10 amazing pieces that redefine contemporary art
Introduction
Contemporary art is full of groundbreaking works that challenge the viewer and expand the boundaries of what we understand as "art." This selection brings together ten pieces that, due to their conceptual audacity, have sparked debate and redefined perspectives. A perfect read for those who enjoy discovering new ideas and questioning the established order.
1. Comedian: The surprising story of the world's most expensive banana
New York – At an auction held by Sotheby's on November 20, 2024, Maurizio Cattelan 's work "Comedian" —a real banana attached to the wall with a piece of gray tape— fetched a final price of $6.2 million (approximately €5.8 million).
2. Empty shoebox — Gabriel Orozco, 1993
Concept: An everyday object that loses its function to become a reflection on the artistic gaze.
Editorial idea: Displace an image of the box in a museum room, highlighting emptiness as the protagonist.
3. Untitled — Félix González-Torres, 1991
Untitled — Félix González-Torres, 1991 Concept: Stacks of papers that visitors can take with them. The artwork is transformed and reborn in the hands of the public.
Editorial idea: Aerial photo or detail of the stacked papers, with an explanatory caption about the importance of participation.
4. Colored Dots — Damien Hirst, 1986
Colored Dots — Damien Hirst, 1986 Concept: Repetition, serial production, and color as a system. A nod to industry and the idea of a unique piece.
Editorial idea: Clean image of a canvas with dots, occupying half a page to highlight its visual order.
5. Io sono (I am) — Salvatore Garau, 2020
Io sono (I am) — Salvatore Garau, 2020 Concept: An invisible sculpture that exists as an idea. The artist sells empty space and questions materiality.
Editorial idea: A minimalist box with a white background, playing with the concept of absence.
6. Wardrobe full of empty boxes — Michael Landy, 2010
Wardrobe full of empty boxes — Michael Landy, 2010 Concept: Accumulating what has no use. A critique of consumption and accumulation.
Editorial idea: Front image of the wardrobe, highlighting repetition and monochrome.
7. Untitled (Black) — Glenn Ligon, 1982
Untitled (Black) — Glenn Ligon, 1982 Concept: An almost monochrome canvas that invites reflection on what we do not see.
8. Class of Emptiness — Tatsuo Miyajima, 2008
Class of emptiness — Tatsuo Miyajima , 2008 Concept: An empty space with an LED counter. Time, existence and silence in the same installation.
9. The Word That Is Eaten — Tino Sehgal, 2012
The Word That Is Eaten — Tino Sehgal, 2012 Concept: An immaterial work based on human interaction. Art as experience and not as object.
10. Heartbeat of the City — Zarina Hashmi, 2021
Heartbeat of the city — Zarina Hashmi, 2021 Concept: Emotional cartographies and lines that portray the pulse of a city.
