davidbloem8122]

Actually I didnt spot a nice one.

[@davidbloem8122]

Did you?

[@jasminehasan890]

They are

[@umraum]

what for that orful sound background?

[@contemporaryartissue]

Yes, our apologies for the loud background music. It was one of our first videos and we've learned from this mistake for our future videos. Thank you for tuning in!

[@snaefellsen]

A very special selection. I know comic artists who are much better.

[@beryllaing6992]

Seriously???

[@davidbloem8122]

Truth!

[@artvsmachine]

@@beryllaing6992 It's probably true. Comic artists often have to work very hard at their craft, and do a lot of it. They have some serious skills. And some of this stuff is more "conceptual painting" than making a painting that holds together at all as visually interesting or aesthetically sophisticated.

[@oblensksyddeed9581]

"better" in art is something very subjective.

[@artvsmachine]

In fact so subjective that art becomes meaningless.

[@wp5224]

I think this review helps to explain why very few people care about modern painters. There is no there there.

[@bobsmith3931]

For the words of the profits were written on the studio wall Concert hall And echoes with the sound of salesmen.

[@a.michaeledwards6441]

Awesome selection of artists. Kudos to the producers of this video. However, what I find odd, sad even is the idea that the "curators" of this video went around the world to find the most famous artist today and did not select one person of black or brown hue whose artwork is groundbreaking, influential, and important to the WORLD of art. No shade at all just trying to create a conversation that helps blur and destroy the mechanics that separate and keeps us apart from each other...

[@herude1967]

Yes, I also missed some female artist. Akiane Kramerik, or Yayoi Kusama.

[@a.michaeledwards6441]

@@herude1967 its projects like this video that worries me the most. The very instrument designed to create a better, more vibrant, and informed worlds is subject to simple minded appraisals of art. And the first value regardless of which side of the fence the appraiser sits is more often than not through the lense of race. Us humans really must stop this...especially artists.

[@kennth6594]

I was thinking the same as you

[@a.michaeledwards6441]

@@kennth6594i guess our minds are great.

[@kennth6594]

@@a.michaeledwards6441 I guess so!