1. Bansky. The artist known only as “Banksy” is renowned for creating unique, political, and cultural criticism in the form of graffiti-based street art. Little is known about Banksy due to his (or her) insistence on uninterrupted anonymity. However, Banksy rose to prominence in the early 2000s and remained relevant well into the 2010s.

Here are some of the most influential contemporary artists that you should know about. 1. Takashi Murakami. Both greatly celebrated and deeply criticized for his culturally imbued stylistic choices, Takashi Murakami has been called a sell-out for his business-like approach to art and designing and producing Japanese pop-culture consumables.

It may be too soon to call work from the past 10 or even 5 years iconic, but we aren't hesitating to do so. From work by RETNA to Maurizio Cattelan, Shepard Fairey, and Takashi Murakami, enjoy...

More people cared about and collected contemporary art this decade than at any other time in recent memory. The most impactful artists of the decade were those who most directly fueled—and tapped into—these new developments and expressions.