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!

Read more
Painting, Pont robot, Céline Dabot

Pont robot

Céline Dabot

Painting - 91 x 61.5 x 2 cm Painting - 35.8 x 24.2 x 0.8 inch

€1,040

Painting, Zénith, Appaloosa

Zénith

Appaloosa

Painting - 46 x 55 x 2 cm Painting - 18.1 x 21.7 x 0.8 inch

€860

Painting, By the Bodhi Tree, AreiRa

By the Bodhi Tree

AreiRa

Painting - 50 x 40 x 0.3 cm Painting - 19.7 x 15.7 x 0.1 inch

€700

Fine Art Drawings, First and First, Michael Grine

First and First

Michael Grine

Fine Art Drawings - 45.7 x 61 x 1.9 cm Fine Art Drawings - 18 x 24 x 0.75 inch

€455

Photography, 65 Flats, Barry Cawston

65 Flats

Barry Cawston

Photography - 82.5 x 90 x 2 cm Photography - 32.5 x 35.4 x 0.8 inch

€1,664

Painting, Quatre Points, Robin Obitz

Quatre Points

Robin Obitz

Painting - 97 x 162 x 3 cm Painting - 38.2 x 63.8 x 1.2 inch

€8,500

Painting, Composition 307, Xiu

Composition 307

Xiu

Painting - 80 x 60 x 2 cm Painting - 31.5 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch

€1,800

Painting, Swallow, Carlos Diaz

Swallow

Carlos Diaz

Painting - 60 x 59 x 4 cm Painting - 23.6 x 23.2 x 1.6 inch

€2,900

Painting, Tour rouge, Rudyard Heaton

Tour rouge

Rudyard Heaton

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

€900

Painting, Oxford, Simon Kozhin

Oxford

Simon Kozhin

Painting - 24 x 30 x 0.3 cm Painting - 9.4 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch

€2,800

Photography, Dianatempel, Bernhard Lang

Dianatempel

Bernhard Lang

Photography - 96 x 120 x 0.1 cm Photography - 37.8 x 47.2 x 0 inch

€2,000

Painting, Glass Wall, Laura Newman

Glass Wall

Laura Newman

Painting - 112 x 152 cm Painting - 44.1 x 59.8 inch

€12,021

Painting, Bern, Lusie Schellenberg

Bern

Lusie Schellenberg

Painting - 60 x 40 x 1 cm Painting - 23.6 x 15.7 x 0.4 inch

€700

17/100