What is contemporary art?

Contemporary art is a discourse within our culture that continuously seeks to create new revolution by adding value and enhancing our lives through its richness of expression. In a sense, it is a meme that constantly changing and informing the culture. In this respect, it is a daunting task for ordinary folks to engage in the discourse of contemporary art. By nature, contemporary art seeks to create new paradigm, thus it must annihilate old value, the very value which people hold dearly. A thriving culture is one that continuously assimilating and becoming. In a dead culture, inhabitants cling to the glory of the past. Its will to live has given way to idolatry.

Peter Timms , "what's Wrong With Contemporary Art" provides a good definition. It goes beyond the literal meaning of the word ''contemporary"  and looks at a set of ideologies and aesthetics that are unspoken but collectively understood. To put it in my own words, Id say it is the visual equivalent of punk rock in that it downplays skills and education and relies on opinion in the form of an artist statement to justify it.

You can consider definition around timeframes. Contemporary art is the art produced in the period after the World War II (so from 1945) with the center in New York City. People sometimes confuse it with modern art, whereas  the latter starts from the birth of impressionist movement in the end of the 19th century and goes on.

Contemporary art refers to artwork that is currently being made, or that was made recently enough not to fall into a critical history. Contemporary artists are still living and working, or recently deceased.

Contemporary  art is the art produced in the present period in time. It is developed  from the postmodern art. Contemporary artists often reflect and comment  on modern-day society. Visit http://www.indianartideas.in/contemporary-art for latest and attractive contemporary art by famous Indian artist.

I think the literal answer is the best: It's the art that is currently being produced. The nice point about a literal term like that is that you don't need to get wrapped up in finding labels to categorize art.

Contemporary art is that which is made in response to similarly contemporary issues/concepts, or issues & concepts which have been previously raised.

I would add to the answers above the fact that contemporary art is the art that expresses the paradigm of the society currently living.

in my one opinion, it's an attitude to know unknown by various art media.