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, Au balcon, Chufy

Chufy

Painting . 70 x 100 x 1.5 cm Painting . 27.6 x 39.4 x 0.6 inch

€1,800

Print, Manège, Sylvie Schambill

Sylvie Schambill

Print . 50 x 60 x 0.2 cm Print . 19.7 x 23.6 x 0.1 inch

€1,000

Painting, Home staging, Maria Lundgren

Maria Lundgren

Painting . 70 x 88 x 2 cm Painting . 27.6 x 34.6 x 0.8 inch

€3,400

Photography, The Dove, Marcus Cederberg

Marcus Cederberg

Photography . 70 x 50 x 0.1 cm Photography . 27.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch

€200

Painting, Chiloé, Clara Duch

Clara Duch

Painting . 81 x 64 x 2.5 cm Painting . 31.9 x 25.2 x 1 inch

€2,000

Print, Untitled, Jorge Castillo

Jorge Castillo

Print . 106 x 90 cm Print . 41.7 x 35.4 inch

€1,100

Painting, Enter Pagoda, Le Nhu Ha

Le Nhu Ha

Painting . 119.4 x 139.7 x 5.1 cm Painting . 47 x 55 x 2 inch

€8,243

Painting, Shadow and Tree, Armin Guther

Armin Guther

Painting . 26 x 31.4 x 0.4 cm Painting . 10.2 x 12.4 x 0.2 inch

€350

Painting, Immeuble time, Liao

Liao

Painting . 100 x 100 x 3 cm Painting . 39.4 x 39.4 x 1.2 inch

€2,100

Painting, Home Town, Luong Trung

Luong Trung

Painting . 50 x 77 x 1 cm Painting . 19.7 x 30.3 x 0.4 inch

€2,750

Painting, Portxo I, Albert Alís

Albert Alís

Painting . 73 x 60 cm Painting . 28.7 x 23.6 inch

€1,900

Print, Seoul, Monika Kropshofer

Monika Kropshofer

Print . 60 x 40 x 2 cm Print . 23.6 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

€1,000

Print, Divertissement, Levalet

Levalet

Print . 70 x 100 x 0.3 cm Print . 27.6 x 39.4 x 0.1 inch

€200

Painting, N° 225, Claude Bourguignon

Claude Bourguignon

Painting . 130 x 160 x 3 cm Painting . 51.2 x 63 x 1.2 inch

€4,300

Design, Introvert, Olga Kirienko

Olga Kirienko

Design . 151 x 86 x 2 cm Design . 59.4 x 33.9 x 0.8 inch

€3,000

Painting, Voxel 135, Michael Aubanel

Michael Aubanel

Painting . 32 x 32 x 0.3 cm Painting . 12.6 x 12.6 x 0.1 inch

€550

Print, Rest & surf, Marie Deforche

Marie Deforche

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

€260

Painting, City, Anna Krtshatsyan

Anna Krtshatsyan

Painting . 125 x 145 cm Painting . 49.2 x 57.1 inch

€1,500 €1,350

Photography, Washing lines, Barry Cawston

Barry Cawston

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

€2,853

Photography, Tourbillon, Mario Tarantino

Mario Tarantino

Photography . 70 x 90 x 0.3 cm Photography . 27.6 x 35.4 x 0.1 inch

€875

Fine Art Drawings, 1+G Pastels IX, Ivan Tverdun

Ivan Tverdun

Fine Art Drawings . 70 x 50 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 27.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch

€550

Painting, After rain, Kamo Atoyan

Kamo Atoyan

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

€827

Painting, 01-19, Macyn Bolt

Macyn Bolt

Painting . 40.6 x 50.8 cm Painting . 16 x 20 inch

€793

Painting, Le cocon, Mea Ambrozo

Mea Ambrozo

Painting . 33 x 41 x 1 cm Painting . 13 x 16.1 x 0.4 inch

€1,500

Painting, Box I, Brent Hallard

Brent Hallard

Painting . 35.5 x 35.5 cm Painting . 14 x 14 inch

€975

Painting, Scène 62, Mea Ambrozo

Mea Ambrozo

Painting . 46 x 27 x 4 cm Painting . 18.1 x 10.6 x 1.6 inch

€3,600

Print, M228, Jesús Perea

Jesús Perea

Print . 70 x 100 cm Print . 27.6 x 39.4 inch

€1,524