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

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Read a printed publication on contemporary sculpture: amzn.to/3wmHLf1
In this article, we are pleased to present you the most extensive online resource on contemporary sculpture, with a reasoned selection of 20 highly established artists, ranked from 20 to 1 using the Artfacts algorithm measuring their influence and importance using objective data and career facts, such as exhibitions at major institutions, auction results, participation in major art events, art fairs and exposure in major art publications.
As we can only touch briefly on every artist, we have included hyperlinks at the end of every artist biography, referring to the best monographic publication available on the artist in question.
20. Richard Long: amzn.to/3N5lfNt
19. Tony Cragg: amzn.to/3MZ1OGl
18. Christian Boltanski: amzn.to/3qlMYQj
17. Alicja Kwade: amzn.to/3tnhbAl
16. Anish Kapoor: amzn.to/3Jur0T0
15. Jenny Holzer: amzn.to/3Jump2U
14. Isa Genzken: amzn.to/3KUI4BO
13. Jeff Koons: amzn.to/34YEzLm
12. Richard Serra: amzn.to/3tnI9rE
11. Franz West: amzn.to/3JvpboI
10. Ai Weiwei: amzn.to/3JqEyyR
9. Marcel Broodthaers: amzn.to/3CXswdV
8. Kiki Smith: amzn.to/34U0T8K
7. Yayoi Kusama: amzn.to/37Lony4
6. Nam June Paik: amzn.to/3CSZzzH
5. Rosemarie Trockel: amzn.to/3qnKgKb
4. Erwin Wurm: amzn.to/3tpiEGx
3. Louise Bourgeois: amzn.to/3toPSpn
2. Bruce Nauman: amzn.to/3Iq9mOH
1. Joseph Beuys: amzn.to/3toRzDr
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👨 About the host Julien Delagrange:
Julien Delagrange is an art historian, contemporary artist, and the founder and director of CAI. Delagrange studied Science of Arts at Ghent University, Belgium, and worked for the Centre for Fine Arts (BOZAR) in Brussels, the Jan Vercruysse Foundation, the Ghent University Library, and has contributed to the international contemporary art scene as an art critic, lecturer, curator, gallery director, consultant, advisor, and as an artist. As an artist, he is represented by Galerie Sabine Bayasli in Paris, France, and Gallery Space60 in Antwerp, Belgium.
🎯 The mission of the CAI KZbin channel:
→ To empower artists by providing adequate and industry-approved advice for artists for long-term success in the highest realms of the art world, sharing inside information and proven strategies based on real-life experiences in the art world.
→ To contribute to the online canonization of recent art history, having its finger at the pulse of contemporary art.
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Every effort has been made to trace copyright holders. However, if you feel you have inadvertently been overlooked, please take up contact with Contemporary Art Issue.
Table of contents:
0:00 - Intro
0:20 - Contemporary Sculpture
01:30 - Honorable Mentions
02:03 - 20. Richard Long
02:49 - 19. Tony Cragg
03:24 - 18. Christian Boltanski
04:04 - 17. Alicja Kwade
04:45 - 16. Anish Kapoor
05:31 - 15. Jenny Holzer
06:08 - 14. Isa Genzken
07:00 - 13. Jeff Koons
07:45 - 12. Richard Serra
08:29 - 11. Franz West
09:16 - Intermezzo
09:47 - 10. Ai Weiwei
10:33 - 9. Marcel Broodthaers
11:30 - 8. Kiki Smith
12:02 - 7. Yayoi Kusama
12:55 - 6. Nam June Paik
13:43 - 5. Rosemarie Trockel
14:27 - 4. Erwin Wurm
15:22 - 3. Louise Bourgeois
16:18 - 2. Bruce Nauman
17:11 - 1. Joseph Beuys
18:20 - Outro

[@clemenskurz4496]

Antony Gormley.... seriously one of the greats of our time needs to be somewhere up there!!!

[@contemporaryartissue]

Antony Gormley! Yes!! Terrific suggestion, thank you for sharing here

[@Johnconno]

Yeah, he needs burial at sea in a lead coffin.

[@matthewseed3386]

Beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder. Though many artists could arguably fit on this list, the sculpture I enjoyed the most was that of the Neglected Golden Retriever on your right. Inspiring and adorable life imitating art.

[@contemporaryartissue]

She's absolutely adorable indeed! My most loyal companion. Greetings from us both!

[@languagelolli]

And also that dog 😂

[@contemporaryartissue]

She's the best! 😂

[@jdones5475]

Keep up the good work! Love your videos. They bring new names which I haven’t heard before.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Thank you for tuning in and for your very kind words, happy to hear you find value in our videos and are discovering some new artists!

[@konstantinospapaioannou2588]

Τhank you for this great video with the list of these amazing contemporary sculptors.

[@contemporaryartissue]

The pleasure is all mine, thank you for watching!

[@Anna-pv4tv]

Great show, very good selection!!!!!!!

[@contemporaryartissue]

Dear Anna, thank you for your most kind words and for tuning in!

[@miqyeznik]

Thank you so much for these videos ❤️ Much love and support. Please keep going

[@contemporaryartissue]

Thank you Yeznik, means a lot! Thank you for tuning in and our best wishes from Belgium

[@miqyeznik]

@@contemporaryartissue I also follow you on Instagram. Great job.

[@contemporaryartissue]

@@miqyeznik That's wonderful, thank you so much for your loyal support. Most appreciated!

[@user-vm1nq8vf7t]

Excellent video, thank you!

[@puriaqara2086]

Thank you dear friend- Excellent Information about contemporary sculptures - I love Anish Kapoor and ...

[@contemporaryartissue]

Thank you my dear friend for your kind words, most appreciated. Yes, Kapoor is one of my personal favorites too!

[@petaruric9991]

Many artist in this list are sculptors in the broadest of terms, and only couple of them can be described as sculptors, but in a broader sense, it is a nice list of conceptual/site specific/instalation/ready made artists.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Hi Petar, I agree 100%. We discussed this as well because we are also preparing a list op the top installation artists and conceptual artists, and these lists overlap strongly with this video. Thank you for tuning in!

[@fulminatrix]

Super interesting! thank you

[@contemporaryartissue]

The pleasure is ours, thank you for tuning in!

[@user-mw7fb9qw2o]

すごく見やすくまとめられてて、わかりやすかったです。

[@ivanklymenko]

Thank you for the acquaintance with the works of sculptors

[@contemporaryartissue]

The pleasure is all mine, thank you so much for tuning in!

[@kaimingraymondchoi9909]

thanks. excellent.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Thank you so much for tuning in and for your most kind words!

[@LauraGonzalez-vn3cc]

Awesome video for humans and puppies! Thank you.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Absolutely! 😁🙌 Thank you for watching

[@rosaniribeirosoares1605]

Muito bom!

[@valeriehitier9026]

Super tour d ´ horizon très intéressant et riche

[@contemporaryartissue]

Merci beaucoup Valérie! 🙏

[@fusain-en-un-seul-souffle]

A very informative, very clear video 👍👍👍

[@contemporaryartissue]

Thank you for your kind words, I appreciate it! Have a great day

[@fusain-en-un-seul-souffle]

@@contemporaryartissue 🙏

[@mimmousavi8108]

Excellent video 👍

[@contemporaryartissue]

Thank you so much for tuning in and for your kind comment, most appreciated!

[@chrislethbridge1759]

Great video - perhaps my ignorance but several are new on me. As revealing for who is not on the list as who is…..since you include some who were active in the mid C20 and who died in the 70s or 80s, begs the question why no Jannis Kounellis or Mario Merz? (To name but two from what could otherwise be a very long list!) 😁

[@contemporaryartissue]

Hi there Chris, thank you so much for tuning in and for reaching out in the comments. Great question and two iconic artists for sure! They aren't included because they simply did not make the top 20. And indeed, it would a very long list if would include all influential sculptors. Jannis Kounellis is one of my favorite artists alongside his colleague Jan Vercruysse. Simply stunning sculptures. Best wishes from Belgium!

[@gasxjolylux]

You forgot Brancusi, boss ...Without Brincusi there is no modern sculpture

[@contemporaryartissue]

Hi Joly, thank you for tuning in. For Brancusi, the same reason applies as for Moore and you kind of mentioned it already in your comment. He is a modern sculptor, whereas in this video we discuss contemporary sculpture. But yes, Brancusi, Rodin, Moore, they are the godfathers of Modern Sculpture

[@gasxjolylux]

@@contemporaryartissue Some of those you mentioned were not very contemporary because they had switched to the holy ones

[@davidlubotsky7908]

Interestingly, it seems conceptual sculpture created by industrial methods seems to dominate what is sculpture today reducing the sculptor to a conceptualist designer working directing artisans or laborers.

[@antennagallerycollectiveex9767]

Without African abstraction, there would be no birth of modern art, no Picasso or Brancusi. Black people all over the world are still making ground break art even if it is not recognized. Me included gdi

[@airtimedroneguy6449]

Nice sculptures

[@contemporaryartissue]

Thank you for tuning in

[@dnlgrmn7169]

A great list……..

[@contemporaryartissue]

Thank you for tuning in! Most appreciated

[@tvam2389]

The Rocking Machine & Christ Unltd. by Herman Makkink, which was also used as a prop for "A Clockwork Orange"...💛

[@rickbrummer3628]

very interesting

[@contemporaryartissue]

Thank you for tuning in!

[@michianm2055]

Love the Assistent ❤ he is cool 😊

[@contemporaryartissue]

The best! 🐶❤️

[@marinarodriguesart]

I loved the video and the selected artists. Serra and Weiwei could not be left out. I'm already following you on Instagram. Thank you, from Brasil. 💛👍🏼

[@contemporaryartissue]

Hi Marina, that's terrific! Thank you for followig us on Instagram. Greetings from Belgium!

[@sedayavuz8442]

Thank you for making this video. Arman also should be in this content.

[@contemporaryartissue]

The pleasure is all mine, thank you for the suggestion!

[@aquelpibe]

Many undisputable names (Bourgeois, Serra, Kapoor, Koons, Cragg, Kusama, Wei Wei, etc), some not so much of an unanimity. Christo, Gormley, Rachel Whiteread, Ernesto Neto, Jaume Plensa should have found a place in the list. Martin Puryear too. I don´t understand why Beuys is listed, for the reason stated Damien Hirst would have fit in better. I don´t know if Calder and Donald Judd are not considered contemporary enough, they were both sufficiently influential to make it. As usual a very Germano-centric selection, and I know it is not intentional but that is how it comes across. Thank you very much anyway, it is a thoughtful selection and it is always interesting to compare viewpoints.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Hi there, thank you so much for tuning in and for your interesting comment. Beuys is a difficult call indeed, Calder and Judd are contemporary enough but did not make the cut. The algorithm is ruthless, but very consistent in making these top 20 lists. Thank you for the comment and looking forward to chat once again in a future video. We are currently producing a video on the top 20 fine art photography artists, so stay tuned! Have a great day. All my best, Julien

[@aquelpibe]

@@contemporaryartissue thank you Julien. I still think you algorithm is flawed. Looking forward to your next videos.

[@contemporaryartissue]

@@aquelpibe And I agree it isn't perfect! Looking forward to chat again

[@lloydmmatube]

paul thek and tetsumi kudo could definitely rough up this ranking quite a bit I feel...cheers;))

[@contemporaryartissue]

Interesting! Cheers from Belgium

[@CasperLCat]

Koons isn’t a sculptor, or an artist, he’s an art businessman.

[@DanielLopes-jt8yl]

Sculpture has always fascinated me due to it’s curiously inventive ways to place itself with out a stand. In future when we occupy outer space with it’s zero gravity- sculpture will at last be free!

[@contemporaryartissue]

Literally! Thank you for tuning in, Daniel, I appreciate it.

[@markknego7658]

Christo is not on this list?

[@contemporaryartissue]

Hi Mark, indeed. Christo & Jeanne-Claude did not make the top section of the ranking. I would also say their works are more interventions/in-situ installations than 'sculptures', however the distinction between both is very often unclear. Thank you so much for tuning in and for adding Christo & Jeanne-Claude to the discussion!

[@georgemohr7532]

Your videos amaze me. You keep hitting the ball out of the park. Thank you.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Thank you so much George, means a lot!

[@Johnconno]

'40 years ago I had an idea, it's still working. Without growth or change.'

[@rullywk9746]

Thanks for making this great video 👍👍, very inspiring. May i ask ?🙏🙏 what the parameter of this rank of the sculptor, it's use a price of they work? Or something else...thks so much 🙏🙏

[@contemporaryartissue]

Hi Rully, thank you for tuning in and for your kind words. Of course, a very good and important question. The algorithm uses various parameters, think of solo and/or group shows at major institutions, featuring in renowned public collections, auction results, gallery representation, exposure in art publications, or participating in major art events and biennials.

[@rullywk9746]

@@contemporaryartissue actually i still learn to speak able in English 🙏🙏, wow...very completely parameter 😍😍 👏👏👏👏 . Thk you...your video is a good information to me who still studying in art. Thks so much 🙏🙏

[@contemporaryartissue]

@@rullywk9746 You're doing great with your English, congratulations. The pleasure is all mine, thank you for tuning in!

[@rullywk9746]

@@contemporaryartissue thks so much 🙏🙏 keep giving enlightenment 🙏🙏❤️❤️

[@contemporaryartissue]

@@rullywk9746 Will do 🙏

[@barbarawallace9105]

Have you done anything on Jean Dubuffet, French, (1901-1985) Large Scale Sculptures? Which Large Scale Sculptors would you compare his Large Scale works too?

[@contemporaryartissue]

Great sculptor indeed, I certainly have enjoyed his work. I wouldn't compare his work with too many artists in fact, his visual language is very original!

[@christianalarcon863]

First of all, nice painting of Julien Delagrange behind you, hahaha

[@contemporaryartissue]

Well spotted!

[@karenschifman5169]

I would not describe Damien Hirst as a sculptor at all.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Rather a multidisciplinary artist, however his sculptural practice is what made his career in the 1990s.

[@sirmelanieofzundert3645]

Don't wanna be so mean or rude but I must say that I'm really looking forward to what the new generations will bring. Though I can't deny that most of these sculptors DO have a sense of proportions and know how to enhance the space to amplify the viewer's experience, I can't but feel such dullness when looking at most of their artpieces. Even wonder if the future generations will be able to consider them "art pieces" if one of those goes unknown and unrecord.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Thank you for sharing your honest thoughts. We'll see what the future (and present) brings us! Have a great day

[@CasperLCat]

Seeing Michaelangelo, then Jeff Koons - What the h*ll happened ?

[@dansmith4984]

Hirst only an honourable mention 😲. I could see your beautiful retriever wanted to interject about this lol

[@contemporaryartissue]

She did didn't she 😅 But I am not sure she's all to excited about preserving animal corpses in formaldehyde... Thank you so much for tuning in, greeting from both me & Perrier (retriever)

[@dansmith4984]

@@contemporaryartissue hahaha - no, good point 😄

[@cynthiamarston2208]

Number 3 was the only one I enjoyed plus the interpretation message stuff was apparent which helps.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Louise Bourgeois is without a doubt my personal favorite/no. 1! Thank you for tuning in

[@cynthiamarston2208]

@@contemporaryartissue welcome. Its a difficult effort to explain and enjoy contemporary art. I tend to avoid it because I do have depression I treat so most the time I find the whole matter depressing and also wonder precisely who chooses these contenders and why from the vast artwork out there to be seen over the last 60 years or so? One must be a fan or just not a fan much at all and I usually think in gray….very ooen minded until Im just not! So here I was watching this and trying to understand and modify my opinions with some education which helps only a little. Thanks for your effort anyway! The wow factor they are seeking in their art work in too many cases is ridiculousness, incredulousness, undesirable….( like would i want that on display on my home or in my garden?) so my depression speaks to me and says our world is falling down… i dont want art that reminds me of how things are…..why not how things would want to be given better choices. So …..sure…provacative stuff. Mostly a game though. I liked the engineered smooth sculpture person. I bet that was more impressive in person.

[@contemporaryartissue]

@@cynthiamarston2208 Most of these works are indeed not made to stand in your living room or garden, but are destined to be seen in a museum or a sterile environment such as an art gallery. But no need to feel depressed, there is enough different sorts of art out there for everybody to find something they admire 🙂

[@robertspies4695]

Thanks for making this interesting video of "most popular"contemporary sculptors. I almost did not make it past the first image of one of Koon's ballon animals, Having kept my breakfast down I found some of these sculptors interesting. Starting with an idea and making a material composition to respond is the basis for conceptual sculpture and it needs no justification. Some of us occaisionally find these works interesting in how the form and materials merge to produce an engaging sculpture in form and texture if not the "idea" behind it. Others still are enamored of the approach exemplified by Noguchi of interacting wiith the material and seeing what happens from that action. While there is no bright line between these approaches contemporary and modern by and large fall on either side of this distinction. There is a timeless aspect to human experience that falls outside of social and political considerations and comment that is rather more fully captured in modern sculpture. Perhaps this is fading in importance in the world of sculptors making things for museums and wealthy collectors. I wonder what will be said of all this in 200 years.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Dear Robert, happy you made it past the Koons Balloon Dog thumbnail. Very interesting comment, thank you for adding it here in the discussion in the comments. In this context, what sculptor do you believe will stand the test of time? Thank you for tuning in

[@ThatCasualZach]

The descriptions of these artists is pretentious but you went out of your way to make sure your comment topped that😂 funny to see people criticize a balloon animal knowing full well they couldn't create one themselves. Sit down, you're way too full of yourself

[@robertspies4695]

@@ThatCasualZach What a strange criterion for offering art criticism.

[@ThatCasualZach]

@@robertspies4695 ugh can you stop using unnecessary words😂 this is why I dont tell people I'm an artist

[@ThatCasualZach]

@@robertspies4695 it's strange criteria to respect the skills that it takes to create something? But it's not a strange reaction to vomit at the site of art? 😂 full....of....yourself

[@jonbismo9848]

You should search about Jorge Oteiza and Eduardo Chillida

[@contemporaryartissue]

Thank you for the suggestions and for tuning in! Have a great day

[@larryking4473]

What sculptural object depicted in your presentation can stand with Martin Puryear’s “Self”

[@DanielLopes-jt8yl]

I have to keep revisiting this stuff they are so concisely packed unpacking them; is like dismantling an atom bomb with toothpicks. One needs to be clear absolutely clear not only as to the artist intention but the intention of contemporary art. Even then conclusions are difficult. Darn thing blows up just when I stick that toothpick right there…

[@contemporaryartissue]

Hi Daniel, good luck and careful 😁 Thank you for tuning in!

[@rohanwijeyesinghe5153]

The dogs expression says it all.

[@contemporaryartissue]

I believe you refer to her yawns 😅

[@silviavanacore3948]

Very good video but where is Plessi?

[@contemporaryartissue]

Plessi sadly did not make the cut, but a terrific artist for sure. Thank you for sharing his name here and thank you for tuning in!

[@marktruscott3254]

what about jim dine barry flannagan and antony gormley

[@contemporaryartissue]

Great artists who sadly did not make the cut. Happy to see their names here in the comments

[@TheNosarajr]

Sometimes junk is just junk. Yes mixed in with genius.

[@lukatsetskhladze8563]

don't forget Carl Andre

[@SydneyCarton2085]

All conceptual skill aside, what about pure realistic skill? Are there modern sculptors with the skill of da vinci or michaelangelo?

[@contemporaryartissue]

Not in this list, but that doesn't mean they no longer exist. Think of Ron Mueck, Nicola Samori or Bruno Walpoth. Have a great day!

[@lakshmanankomathmanalath]

💙💙💙👍

[@contemporaryartissue]

Thank you for tuning in and leaving a comment, much appreciated!

[@gregoryfoster2547]

hard to imagine a list of great sculptors not including David Smith, Louise Nevelson or Anthony Caro

[@digitalphanes206]

i think the ugly sculptures in this video were more than enough

[@joserealdelamora]

What about Alberto Giacometti? died in 1966 of heart disease

[@contemporaryartissue]

Hi Jose, thank you for tuning in. Your comments answer your question. This list consists of sculptors today - living sculptors. Giacometti is without any one of the most influential sculptors in recent history

[@tomihoui]

Great who's who. Don't you think David Černý should be part of it?

[@contemporaryartissue]

Hi Tom, thank you for tuning in. Great suggestion, but David Cerny was not included in the 'top results' of our contemporary sculpture survey. Great artist nevertheless!

[@keithlovatt7494]

I enjoy these videos! But I do think the sculpture list was missing some notable people, Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth and Antony Gormley.

[@debbylou5729]

Then that would be your own list. Encourage people to care about your list

[@contemporaryartissue]

Great recital of artists! Thank you for tuning in

[@chompers11]

@@debbylou5729 naw hepworth and gormley not being on here makes it a Bad List. Hepworth particularly was a giant, ridiculous to not include her

[@RCSTILE]

Apparently sculptors who can actually create works of art that anyone can appreciate are not considered relevant today. Good example Richard McDonald

[@Ayaktayiz]

It`s a good video to start with, a big thank you for the idea and implementation. Congratulations, but the missing names are far too big, and your reply to #gstavella below is so frail that it vaporizes your achievement up there. I think your video needs a `fix-up` revision that must include the obvious omissions of Christo & Jeanne-Claude, Calder, and Moore. Best regards, looking forward to more videos👏👏👏

[@contemporaryartissue]

Hi Atila, thank you for reaching out in the comments and thank you for the kind words. Christo & Jeanne-Claude indeed did not make the top section of the ranking, even though it was close. I would also say their works are more interventions/in-situ installations than 'sculptures', however the distinction between both is very often unclear. Calder & Moore are sculptors pur sang, but sadly did not make the top 20. A selection of 50 artists would be quite a stretch to make a video of, but I am sure it would still be stacked with top notch artists. Thank you for tuning in, greetings from Belgium and happy to get in touch again in a new video soon!

[@dolcevitausa6448]

Alberto Giacometti???

[@contemporaryartissue]

This video takes on sculptors today-naturally excluding Giacometti, who passed away almost 60 years ago. But nevertheless, his influence is still tangible in this list.

[@igorvkuznetsov3518]

Thank You Very Much For Posting Such A Beautiful Review On The 2O Top Contemporary Sculptors ! I Do Really Enjoy The Quality Of Your Presentation and Your Dog Have Made A Perfect Addition To Your Concise And Fantastic Content. I hope You Coud Do A Similar Review On The 2O Top Jewelry Designers :)) Best Wishes, IGOR V KUZNETSOV JEWELRY DESIGNER | GOLDSMITH MANHATTAN NEW YORK NEW YORK 1OO12 USA

[@contemporaryartissue]

Thank you so much for those kind words. She (my dog) really is! I am not very well read into jewelry sadly, I am sure it would be an interesting video indeed! Best wishes from Belgium!

[@igorvkuznetsov3518]

@@contemporaryartissue --- YOU ARE VERY WELCOME ! THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING CONTEMPORARY JEWELRY ARTISTS AND DESIGNERS IN YOUR PART OF THE WORLD | GENERALY EUROPIAN ARTISTS ARE LESS COMMERCIALLY ENGAGED AND THEY ARE MORE WILLING TO EXPLORE A NEW APPROACHES FOR THEIR ARTISTIC EXPRESSIONS THAN AMERICANS :)) GOOD LUCK ! YOU CAN DO IT :))

[@r.alevargas175]

Eva Hesse

[@KpxUrz5745]

I would love to hear opinions by Michelangelo, Carpeaux, and Rodin about what passes for modern day "sculpture". When shown a Jeff Koons, they would just give you an angry look as if to say "stop wasting my time".

[@modfus]

The problem is you're not comparing apples with apples. Contemporary art is intrinsically connected to the Globalized postmodern world culture we are currently living in. The entire purpose of art has changed over the centuries. The great masters of the past are even 're-contextualized' and reinterpreted by our present-day gaze. Art will continue to evolve and shift as civilization changes over time. It is true that aesthetics (and the pursuit of beauty) is not a driving factor in high contemporary art - but whether we like it or not, this art says a great deal about the values, concerns, and attitudes of our time ...and will stand as a reflection of our 21st century culture (good or bad) in centuries to come.

[@KpxUrz5745]

@@modfus Ok fine, then let's please stop calling this modern crap "sculpture". They didn't sculpt any materials, and would fail miserably if they tried. It certainly does not require a skilled talented capable artist to make these things, only someone well-positioned with funding to afford the fabrication by others, and some bad ideas. Mostly what has changed is that artists have become increasingly untalented at an alarming pace.

[@chompers11]

@@KpxUrz5745 capitalism eating art alive. Leading to these ridiculous lists of "sculptors". Seeing Hirst's work in real life gives me no feeling other than meh

[@KpxUrz5745]

@@chompers11 Yes. No matter how much money a Hirst, or a Koons, or any of these jokers sell things for, to me none of them are even artists. They are just makers of flashy products to sell, and have been amongst the small percentage who somehow got elevated in the marketplace. I wouldn't want to be one of them, and have my entire artistic career evaporate into nothing as soon as the marketplace changes tune. They have no actual artistic talent. Furthermore, many of these guys (Koons for instance) probably do not even physically touch any aspect of the materials to make these products. They hire it out to big pricey foundries. It is hard to respect "art" never created by the so-called "artist"!

[@chompers11]

@@KpxUrz5745 emperors new clothes art. Everyone too afraid to speak up

[@gstavella]

Hmmmm…… Christo? Calder? Robert Smithson……? Uh Henry Moore, Nevelson, Giacometti….? Murakami? Ortega?

[@contemporaryartissue]

Great recital, thank you for sharing here! Sadly they did not make the top 20. Maybe we should make a top 50 instead! Thank you for tuning in and best wishes from Belgium

[@ericme4767]

Giacometti is dead😂

[@gstavella]

So’s Bourgeois but she made the list 🤣🤣

[@contemporaryartissue]

@@gstavella Of course Bourgeois only past away in 2010, Giacometti in 1966. The first is a true contemporary sculptor whereas the latter is modern sculptor.

[@gstavella]

@@contemporaryartissue Understood. But to that point, Christo died in 2020 and his last work was installed just last year. Whereas Bourgeois seemed to have stopped sculpting almost 20 years before. Im not comparing the merits of these two artists (which could be cool though), but wondering how you differentiate contemporary vs modern: two words that are usually synonymous, using ‘objective career facts.” And please understand I am not critical, just curious. Thanks

[@talmaslavi1849]

Anish kapoor is top 5

[@contemporaryartissue]

Yes, he would definitely be in my personal top 5 as well! Thank you for tuning in

[@fvkc-r-e_2_d_9th-pwr14]

I am sorry, I usually love your videos, but this list is utterly absurd. How do you get a glib lightweight like Erwin Wurm at number four? Seriously? Above the historic density of Flavin, Smithson, De Maria, LeWitt, Whiteread, Judd, Heizer, Hirst, Oldenburg, and Smith? And seriously, Richard Long above his American counterparts in the the Earth Art movement? It is not even remotely close. But perhaps the greatest omission is not one Art Povera artist is present on this list.Where is Merz, where is Kounellis? Oh my!

[@contemporaryartissue]

Hi there, first and foremost, thank you for tuning in and for the interesting comment. Concerning Erwin Wurm, he is no longer a glib lightweight at all. He is represented by industry leading galleries such as Lehmann Maupin and Thaddaeus Ropac, is being collected by literally all major institutions and has major solo exhibitions at those institutions year by year. When it comes to Arte Povera, many icons are more intervention artworks/in situ installations than sculptures, hence not being featured in our list. I would also like to state that there is often a gaping gap between our perception of fame, influence and popularity of certain artists and the actual importance and pertinence of those artists in the art world. This is another reason why we adore using the artfacts algorithm for these rankings. Best wishes from Belgium!

[@fvkc-r-e_2_d_9th-pwr14]

@@contemporaryartissue You seem to have a rather limited and outdated idea of what constitutes sculpture. Alicja Kwade over Robert Smithson, seriously? And Merz's igloos are not sculpture, but installation? Seriously? And OK, I will give you that Ropac is a widely regarded and heavyweight venue, but Lehman Maupin? You gotta be kidding? Oh, one more thing, you completely omitted the Mexico City crew, No Gabriel Orozco, no Damian Ortega, and no Francis Alÿs. All of whom have the very best galleries in the world representing them and have had serious museum retrospectives at far more prestigious museums than has Wurm. But hey, please continue with the algorithms. As for gaping gaps in perception, I may have some, but my also being in almost every major museum collection around the world, as well as being represented by one of the world most eminent galleries, I like to think that my opinion is at least slightly informed.

[@contemporaryartissue]

@@fvkc-r-e_2_d_9th-pwr14 I don't believe our definition of sculpture is outdated, on the contrary. Merz's igloos are indeed sculptures, but he simply did not make the cut. Yes, Merz is a highly influential and established artist, but so are these 20 names. Lehmann Maupin has indeed a 'bad name', but is an industry leading mega-gallery without any doubt. When it comes to the Mexico City crew, I am a huge fan of Francis Alÿs (being a compatriot). But I don't define his works as 'sculpture'. Orozco and Ortega do make sculptures but they didn't make the top 20 - although it was a close call for Orozco. Don't get me wrong, it is your absolute right to disagree with this list. In fact I am happy you disagree because I disagree too with some names in the 20, Wurm's ranking among others. It is in no way 'absolute' or flawless. However, it does allow us to create an objective and scientific approach towards measuring influence and prominence in the art world, with great consistency and coherence. Otherwise, I would be simply imposing my opinion, or anyone's opinion, with an entirely different list with every new person or new query.

[@itsmrparker]

@@contemporaryartissue Truly you should create a list of your own then, instead of using an algorithm. Not that there's anything wrong with this video, I simply feel like that would make a great additional video, to showcase who you actually enjoy. I researched all names the individual mentioned and greatly preferred those works over some of the ones shown here.

[@contemporaryartissue]

​@@itsmrparker Sounds like a great idea, one list does not rule out the other, or maybe we could organize a poll study and see which artists are preferred by the audience here, I am really interested to see those results. Thank you for the very enjoyable debate

[@debbylou5729]

This is the most perfect example showing why reading is much more enjoyable than videos like this

[@contemporaryartissue]

Feel free to read the same articles on www.contemporaryartissue.com instead of watching our videos.

[@billenglish6352]

Ridiculously bias.

[@estellepatella2520]

Richard Serra was born in 1938, not 1958.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Thank you for pointing out the mistake!

[@debbylou5729]

Just tell me who made the copper balloon animal!!!!

[@contemporaryartissue]

Jeff Koons of course :-)

[@StyleWarsNYC]

No Frank Stella? Easily one of the top five most important sculptors alive and most innovative.

[@contemporaryartissue]

I can agree with you. However I believe Stella was most influential as a painter, examining the fading distinction between the painting is an object or as a sculpture. Thank you for tuning in and for sharing Stella to the debate in the comments

[@KpxUrz5745]

Hahaha, amusing. I don't even consider Stella much of a painter, much less a sculptor. And you won't take my word for it, but you should. I know ALL about Stella. Very little talent and artistry there. More of a businessman. His relief wall hangings (part painting and part relief shapes) are a total disaster artistically. Just a confused mess, revealing a confused mind. I give zero credibility to the prices in the marketplace.

[@Vukuzenzele]

Thank you for providing this list of examples on how not to sculpt. Contemporary art is kak.

[@rydeck239]

who was responsible for choosing some of the least relevant examples for each artist? yeah let's only show lesser works for the summarized introduction video

[@sebber7992]

None of these so called artists are sculptors. Their work can be best described as "found object", "installation", or "art-object". It is essential that the artist creates his works with his own hands. I've seen the works of Weiwei, Kapoor and Graham, and they've successfully bored me to death. Luckly I can access to real sculptures (Rodin, Yrurtia, Bourdelle).

[@Tonabillity]

It’s interesting, that no African-American sculptors are mentioned, including John Outterbridge, or Lauren Halsey. I guess it will be a couple of more centuries before African-American artists will be considered “good enough.” 🤷🏾

[@contemporaryartissue]

Things have been improving strongly the past few decades when it comes to equality and inclusivity, but we're not there yet-as illustrated with these research results. Thank you for tuning in!

[@Tonabillity]

@@contemporaryartissue Born in 1954, I’ve been hearing about things improving throughout my ENTIRE life. In my old age, I’ve finally excepted that we must TRULY be an inferior race. I honestly don’t expect for Black lives to matter within my lifetime, but thanks for responding anyway 🤷🏾

[@angelluisbarrantes933]

en general, solo veo "ocurrencias" mas o menos curiosas pero poco mas,,,, lo siento.

[@contemporaryartissue]

No need to be sorry, it is your right! Thank you for tuning in Angel

[@angelluisbarrantes933]

creo que hay un problema de traducción en lo que he comentado, no es arrepentimiento lo que he querido decir

[@contemporaryartissue]

@@angelluisbarrantes933 I believe "Io siento" means "sorry"? My Spanish isn't great but I (thought I can) understand most sentences more or less.

[@angelluisbarrantes933]

@@contemporaryartissue No pongo en duda que Vd entienda mi idioma, pero creo que no he sabido transmitir la carga irónica de mi comenterio

[@mgu1N1n1]

Holzer is NOT a sculptor.

[@coz_DS]

Thank you for the reply. However art is NOT a feast, it has rules to follow, time that needs spent to develop the skills necessary to become just mediocre. From the "stuff" shown here, it's as if art is now defined as a free for all, and the people mostly to blame are art critics and people who try too pass themselves off as art historians and knowledgeable about fine art. Just because you can put paint to canvas, charcoal to paper, or clay to armature, in NO POSSIBLE UNIVERSE makes you an artist.

[@mavigogun]

What a tired out list. No, not tired- dead.

[@pepetrueno8722]

No Carlos Cruz Diez = no party

[@user-ef5qm3fp3t]

Amaszngly White

[@FlushGorgon]

That's not what "today" means.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Do you refer to some of the artists who recently (during this century) passed away?

[@freedom4843]

A very subjective video.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Hi there, thank you for tuning in. In fact, this list has been created by an algorithm (by Artfacts) which ranks artists based upon objective data and career facts (such as shows at major institutions, auction results, biennials, collections, et cetera).

[@colummulhern8865]

The art world is really out of touch. Do you really think we are all stupid? You all love to talk about it but none of the rubbish you've shown can speak for itself. I sincerely hope you'll all be unmasked sonner than later.

[@wllm4785]

Koons is a physical manifestation of TV. Same thing over and over. His best and by far most interesting work was this week when someone accidentally smashed one of his sculptures.

[@johanngm6846]

beside a few artists its mostly real shit. Shit is art right?

[@eduardocervino8216]

20% art mixed with 80% BS,

[@ericswain4177]

The emperor has no close !! 95% of Modern and Contemporary conceptual art Is rubbish! Most Blue Chip and Investment Grade Modern and Contemporary Art can be analogized by the IDIA PUSHED ! " If you repeat a lie loud enough and long enough people will start believing it"Yes Anything can be Art, "But" ! The Value behind that art is the problem, the powers behind the art world that assigs arbitrarily $$$$$ Value based on the most outlandish of ideas of what "YOU SHOULD THINK ABOUT THAT ART" and WHOS WHO in that art world and most often falsely for the most elite the opinion leaders in the art world thus trickling down to the masses. In short " Art is anything you can get away with".

[@sparkxshawty]

Lol what is this list

[@artmedusaarte9487]

Queste non sono sculture. Sono trovate e nulla piu' . A volte pure veramente brutte e antiestetiche.

[@wolf5420]

the surrealistic sculptures are good

[@contemporaryartissue]

I agree 100%!

[@tommymanuel8687]

A lot of bullshit is what these are. 😂

[@mariowilson-ox6kx]

This list, I don't agree with!

[@contemporaryartissue]

As is your right! Feel free to share your personal list in the comments

[@sheilastahl633]

Wow I need a serious drink to enjoy some of these very ugly renderings. And I don't drink.

[@Kapojos]

Most of these is really tasteless 'art'. There are no sculptural qualities and there is no skill in making. These objects need long texts to explain any meaning and they have to try so hard talking and using fancy words to convince you that a toilet is art... After Rodin true sculpture has died...

[@maddashecho5486]

What a load of nonsense

[@legalant1429]

🤢🤮

[@ejohnson4321]

THE CONTENT IS GOOD BUT YOUR ACCENT IS IMPOSSIBLY ANNOYING!!!

[@contemporaryartissue]

I am very said to hear the accent is a problem. I do my very best as a Dutch-French speaking person, but we'll need to brush up that accent a bit more indeed! In any case, thank you for tuning in

[@wolf5420]

wow luise bourgois is good !!!

[@contemporaryartissue]

She's great indeed!