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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, Selo-S.V, Ivan Tzonev

Ivan Tzonev

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

$1,211

Painting, CityCité, Bianca Prettau

Bianca Prettau

Painting - 120 x 80 x 1 cm Painting - 47.2 x 31.5 x 0.4 inch

$3,634

Painting, Room 2, Tamta Chachanidze

Tamta Chachanidze

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

$969

Painting, Shadow 3, Samiran Boruah

Samiran Boruah

Painting - 70 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 27.6 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

$606

Painting, Cabanavoile, Sophie Cottin

Sophie Cottin

Painting - 73 x 54 x 2 cm Painting - 28.7 x 21.3 x 0.8 inch

$715

Painting, Sunset, Trayko Popov

Trayko Popov

Painting - 70 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 27.6 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

$909

Painting, Boy with Dice, Le Hai Linh

Le Hai Linh

Painting - 100 x 120 x 1 cm Painting - 39.4 x 47.2 x 0.4 inch

$5,179

Painting, Croatia I, Sona Adalyan

Sona Adalyan

Painting - 70 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 27.6 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

$726

Painting, Gotham 1, Tarek

Tarek

Painting - 98 x 206 x 1 cm Painting - 38.6 x 81.1 x 0.4 inch

$9,934

Painting, Alto orizzonte, Luigi Iona

Luigi Iona

Painting - 50 x 41 x 0.2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 16.1 x 0.1 inch

$279 $251

Photography, Kyoto 26, Yasuo Kiyonaga

Yasuo Kiyonaga

Photography - 23 x 18 x 2 cm Photography - 9.1 x 7.1 x 0.8 inch

$285

Photography, Kyoto 20, Yasuo Kiyonaga

Yasuo Kiyonaga

Photography - 18 x 23 x 2 cm Photography - 7.1 x 9.1 x 0.8 inch

$285

Painting, Psychic Time 2, Lucio Forte

Lucio Forte

Painting - 29.7 x 21 x 0.1 cm Painting - 11.7 x 8.3 x 0 inch

$206

Painting, G-minor, Rob Croxford

Rob Croxford

Painting - 64 x 46 x 1.5 cm Painting - 25.2 x 18.1 x 0.6 inch

$582 $465

Painting, Horizon, Nino Nasidze

Nino Nasidze

Painting - 90 x 80 x 2 cm Painting - 35.4 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch

$3,271

Painting, Memories 11, Almazan Miquel

Almazan Miquel

Painting - 40 x 40 x 1 cm Painting - 15.7 x 15.7 x 0.4 inch

$848

Painting, They work, Andrea Vandoni

Andrea Vandoni

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

$3,513

Painting, Lovers 2, Andrea Vandoni

Andrea Vandoni

Painting - 80 x 80 x 4 cm Painting - 31.5 x 31.5 x 1.6 inch

$3,392 $2,714

Painting, Blue 2, Ramon Enrich

Ramon Enrich

Painting - 60 x 80 x 4 cm Painting - 23.6 x 31.5 x 1.6 inch

$6,542

Painting, GA-BLA, Ramon Enrich

Ramon Enrich

Painting - 30 x 30 x 3 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 x 1.2 inch

$3,089

Painting, Paysage village 3, Xi Lan

Xi Lan

Painting - 30 x 30 x 1 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch

$606

Painting, Paysage village 2, Xi Lan

Xi Lan

Painting - 30 x 30 x 1 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch

$606

Painting, NY only, Pappay

Pappay

Painting - 50 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

$1,066

Sculpture, Tour Eiffel logos, PyB

PyB

Sculpture - 32 x 15 x 6 cm Sculpture - 12.6 x 5.9 x 2.4 inch

$230

Painting, Ramen Bowl, Meleo

Meleo

Painting - 31 x 22 x 1 cm Painting - 12.2 x 8.7 x 0.4 inch

$606

Photography, Kyoto 12, Yasuo Kiyonaga

Yasuo Kiyonaga

Photography - 21 x 29.7 x 2 cm Photography - 8.3 x 11.7 x 0.8 inch

$376

Photography, Kyoto 11, Yasuo Kiyonaga

Yasuo Kiyonaga

Photography - 29.7 x 21 x 2 cm Photography - 11.7 x 8.3 x 0.8 inch

$376