As 2024 comes to a close, it is time to look back and reflect on the artists who left an indelible mark on the contemporary art scene. Artmajeur, a leading platform for the online art market, has once again proven to be an invaluable tool for identifying emerging trends and highlighting the names that captivated audiences in terms of sales and appreciation.
This year’s analysis reveals a dynamic picture: painters, photographers, digital artists, and sculptors continue to dominate the scene, each with their unique and distinctive language. The variety of styles and expressive mediums perfectly reflects the diverse nature of today’s artistic production, balancing traditional approaches with bold experimentation in digital forms.
In this context, the selection of 10 artists, chosen among the 50 most successful of 2024, offers a refined and significant overview of what has defined this artistic year. This selection is not only a tribute to individual talent but also provides valuable insight into the evolution of the art market and highlights the most sought-after must-haves for collectors and enthusiasts.
Now, it’s time to step aside and give the spotlight to the true protagonists: here are the 10 selected artists who have defined the year as it draws to a close!
The chocolate mustache (2020) Photography by Mathilde Oscar
Mathilde Oscar
Artist Biography
Born in Paris in 1980, Mathilde Oscar is a photographer and visual artist with an eclectic and captivating journey. After graduating in Art History, Mathilde began her artistic path in painting, her first passion, before transitioning to graphic design. However, it was in 2013 that she discovered photography, a medium through which she translates the legacy of classical painting masters into the contemporary world.
Mathilde currently lives and works in Cannes, in the south of France, where she continues to explore the dialogue between painting, photography, and digital manipulation. Her talent has earned her prestigious international recognition, such as the Creative Photography Award from The Portrait Masters in 2019 and a second prize in 2020. Her work has been widely showcased through exhibitions, publications, and television appearances.
Style and Subjects
Mathilde Oscar’s style is a perfect balance between the past and present. Her photography, inspired by Romanticism, Neoclassicism, and the great masters of painting, stands out for its masterful use of light and composition, transforming each shot into a contemporary painting.
Her creative process extends beyond photography alone: costumes, accessories, and set design are integral to her work, sometimes enriched by digital techniques to create her ethereal and dreamlike worlds. Mathilde’s subjects, predominantly female, emerge as iconic and timeless figures—modern Amazons, proud and charismatic, enveloped in melancholic and surreal atmospheres.
Why Her Works Excel in the Contemporary Market
Mathilde Oscar’s works, often anachronistic, pay homage to art history but with a fresh and unconventional voice that captivates viewers with its refined and enigmatic beauty.
At a time when art navigates between tradition and innovation, her ability to merge classical pictorial codes with photography and digital artistry sets her apart as an extraordinary contemporary artist. Her works meet the growing demand for timeless beauty, where each image tells a story, resonates with the past, and engages the modern audience.
Collectors value the meticulous attention to detail, theatricality, and painterly atmosphere of her photographs, transforming them into true collectible pieces capable of elevating any space.
Contemporary portrait "In the Kitchen with Cat" (2024) Painting by Nataliya Bagatskaya
Nataliya Bagatskaya
Artist Biography
Born in 1967 in Ukraine, Nataliya Bagatskaya is a contemporary painter whose work combines refined technique and deep emotional vision. Fascinated by the interplay of color and form, Bagatskaya has transformed her passion into an artistic journey that profoundly resonates with viewers. For her, creativity is both an instinctive and meditative process, capable of surprising even the artist herself.
A respected member of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine, Bagatskaya is highly regarded worldwide for her formal elegance and the almost mystical aura that permeates her body of work.
Style and Subjects
Nataliya Bagatskaya’s work is defined by her reinterpretation of iconic subjects, often the Mona Lisa, which she reimagines in contemporary contexts. Through this fusion, Bagatskaya breathes new life into classical figures, transforming them into modern icons that engage today's audience.
Her paintings, rooted in the tradition of realism, delve into surreal or mystical settings, enhanced with contemporary elements. Classical still life compositions featuring vases, glasses, and fruit emerge with a timeless, dreamlike aura, brought to life by her masterful use of light and color.
Bagatskaya also captures domestic scenes of tranquil daily life, elevating reality with intricate details that verge on visual poetry. Like Mathilde Oscar, she skillfully blends past and present, creating works that appear as “living paintings”.
Why Her Works Resonate in the Contemporary Market
Bagatskaya’s works meet the demands of the contemporary market, where audiences seek iconicity paired with a modern and accessible language. Her ability to reinvent historical figures, such as the Mona Lisa, and transform them into fresh, contemporary representations is a key factor in her success.
This blend of tradition and innovation allows collectors to find familiarity while being captivated by the originality of her reinterpretations. The mystical and dreamlike atmospheres, combined with her refined technique, make Bagatskaya’s paintings ideal for enriching modern spaces with a touch of classical eccentricity.
Lady bird (2024) Painting by Dunja Jung
Dunja Jung
Artist Biography
Born in Belgrade in 1972, Dunja Jung is a contemporary Serbian painter who, over the past two decades, has gained recognition for her mastery of watercolor. Through numerous group and solo exhibitions, Jung has emerged as a significant figure in her home country’s art scene, celebrated for her refined technique and innovative approach to this traditional medium.
Style and Subjects of Her Work
Dunja Jung’s art revolves around watercolor, but in a distinctly unconventional manner. She experiments with unusual surfaces such as canvas and cardboard, pushing the traditional boundaries of the medium. Often, Jung combines watercolor with acrylics and other water-based materials, creating a unique and recognizable visual language.
Portraits are central to her work: Jung captures the human face with precision and sensitivity, conveying subtle and complex expressions that invite the viewer to engage with the intimate emotions of her subjects. Each face, depicted with delicate features and ethereal colors, becomes a visual narrative where reality and imagination merge seamlessly.
Why Her Work Resonates in the Contemporary Market
Dunja Jung’s works are highly successful in the contemporary art market because they skillfully combine tradition and innovation. Watercolor, often perceived as fragile and antiquated, is transformed by Jung into a modern and powerful medium. Her delicate brushwork, paired with the depth of her figures, produces evocative and universal imagery that resonates deeply with contemporary audiences.
Moreover, Jung’s ability to reinvent the classical portrait in a modern key meets the growing demand for figurative art that explores identity and emotional introspection, solidifying her place as a distinctive and sought-after artist.
Ocean Breeze (2024) Painting by Nataliia Sydorova
Nataliia Sydorova
Artist Biography
Born in 1989 in Ukraine, Nataliia Sydorova is a contemporary artist specializing in abstract expressionism. Her career is marked by her masterful use of color, which serves as the focal point of her artistic exploration. Sydorova’s works have achieved international acclaim, entering prestigious private collections across the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, and Japan.
Style and Subjects
Nataliia Sydorova draws inspiration from abstract masters like Mark Rothko, Barnett Newman, and Clyfford Still, while echoing Gerhard Richter’s explorations of texture and dynamic brushwork. Her paintings are characterized by vivid colors and essential forms, seamlessly combined into compositions that are both simple and profoundly expressive.
The color itself is her central element: Sydorova layers hues to create depth and luminosity, producing surfaces that radiate warmth, serenity, and harmony. Her palette, often rich and enveloping, transforms each painting into a visual beacon, ideal for enhancing contemporary spaces.
Why Her Works Resonate in the Contemporary Market
Sydorova’s success lies in her ability to blend visual impact with emotional depth while staying rooted in abstract traditions. Her broad fields of color and vibrant luminosity make her works perfect for modern interiors, while her nuanced tones evoke feelings of calm and introspection.
Her fresh reinterpretation of color field and textural abstraction adds cultural significance, making her creations both timeless and refined, appealing to collectors and art enthusiasts seeking sophistication and contemporary relevance.
Prigioniero di questa terra (2022) Sculpture by Filippo Pietro Castrovinci
Filippo Pietro Castrovinci
Artist Biography
Born in 1963 in Capri Leone, Sicily (Italy), Filippo Pietro Castrovinci is an Italian sculptor who has dedicated his career to the artistic transformation of metal. In 2004, he founded the Associazione Italiana Fabbri d’Arte, serving as its president until 2020, promoting the creative potential of ironworking. Today, alongside his daughter, he directs “ArteInFerroCastrovinci”, a leading workshop specializing in artistic metalworks.
Style and Subjects
Castrovinci’s work harmonizes tradition and innovation, blending the ancient craft of ironworking with a contemporary artistic vision. His sculptures embody a balance between solidity and lightness, transforming industrial materials like metal into forms that appear fluid and almost alive.
The use of sinuous lines and the interplay of negative and positive space are central to his aesthetic. These contrasts infuse the sculptures with a constant sense of movement, as if the metal had been molded naturally, defying its inherent rigidity.
Why His Works Thrive in the Contemporary Market
Filippo Pietro Castrovinci’s success lies in his ability to reinterpret a traditional craft with a modern and refined language. His sculptures go beyond mere decorative function, distinguished by their expressive power and ability to narrate stories. Often depicting iconic subjects, Castrovinci reimagines them with a personal style that amplifies their significance.
Perfectly suited to contemporary spaces, his works seamlessly interact with their surroundings, combining harmonious forms with the industrial allure of metal, making them highly valued in today’s art market.
S E V E N T I E S (2024) Painting by Christelle Riffet (Céhère)
Christelle Riffet (Céhère)
Artist Biography
Born in 1969 in Mantes-la-Ville, France, Christelle Riffet, known under the pseudonym Céhère, is a contemporary artist whose creative journey is driven by a constant spirit of experimentation. Since adopting her alias in 2020, Céhère has developed a distinct artistic identity marked by her ability to reinvent visual techniques and languages. Her practice, imbued with curiosity and irony, pushes the boundaries of art with a playful yet meticulous vision.
Style and Subjects
Céhère’s style strikes a captivating balance between abstraction and figuration, enriched by frequent references to art history and iconic subjects reimagined with a modern, irreverent twist. Her work stands out for the masterful use of colorful patterns, combined with geometric structures and repeated decorative motifs. This fusion of visual rhythm and varied themes infuses her works with a vibrant energy, drawing viewers into a lively and harmonious world where order meets creative spontaneity.
Why Her Works Resonate in the Contemporary Market
Céhère’s art resonates in the contemporary market due to its successful blend of tradition and innovation. The recognizable figurative elements, often inspired by iconic subjects from art history, allow her work to appeal to a broad audience, attracted by both the familiarity and the originality of her language.
Furthermore, her use of mixed techniques and her playful approach add immersive value: each of Céhère’s works becomes an engaging experience, stimulating the viewer’s creativity and imagination.
Night Stop in the Bush (2024)Digital art by Jean-Marie Gitard (Mr STRANGE)
Jean-Marie Gitard (Mr STRANGE)
Artist Biography
Born in 1964 in Sète, France, Jean-Marie Gitard, known under the pseudonym Mr Strange, is a visual artist who has transformed his artistic path, evolving from classical painting to digital art. Moving away from traditional norms, Mr Strange uses surrealism as a tool to explore and reflect on the world with a tone that oscillates between poetry, irony, and social critique.
Style and Subjects
Mr Strange’s style blends digital art, satire, and hints of surrealism. Through sophisticated photographic manipulation, the artist creates hybrid, polymorphic worlds, playing with absurdity and subverting familiar imagery. His works seem to emerge from a parallel reality, where the ordinary is transformed into something grotesque, ironic, and poetic.
Each composition reflects on the human condition, tackling universal themes such as birth, death, identity, and the contradictions of modern society.
Why His Works Thrive in the Contemporary Market
Mr Strange’s creations are successful in today’s art market due to their unique ability to combine critical reflection with entertainment. His satirical and surreal approach meets the growing demand for provocative art that challenges viewers to critically engage with the modern world.
The use of digital techniques allows Mr Strange to produce works of striking visual impact and exceptional aesthetic quality, making them highly appealing to collectors and art enthusiasts seeking original, contemporary pieces.
Red Orange Abstract Painting, Conversation with Mark Rothko (2024) Painting by Leon Grossmann
Leon Grossmann
Artist Biography
Leon Grossmann, a contemporary artist based in Berlin, has established himself in the realms of abstract expressionism and minimalist art. His career revolves around a refined balance between simplicity and depth, embodying the principle of “Less is more.” Celebrated for his ability to merge aesthetics with contemplation, Grossmann’s works have achieved international acclaim, entering private collections across Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
Style and Subjects
Leon Grossmann’s art is a dialogue between visual essentialism and the quest for transcendence. His painting technique is anchored in color field painting and the alternation of colored lines, subtly paying homage to masters such as Mark Rothko, Barnett Newman, Sean Scully, and Agnes Martin. However, Grossmann personalizes this tradition with his distinctive use of material, creating textured surfaces that evoke the power of natural elements like the sun, sea, and wind.
His canvases serve as contemplative spaces, where the interplay of color fields and linear patterns induces a state of visual meditation. Through an abstract, minimalistic language, Grossmann transforms each piece into an inner map, inviting viewers to reflect on their existence and connect with the sublime.
Why His Works Resonate in the Contemporary Market
Grossmann’s work perfectly meets the demands of the contemporary art market due to its ability to combine minimalist aesthetics with emotional depth. In a visually chaotic world, his art offers a space of calm and introspection, addressing the increasing desire for inner connection and serenity.
Jannik (2024) Sculpture by Giancarlo Morandi
Giancarlo Morandi
Artist Biography
Born in 1952, Giancarlo Morandi is an Italian sculptor with a solid artistic and architectural background. After studying at the Scuola d’Arte Toschi in Parma, he refined his skills at the Politecnico di Milano, where he explored the complexities of form and space. His career spans various mediums, from graphic and pictorial art to plastic and sculptural dimensions, with a particular focus on innovative materials such as metal.
Style and Subjects
In recent years, Morandi has revolutionized his artistic practice, experimenting with painted metal wire and creating a unique sculptural language. His technique, characterized by minimalist elegance and an exceptional ability to manipulate rigid materials, challenges the limits of traditional metalworking.
Each sculpture begins with meticulous architectural sketches, which translate into three-dimensional creations that interact seamlessly with light and space. His works, predominantly monochromatic, strike a delicate balance between lightness and transparency, giving metal an almost ethereal quality. Morandi explores the interplay of void and solid, transforming essential geometric forms into dynamic elements that appear to float effortlessly in the air.
Why His Works Are Successful in the Contemporary Market
Giancarlo Morandi’s sculptures meet the demands of the contemporary art market by merging technical innovation with aesthetic elegance. His architectural precision and mastery of metalworking produce pieces that harmonize perfectly with modern spaces, offering a sense of balance and fluidity.
The result is art that captivates through its transformation of a traditionally rigid material into something delicate and poetic, a quality that strongly appeals to collectors and enthusiasts of contemporary sculpture.
Sculpture grand taureau filaire, bronze vert de gris (2024) Sculpture by Vanessa Renoux
Vanessa Renoux
Artist Biography
Born in 1973 in Drôme, France, Vanessa Renoux is a contemporary artist who lives and works between Alby-sur-Chéran and Annecy. Influenced by significant cultural experiences, such as her studies in Greece and a visit to the Chauvet Cave, Renoux blends her passion for sculpture and painting into an artistic journey rich in elegance and harmony.
Style and Subjects
Vanessa Renoux’s art is a pursuit of purity and perfect lines within imperfections. Her sculptures, crafted using steel rods and composite materials, are meticulously painted and patinated to mimic the appearance of bronze. Through careful attention to form, her works evoke lightness and movement, drawing inspiration from the grace of dance and the delicate gestures of daily life.
Her stylized animal sculptures, feline and elegant, exude joy by combining sensuality with playfulness. Meanwhile, her paintings—ranging from natural landscapes to urban settings like Annecy or New York—feature delicate layering, washes, and soft atmospheres, offering depth and a dreamlike quality. Particularly notable is her work inspired by Japanese prints, which combines a light touch with strong decorative appeal.
Why Her Works Thrive in the Contemporary Market
Vanessa Renoux’s art fulfills the contemporary demand for harmonious and contemplative works. Her sculptures, with their soft lines and interplay of voids and solids, provide a poetic vision of reality, capable of evoking serenity and a childlike joy. This ability to convey movement and lightness, even through rigid materials like steel, makes her pieces ideal for both modern and classical spaces.
Her refined, delicate paintings, inspired by natural and urban settings, appeal to audiences seeking works that spark imagination and provide visual balance—a perfect blend of artistic elegance and emotional resonance.
Olimpia Gaia Martinelli
| ArtMajeur Magazine
