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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Photography, Torsion, Mario Tarantino

Mario Tarantino

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

€1,360

Photography, Contour, Mario Tarantino

Mario Tarantino

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

€843

Photography, Dianatempel, Bernhard Lang

Bernhard Lang

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

€2,000

Photography, Comfort zone, Emilie Mori

Emilie Mori

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

€900

Photography, Louvre II, Shengqi Tang

Shengqi Tang

Photography . 31 x 60 x 1 cm Photography . 12.2 x 23.6 x 0.4 inch

€1,100

Photography, Prague, Nicolas Issaly

Nicolas Issaly

Photography . 40 x 60 x 3 cm Photography . 15.7 x 23.6 x 1.2 inch

€760

Photography, Roi, Mario Tarantino

Roi

Mario Tarantino

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

€1,060

Photography, Fire Sky, Ian Jones

Ian Jones

Photography . 60 x 80 x 0.5 cm Photography . 23.6 x 31.5 x 0.2 inch

€850

Photography, Water Tower, FR, Francoblanco

Francoblanco

Photography . 60 x 90 x 0.1 cm Photography . 23.6 x 35.4 x 0 inch

€195

Photography, What If II, Clint McDowell

Clint McDowell

Photography . 74.87 x 60 cm Photography . 29.5 x 23.6 inch

€1,000

Photography, AXF_Burano_VE_02, Axel Fassio

Axel Fassio

Photography . 60 x 90 x 0.1 cm Photography . 23.6 x 35.4 x 0 inch

€1,250

Photography, Vol de nuit, Alain Boccard

Alain Boccard

Photography . 60 x 40 x 0.5 cm Photography . 23.6 x 15.7 x 0.2 inch

€190

Photography, Phoenix, Mario Tarantino

Mario Tarantino

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

€1,446

Photography, Reine, Mario Tarantino

Mario Tarantino

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

€871

Photography, Haven, Mario Tarantino

Mario Tarantino

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

€1,125

Photography, Hemisferic, Mario Tarantino

Mario Tarantino

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

€1,147

Photography, Cityscapes I, Mark Elst

Mark Elst

Photography . 40 x 30 cm Photography . 15.7 x 11.8 inch

€350

Photography, Renewal, Mario Tarantino

Mario Tarantino

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

€640

Photography, Volantin, Mario Tarantino

Mario Tarantino

Photography . 60 x 90 x 0.3 cm Photography . 23.6 x 35.4 x 0.1 inch

€1,219

Photography, Totem, Mario Tarantino

Mario Tarantino

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

€1,717

Photography, Arcade, Mario Tarantino

Mario Tarantino

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

€1,570

Photography, Hyperbola, Mario Tarantino

Mario Tarantino

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

€1,431

Photography, Mirror, Maciej Leszczynski

Maciej Leszczynski

Photography . 18 x 28 cm Photography . 7.1 x 11 inch

€350

Photography, AXF_Burano_VE_01, Axel Fassio

Axel Fassio

Photography . 60 x 90 x 0.1 cm Photography . 23.6 x 35.4 x 0 inch

€1,250

Photography, AXF_Bridge_TK_01, Axel Fassio

Axel Fassio

Photography . 90 x 60 x 0.1 cm Photography . 35.4 x 23.6 x 0 inch

€1,250

Photography, AXF_Decay_IN_08, Axel Fassio

Axel Fassio

Photography . 60 x 90 x 0.1 cm Photography . 23.6 x 35.4 x 0 inch

€1,250

Photography, AXF_Decay_IN_14, Axel Fassio

Axel Fassio

Photography . 60 x 90 x 0.1 cm Photography . 23.6 x 35.4 x 0 inch

€1,250

Photography, AXF_Decay_IN_06, Axel Fassio

Axel Fassio

Photography . 60 x 90 x 0.1 cm Photography . 23.6 x 35.4 x 0 inch

€1,250

Photography, AXF_Decay_IN_15, Axel Fassio

Axel Fassio

Photography . 90 x 60 x 0.1 cm Photography . 35.4 x 23.6 x 0 inch

€1,250

Photography, AXF_Decay_IN_05, Axel Fassio

Axel Fassio

Photography . 60 x 90 x 0.1 cm Photography . 23.6 x 35.4 x 0 inch

€1,250

Photography, AXF_Decay_IN_01, Axel Fassio

Axel Fassio

Photography . 60 x 90 x 0.1 cm Photography . 23.6 x 35.4 x 0 inch

€1,250

Photography, Zeitz, Mario Tarantino

Mario Tarantino

Photography . 60 x 90 x 0.3 cm Photography . 23.6 x 35.4 x 0.1 inch

€1,669

Photography, Ellipse, Mario Tarantino

Mario Tarantino

Photography . 60 x 90 x 0.3 cm Photography . 23.6 x 35.4 x 0.1 inch

€1,580

Print, Macba, Jean-Philippe Henric

Jean-Philippe Henric

Print . 120 x 90 x 3 cm Print . 47.2 x 35.4 x 1.2 inch

€499

Print, Macba, Jean-Philippe Henric

Jean-Philippe Henric

Print . 80 x 60 x 3 cm Print . 31.5 x 23.6 x 1.2 inch

€299

Photography, Dress Code, Cheraine Collette

Cheraine Collette

Photography . 67 x 100 x 3 cm Photography . 26.4 x 39.4 x 1.2 inch

€3,700

Photography, Tropics, Rodrigo

Rodrigo

Photography . 35.6 x 23.4 x 0.1 cm Photography . 14 x 9.2 x 0 inch

€1,750

Photography, Smart, Rodrigo

Rodrigo

Photography . 26.7 x 35.6 x 0.1 cm Photography . 10.5 x 14 x 0 inch

€1,250

Photography, Luna Park, Rodrigo

Rodrigo

Photography . 35.1 x 27.1 x 0.1 cm Photography . 13.8 x 10.7 x 0 inch

€1,999

Photography, Planète Mars, Rodrigo

Rodrigo

Photography . 35.6 x 26.7 x 0.1 cm Photography . 14 x 10.5 x 0 inch

€1,599

Photography, Love in the tropics, Rodrigo

Rodrigo

Photography . 35.6 x 23.8 x 0.1 cm Photography . 14 x 9.4 x 0 inch

€1,999 €1,600

Photography, La pelota, Rodrigo

Rodrigo

Photography . 22.6 x 33.9 x 0.1 cm Photography . 8.9 x 13.3 x 0 inch

€1,599

Print, Borealis, Christophe Malsert

Christophe Malsert

Print . 150 x 150 x 1 cm Print . 59.1 x 59.1 x 0.4 inch

€1,800