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, Blue Room 3, Zakhar Shevchuk

Zakhar Shevchuk

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

€2,400

Painting, Venise, Jacques Gorde

Jacques Gorde

Painting . 110 x 160 x 2 cm Painting . 43.3 x 63 x 0.8 inch

€7,500

Painting, End Home, Alexander Shandor

Alexander Shandor

Painting . 41 x 50 x 0.2 cm Painting . 16.1 x 19.7 x 0.1 inch

€545

Painting, Les boulevards, Phil

Phil

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

€700

Painting, Bosque de columnas, M. Muro

M. Muro

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

€3,000

Painting, Fortress, Boris Serdyuk

Boris Serdyuk

Painting . 50 x 60 x 2 cm Painting . 19.7 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch

€240

Painting, City Lights, Tima K

Tima K

Painting . 121.92 x 91.44 x 3 cm Painting . 48 x 36 x 1.2 inch

€5,100

Painting, Carousel, Simon Kozhin

Simon Kozhin

Painting . 20 x 30 x 0.3 cm Painting . 7.9 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch

€2,800

Painting, Spring, Giorgi Kukhalashvili

Giorgi Kukhalashvili

Painting . 60 x 65 x 3 cm Painting . 23.6 x 25.6 x 1.2 inch

€1,800

Painting, Worn Entrance, Kamo Atoyan

Kamo Atoyan

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

€273

Painting, Urban bridge, Pol Ledent

Pol Ledent

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

€600

Painting, Memories, Alexander Dobrodiy

Alexander Dobrodiy

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

€1,890

Painting, Colosseum #7, John Ferry

John Ferry

Painting . 33.02 x 210.82 x 0.1 cm Painting . 13 x 83 x 0 inch

€1,760

Painting, Untitled, Keti Shapatava

Keti Shapatava

Painting . 100 x 90 x 2.5 cm Painting . 39.4 x 35.4 x 1 inch

€3,200

Painting, Babel, Ciprian Mihailescu

Ciprian Mihailescu

Painting . 70 x 80 x 2 cm Painting . 27.6 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch

€3,000

Painting, Empire State, Alain Bertrand

Alain Bertrand

Painting . 130 x 97 x 3 cm Painting . 51.2 x 38.2 x 1.2 inch

€10,400

Painting, Sin título, Emilio Tejada

Emilio Tejada

Painting . 54 x 65 x 5 cm Painting . 21.3 x 25.6 x 2 inch

€910

Painting, Summer, Vladimir Batrakov

Vladimir Batrakov

Painting . 22 x 29 x 2 cm Painting . 8.7 x 11.4 x 0.8 inch

€245

Fine Art Drawings, Evening Street, Alla Kechedzhan

Alla Kechedzhan

Fine Art Drawings . 10 x 20 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 3.9 x 7.9 x 0 inch

€1,100

Painting, Cityscape, Sirio Pellegrini

Sirio Pellegrini

Painting . 59 x 49 x 0.5 cm Painting . 23.2 x 19.3 x 0.2 inch

€3,000

Painting, Villa, Sirio Pellegrini

Sirio Pellegrini

Painting . 49 x 58 x 0.5 cm Painting . 19.3 x 22.8 x 0.2 inch

€3,400

Painting, Snow, Giorgi Kukhalashvili

Giorgi Kukhalashvili

Painting . 50 x 70 x 3 cm Painting . 19.7 x 27.6 x 1.2 inch

€1,800

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