ABSTRACT
This chapter explains that the "contemporary art" is not a mere chronological category in the history of visual arts, but a new paradigm, in the sense defined by American historian of sciences Thomas Kuhn regarding scientific production. The approach it uses pertain to what people now in France call "pragmatic sociology", which emerged in the 1990s in French sociology. It refers to both American pragmatism in philosophy and pragmatic linguistics. In the field of the sociology of arts, this "pragmatic" perspective cannot be reduced to Howard S. Becker's demonstration of collective nature of artistic activities. The very term "paradigm" is quite fashionable today. It has nonetheless a precise and useful meaning in history of sciences. "Postmodernism", "post-avant-garde" and "visual arts" rather than "fine arts": new names surfacing to designate not only new styles or artistic movements, but a new period of art, or a new way of practicing it, probably mean a paradigm change.
