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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Architecture

Street mirror

Meaning of life

JR au Palais de Tokyo, 29 Août 2020, 6h42, Paris, France, 2022

JR au Louvre et le Secret de la Grande Pyramide

JR au Palais de Tokyo, 28 Août 2020, 16H12, Paris

La Nuit de Pise

Urban structure 2

Uruburu

New York, lithographie originale

One, only ...

Autumn mood

Morning in a small town

Bougainvillier IV

Hercule Temple Design

Cohabitation

Coucher de soleil

Dawn over Bagan

Warm stones

Venice, Italy

Les falaises du Trocadéro 18 mai 2021 19h58

Parisian roofs

N° 1239 Nazareth.

Faith 03- sailing boat

N° 1221 Marennes. Chenal de Cayenne.

N° 1198 Entracte. Jardinière 4.

Le balcon

What the Future Holds (Sheats-Goldstein Residence)

Stahl House

Retour à la caverne, acte I, collage, Paris, 2023

Overlooking the museum

Night Chats

Composition of Opal

Chit chats at the Abernathy residence

Jupiter in Merida

Dusk and good company

Kind of September

Decisions, decisions

Edris House

Double Date

Tranquility

The Dame Abides

Morning Cuppa

It's all good

Be happy

Holiday

Winter's Tale

Castle

Inflatabale

Hommage à Lao Tseu H.16 cm chromée

L'Empire State Building (Vue 2)

The 50

Midsummer Night Blues

Place Dauphine

Verde Lago

Contrada Scotola

Jeux d'ombre

1002 Windows

Mirages #14

Trompe l'oeil, Les Falaises du Trocadéro, 19 mai 2021, 19h57, Paris, France, 2021

The King's Gate of Prague

Pink corner windows

La Grandeur d'Esprit

Abri provençal

203R0941

The promenade of memories

The Rooftop Symphony Of Prague