The conservation of contemporary works of art has evolved from the same basic concerns as for more historical works of art. The main difference, for curator and conservator, comes with the added dimension and input from the living artist. Here, contemporary art is discussed in a historical context, as is the evolution of conservation. The complexity of some of the pieces of contemporary art, from a physical and ethical standpoint, are also presented. The role of the artist in the conservation process is discussed. Some examples illustrating the approaches taken by the Restoration and Conservation Laboratory of the National Gallery of Canada are presented.