Zeitgenössisch

Zeitgenössisch is a German adjective meaning "contemporary" or "of the present time." It is used to describe art, culture, and phenomena that belong to the current era, as opposed to historical or traditional forms. The word is formed from Zeit (time) and genössisch, ultimately from Zeitgenosse, meaning a person of the same generation, indicating things that are of one's own time. In practice, zeitgenössisch signals current styles, ideas, and issues, rather than lasting or established canons of the past.

In the arts and culture, zeitgenössisch is widely used: zeitgenössische Kunst (contemporary art), zeitgenössische Architektur (contemporary architecture), zeitgenössische Literatur (contemporary literature), and zeitgenössischer Film or theater. The term is often used in museums, galleries, and scholarship to distinguish present-day works and discourses from modernist or classical traditions. It can carry a flexible, evolving connotation, reflecting ongoing debates about what counts as current.

In English-language scholarship the direct loan zeitgenössisch is occasionally used to refer to German-language discourse on contemporary art; in English, contemporariness or contemporary are common translations. The term is typically relative, varying with its cultural and historical context, and may be framed against terms like modern, postmodern, or historicist.

Overall, zeitgenössisch centers the present in cultural analysis, signaling relevance to today’s social, political, and aesthetic concerns while remaining anchored in its German linguistic roots.