Architecture

Art and architecture share many similarities. They've influenced one another throughout history. However, trying to liken these two disciplines will inevitably lead to certain contractions.

Perhaps the biggest difference is that Art, in its broadest sense, is defined as a creation meant to trigger an emotional response which is generally related to aesthetic pleasure. It doesn't satisfy any of life's basic needs, but it leads to thoughts, reflections, and often taps into our subconscious and our memory. On the other hand, architecture's primary purpose is to shelter individuals and ensure their safety. Architecture is meant to serve a utilitarian purpose.

Today, architecture has gone far beyond this initial function. Architects have strived to combine engineering and aesthetic research to create buildings that are so out of the ordinary we wonder how they were designed. They want their creations to stand out and favour originality and creativity. Just like in arts, architecture is influenced by the historical, social, and political context of the time and each movement has its own characteristics, from baroque to futurism to Bauhaus. Modern architecture marked a turn in the history of architecture. Architects revolutionised the social scope of their discipline and took an industrialist approach to society and nature — avant-garde architects rubbed shoulders with artists such as Georges Braque, Piet Mondrian, and members of the De Stijl group. Le Corbusier is a pioneer in collective housing, and also took part in ambitious projects which aimed to rebuild entire cities, such as Chandigarh in India. Decorative arts also developed by taking inspiration from the conventions that governed modernist architecture.

Contemporary architecture might not be a specific movement per se, but buildings that fall into this category share certain attributes. Contemporary architecture is characterised by curvy lines and various volumes in a single structure, as seen with the Sydney Opera House. The architect Jørn Utzon explained that he didn't seek to create a building for this project, but an actual sculpture. The building continually renews itself with new meanings and experiences for each passerby. Architectural works often require periods of deep reflection and a long though process in order for the architect to envisage how to give their building a sense of character and soul.

Whether architecture is an art or not is a never ending debate, but it is undeniable that there are strong links between the two disciplines. There are many examples of collaborations between contemporary artists and architects, and today the works of the greatest architects are exhibited in museums along with their fellow artists.

Discover our selections of artworks inspired by art and architecture!

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Painting, Sud, Marie Deforche

Sud

Marie Deforche

Painting - 73 x 91 x 4 cm Painting - 28.7 x 35.8 x 1.6 inch

$1,952

Painting, Time to relax, Lilly Muth

Lilly Muth

Painting - 100 x 120 x 3 cm Painting - 39.4 x 47.2 x 1.2 inch

$2,318

Painting, Operenccia, Victor Vasarely

Victor Vasarely

Painting - 101.6 x 167.6 x 2.5 cm Painting - 40 x 66 x 1 inch

$450,000

Painting, Décantation, Monkeybird

Monkeybird

Painting - 77.5 x 36.7 x 1.5 cm Painting - 30.5 x 14.4 x 0.6 inch

$3,172

Print, Free Rothko, Oak Oak

Oak Oak

Print - 50 x 40 x 0.1 cm Print - 19.7 x 15.7 x 0 inch

$232

Painting, Urban Mosaic, Aram Sevoyan

Aram Sevoyan

Painting - 70 x 80 x 2 cm Painting - 27.6 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch

$2,000

Sculpture, S Alphabet, Joël Froment

Joël Froment

Sculpture - 24 x 16 x 4 cm Sculpture - 9.4 x 6.3 x 1.6 inch

$1,464

Painting, Tulipe Joe, Robin Obitz

Robin Obitz

Painting - 162 x 114 x 4 cm Painting - 63.8 x 44.9 x 1.6 inch

$10,980

Painting, Sunny Moments, Vianney

Vianney

Painting - 80 x 80 x 2 cm Painting - 31.5 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch

$3,965

Sculpture, Ced. 0323, Yves Tilly

Yves Tilly

Sculpture - 47 x 17 x 17 cm Sculpture - 18.5 x 6.7 x 6.7 inch

$1,806

Painting, Quai St Michel, Paris, Phil

Phil

Painting - 100 x 100 x 2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch

$1,037

Painting, Penumbra, David Walker

David Walker

Painting - 60 x 60 x 3 cm Painting - 23.6 x 23.6 x 1.2 inch

$2,369

Photography, Leaning Man, Edmund Sumner

Edmund Sumner

Photography - 59.8 x 47.5 x 0.1 cm Photography - 23.5 x 18.7 x 0 inch

$2,926

Painting, Incoming Call, Wang Dianyu

Wang Dianyu

Painting - 70 x 50 x 3 cm Painting - 27.6 x 19.7 x 1.2 inch

$1,830

Print, Or noir, Goddog

Goddog

Print - 37 x 37 x 2 cm Print - 14.6 x 14.6 x 0.8 inch

$732

Painting, London, Veronika Benoni

Veronika Benoni

Painting - 120 x 62 x 2 cm Painting - 47.2 x 24.4 x 0.8 inch

$2,684

Photography, N°2076, Jean-Paul Baret

Jean-Paul Baret

Photography - 110 x 60 cm Photography - 43.3 x 23.6 inch

$1,000

Photography, Freedom, Rodrigo

Rodrigo

Photography - 26.7 x 35.6 x 0.1 cm Photography - 10.5 x 14 x 0 inch

$2,439

Painting, Escalier, Nick Walker

Nick Walker

Painting - 61 x 76.5 x 5.1 cm Painting - 24 x 30.1 x 2 inch

$10,980

Painting, Dazibao, Meleo

Meleo

Painting - 22 x 32 x 4 cm Painting - 8.7 x 12.6 x 1.6 inch

$1,464 $1,362

Painting, On the cloud, Jia Yuan Hua

Jia Yuan Hua

Painting - 30 x 24 x 4 cm Painting - 11.8 x 9.4 x 1.6 inch

$1,952

Painting, Boathouses, Bente Halvorsen

Bente Halvorsen

Painting - 60 x 80 x 3 cm Painting - 23.6 x 31.5 x 1.2 inch

$1,464

Painting, Blue Yard, Nigel Bailey

Nigel Bailey

Painting - 45.8 x 45.8 x 1.5 cm Painting - 18 x 18 x 0.6 inch

$1,214

Painting, Untitled, Ferran Roca Bon

Ferran Roca Bon

Painting - 35 x 50 cm Painting - 13.8 x 19.7 inch

$1,098

Painting, Luces en la ventana, Orrite

Orrite

Painting - 30 x 40 x 2 cm Painting - 11.8 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

$1,281

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