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, What If I, Clint McDowell

Clint McDowell

Photography . 60 x 80.26 cm Photography . 23.6 x 31.6 inch

€1,000

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, 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, Rijnkaai II, Guy Sargent

Guy Sargent

Photography . 88 x 68 x 0.2 cm Photography . 34.6 x 26.8 x 0.1 inch

€915

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, Time Meets the Wind, Arantza NT

Arantza NT

Photography . 45 x 30 x 0.01 cm Photography . 17.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch

€200 €180

Photography, Spring, Mario Tarantino

Mario Tarantino

Photography . 50 x 50 x 0.3 cm Photography . 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.1 inch

€520

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, 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

Photography, Andromeda Cepheus, Guy Sargent

Guy Sargent

Photography . 46 x 66 x 0.2 cm Photography . 18.1 x 26 x 0.1 inch

€723

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, Mirror, Maciej Leszczynski

Maciej Leszczynski

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

€350

Photography, L'ombre est là (M), Streety

Streety

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

€350

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, Water Tower, FR, Francoblanco

Francoblanco

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

€195

Photography, Water fountain, Dmytro Bilous

Dmytro Bilous

Photography . 60 x 40 x 0.1 cm Photography . 23.6 x 15.7 x 0 inch

€1,000

Photography, L'ombre est là (S), Streety

Streety

Photography . 40 x 30 x 0.1 cm Photography . 15.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch

€250

Photography, Orange, Fabien Strauss

Fabien Strauss

Photography . 30 x 24 x 0.1 cm Photography . 11.8 x 9.4 x 0 inch

€230

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, 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, Smart, Rodrigo

Rodrigo

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

€1,250

Photography, Prague, Nicolas Issaly

Nicolas Issaly

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

€760

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, 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_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, 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, Palma #11, Jacob Gils

Jacob Gils

Photography . 109.2 x 71.1 cm Photography . 43 x 28 inch

€9,142

Photography, Rijnkaii VII, Guy Sargent

Guy Sargent

Photography . 88 x 68 x 0.2 cm Photography . 34.6 x 26.8 x 0.1 inch

€535

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

Photography, Surreal, Rocio Villanueva

Rocio Villanueva

Photography . 50.8 x 50.8 cm Photography . 20 x 20 inch

€1,200

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, 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

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

Photography, Guggenheim, Stuart Möller

Stuart Möller

Photography . 76.2 x 101.6 cm Photography . 30 x 40 inch

€1,100

Photography, Foyer VI, Milan, Richard Heeps

Richard Heeps

Photography . 78 x 63.5 x 0.1 cm Photography . 30.7 x 25 x 0 inch

€608

Photography, Lisbon #6 (M), Jacob Gils

Jacob Gils

Photography . 94 x 139.7 cm Photography . 37 x 55 inch

€13,975

Photography, Milan #1 (L), Jacob Gils

Jacob Gils

Photography . 119.4 x 180.3 cm Photography . 47 x 71 inch

€21,904

Photography, Lisbon #21 (XL), Jacob Gils

Jacob Gils

Photography . 114.3 x 228.6 cm Photography . 45 x 90 inch

€32,882

Photography, LISBON #21 (M), Jacob Gils

Jacob Gils

Photography . 68.6 x 139.7 cm Photography . 27 x 55 inch

€13,975

Photography, LISBON #22 (XL), Jacob Gils

Jacob Gils

Photography . 114.3 x 228.6 cm Photography . 45 x 90 inch

€32,855