This is certainly not a top 5 for me at all, but it is a top 5 according to many sources in the current art world. So, if you ask me if I agree, I would say I did not, at least not entirely.
David Hockney (UK)
Hockney was born in Bradford, UK in 1937. His style is consistent, always with bright colours, emotional realism I would venture to say, and he also does a lot of iPad paintings, in other words digital art and exploration (I do a lot of that and I do like Hockney).
He matters because he is considered a modern master of perception and colour (by «experts»). He seems to be quite able to bridge classic British painting with a new digital optimism. His signature works: A Bigger Splash, Portrait of an Artist.
Jenny Saville (UK)
Saville was born in Cambridge in 1970. Her style is to create monumental figurative paintings of the human body. Her paintings are raw, visceral, unapologetic and quite impressive I may add. (This painter I do really admire).
She matters (and I agree) because she is one of the strongest contemporary voices in figurative painting today. She has reclaimed the human body in art and paints her subjects without objectification but with her own tenderness and visual force. Her signature works are Propped and Plan.
Cecily Brown (UK/US)
Brown was born in London in 1969. Her style is abstract expressionism with a merging of figuration, that also blends with movement, emotion, and sensual chaos. (Although I am not a fan, I do respect her work).
This artist does matter as she has become quite influential as an abstract painter, and many consider that she breaks new life into painting itself. (Not too sure about that last statement).
Njideka Akunyili Crosby (Nigeria/US)
Njideka was born in Nigeria in 1983. Her style is what is called layered portraits which combine painting with collage and photographic transfers. (I am not too thrilled with her work). However, she matters, I suppose, because “they” say she is a leading voice of global contemporary art, exploring identity, diaspora, and memory.
Kerry James Marshall (US)
Marshall, born in Alabama (US) in 1955, paints large, deeply narrative portraits of Black life and beauty. He matters because he is hailed as one of the most important American painters of our time; his work reshapes how history and presence are painted. (Not to me)
Well, next time I will do a full top 10, but now I want to know what you think. Do you agree with the «experts» or do you have your own opinions, or even agree with me? Let me know so that we can keep the conversation on art going.
CHEERS
JaZzArt en València 
What a wonderfully thoughtful and articulate reflection on contemporary art! 🎨👏
I truly appreciate how you didn’t just list names but offered balanced insights — blending your personal impressions with what the broader art world recognizes. It’s refreshing to see such honesty in evaluation — admiring skill where it’s due, yet staying true to your own aesthetic values.
Your nuanced take on each artist — from Hockney’s vibrant emotional realism to Saville’s raw human intensity, and even your candid reservation about certain styles — shows both deep knowledge and sincerity. I especially liked how you invite open dialogue rather than presenting conclusions as absolute truths — that’s the mark of a true art lover and thinker
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Thank you Sir, so very much! Yes, it’s an open dialogue that I look for so that we can all learn from each other. All the best!
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To be honest I’ve not given this much thought but these 5 are all worthy
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Am I drawn to any of these artists ? 3 were meh and kinda boring and 2 were disturbing. Saville who you like and Marshall, his work reminds me of racist caricatures of yesteryear
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Thank you Sheree.
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Lo haces interesante
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Me alegro que te guste. Gracias
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Yo no soy un gran experto pero haces que me interese
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Vale, me alegro. Gracias
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What I found fascinating in your list is not just the artists themselves, but how time constantly reshapes their “greatness.”
A painting that feels distant today might speak louder a decade from now — or fade entirely — depending on how our collective gaze evolves.
Your honest reflections remind us that art is not a frozen hierarchy but a living conversation between the artist, the viewer, and the moment in history they share. 🎨⏳
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Thank you! And you are spot on about art needing a conversation, and one of my goals is to continue that conversation. I appreciate your participation and your reply.
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BUONA DOMENICA
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Ciao Giovanni e grazie, buona domenica anche a te.
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GENTILISSIMO
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🙏😊🙋♂️
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👏
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