Architecture isn’t necessarily something that many people would consider an art form, but it may interest some to know that there is a very close relationship between those who appreciate and create fine art, and architects.
For decades, architects and fine artists alike have been collaborating and gaining inspiration from each other to fulfil their own art, even though the two appear to be very different.
Fine Art in Architecture
Architectural inspiration is often vast, with many architects looking to various other industries and art forms to gain an insight as to how their projects can be made more unique and attractive.
It is little wonder, then, that fine art has been one of the biggest, most influential sources for the architectural community. The nature of fine art plays on the flexibility of the artist’s interpretations, which is extremely beneficial for architects to explore who are also expected to have a flexible approach to the projects that they are undertaking.
From the use of shape, material, texture and even lighting in a fine art piece, an architect can often gauge a better picture of how certain materials or designs will react in the real world. This insight is an integral part of the architectural process, as it will save time, money and effort on their part to see how their design may react in the real world.
Using fine art is also a beneficial way of understanding space, and how certain shapes or shades can drastically change how a piece is conveyed. If an architect wants to manipulate the space that they are currently working with, taking a look at how a fine artist deals with the subject of space within a scene can often give further inspiration of how they can use the space or distort it so their idea will potentially work.
Architecture in Fine Art
Likewise, fine art can take a lot of inspiration from the architectural world. Architects tend to think to the future when they are creating their designs, so there are elements within which are timeless and elegant – exactly what fine art achieves.
From the wonderful geometry that can be used, to how material reacts in certain light, what an artist can learn from observing architecture is incredibly beneficial. Working with physical structures, architects are much more limited to what they can achieve than artists are. This often gives an artist more of an appreciation for their art, as well as understanding the rigidity of architectural structures.
Many artists focus their talent into architectural pieces, creating intricate pieces which incorporate a variety of techniques which are used by architects to create a realistic piece of artwork which can be appreciated by both the artistic community as well as architects.
In hindsight, although the two art forms are very different, there’s a lot both can learn from the other with regards to art and design. Architecture is rightfully an art form, one which many artists should investigate for themselves.
