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, Metropolis, Florence Boré

Florence Boré

Painting . 105 x 75 x 0.5 cm Painting . 41.3 x 29.5 x 0.2 inch

€4,500

Painting, Intro, Mirtha Otaño

Mirtha Otaño

Painting . 69 x 98 x 4 cm Painting . 27.2 x 38.6 x 1.6 inch

€5,850

Painting, Untitled 44, Lucio Forte

Lucio Forte

Painting . 30 x 40 x 1.7 cm Painting . 11.8 x 15.7 x 0.7 inch

€175

Painting, Gateway 2, Brian Elwell

Brian Elwell

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

€786

Painting, Untitle, Lucio Forte

Lucio Forte

Painting . 50 x 70 x 4 cm Painting . 19.7 x 27.6 x 1.6 inch

€200

Painting, Embrasement, Muriel Deumie

Muriel Deumie

Painting . 73 x 100 x 2 cm Painting . 28.7 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch

€1,200

Painting, The abbey, Marco Araldi

Marco Araldi

Painting . 81 x 61 x 4 cm Painting . 31.9 x 24 x 1.6 inch

€3,144

Painting, Megapolis 6, Max Yaskin

Max Yaskin

Painting . 100 x 200 x 1 cm Painting . 39.4 x 78.7 x 0.4 inch

€2,750

Painting, Memories, Marta Zawadzka

Marta Zawadzka

Painting . 100 x 120 x 2 cm Painting . 39.4 x 47.2 x 0.8 inch

€4,900

Painting, Warsaw 4, Joanna Woyda

Joanna Woyda

Painting . 22 x 49 cm Painting . 8.7 x 19.3 inch

€350

Painting, NYC, Marta Zawadzka

NYC

Marta Zawadzka

Painting . 100 x 90 x 2 cm Painting . 39.4 x 35.4 x 0.8 inch

€4,400

Painting, Looking for Fun, Le Hai Linh

Le Hai Linh

Painting . 80 x 93 x 1 cm Painting . 31.5 x 36.6 x 0.4 inch

€1,450

Painting, Fragments, Andrea Vandoni

Andrea Vandoni

Painting . 80 x 70 x 4 cm Painting . 31.5 x 27.6 x 1.6 inch

€1,200

Painting, Ladder, Marta Zawadzka

Marta Zawadzka

Painting . 120 x 140 x 2 cm Painting . 47.2 x 55.1 x 0.8 inch

€5,900

Painting, Gateway 10, Brian Elwell

Brian Elwell

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

€786

Painting, Bayamo II, Elena Borstein

Elena Borstein

Painting . 167.6 x 137.2 x 3.6 cm Painting . 66 x 54 x 1.4 inch

€16,500

Painting, Flors, Avtandil Modebadze

Avtandil Modebadze

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

€650

Painting, White Tree, Claire Smith

Claire Smith

Painting . 65 x 80 x 4 cm Painting . 25.6 x 31.5 x 1.6 inch

€1,814

Painting, Fish Camp, Melinda Patrick

Melinda Patrick

Painting . 25.4 x 50.8 x 3.8 cm Painting . 10 x 20 x 1.5 inch

€431

Painting, Motion 3.2, Eduard Churkin

Eduard Churkin

Painting . 90 x 139 x 4 cm Painting . 35.4 x 54.7 x 1.6 inch

€10,800

Painting, Blossom, Jia Yuan Hua

Jia Yuan Hua

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

€6,900

Painting, Enigma, Osse Müller

Osse Müller

Painting . 110 x 84 x 0.3 cm Painting . 43.3 x 33.1 x 0.1 inch

€11,000

Painting, Fourvière, Paul Ward

Paul Ward

Painting . 27.9 x 20.3 x 1.3 cm Painting . 11 x 8 x 0.5 inch

€715

Painting, City B, Fred Boutet

Fred Boutet

Painting . 120 x 120 x 2 cm Painting . 47.2 x 47.2 x 0.8 inch

€1,200

Painting, Books, Lluís Puiggrós

Lluís Puiggrós

Painting . 50 x 50 cm Painting . 19.7 x 19.7 inch

€550

Painting, Hoa Phong Tower, Loi Duc

Loi Duc

Painting . 100 x 100 x 1 cm Painting . 39.4 x 39.4 x 0.4 inch

€6,780

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

€500

Painting, Nice, Sona Adalyan

Sona Adalyan

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

€699

Painting, They work, Andrea Vandoni

Andrea Vandoni

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

€2,900

Painting, Arlequin, Eric Khellas

Eric Khellas

Painting . 73 x 92 x 5 cm Painting . 28.7 x 36.2 x 2 inch

€1,210

Painting, En cage, Jeb

Jeb

Painting . 60 x 60 x 2 cm Painting . 23.6 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch

€400

Painting, Bali, Mea Ambrozo

Mea Ambrozo

Painting . 60 x 60 x 4 cm Painting . 23.6 x 23.6 x 1.6 inch

€3,200

Painting, Faded, Dyala Khodary

Dyala Khodary

Painting . 30 x 30 x 2 cm Painting . 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch

€900

Painting, Propitious, Jia Yuan Hua

Jia Yuan Hua

Painting . 120 x 90 x 4 cm Painting . 47.2 x 35.4 x 1.6 inch

€6,000

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

€500

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