Our profession influences our way of thinking and impacts how we interpret images of life. This remark comes from the understanding that how (and what) we learn is how we study and understand things around us. Artists and architects are known for their distinct interpretations of spaces, making themselves stand apart from the rest of the world. Though both professions have stark differences between them and architecture is known to be a multifaceted, multi-dimensional and multidisciplinary practice, there are plenty of similarities too. Among the types of art, visual art comes close in comparison to architecture.
The idea that all the arts share the same creative principles can be traced back to the Renaissance and the works of Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci who were painters, sculptors and architects simultaneously
(Dias, 2017)
Art and architecture pose as a medium to express; an expression that speaks of time, people, life, and character of a space and especially about the person involved in its creation. A simple actuality is that how (and what) we learn is how we study and understand things around us. What links the profession of artists and architects is that it involves studying and dealing with the nature of materials, observation of spaces, time and temperature, proportion and sizes, colours and textures, etc.
Drawing Parallels between Art and Architecture
Visual art or drawing (other than technical drawings) is a necessary part of architectural practice. Examples include documentation, presentation in communicating ideas etc. Architecture is deemed a field with technical knowledge, which is true, yet as a medium serving people, it is vital to break it down so that it reaches even the simple minds.
Speaking on an academic basis, students of architecture learn various mediums to create art and experiment with materials in their first year, which eventually gives them the skill set of an artist. It is also the route which many enthusiasts follow to pursue a career as an architectural illustrator. Therefore, art becomes a subcategory of architecture. Architects (of recent years) who paint to express their architectural concepts and utopian ideas, some of which may not be possible to realise in architectural terms, such as Le Corbusier, Zaha Hadid and Alvar Aalto.
Speaking in terms of the visible results, the architecture of ancient times holds various forms of art, many of which could be seen as a character of buildings. The importance of artistic expression in the built form was substantial in the early days of history. Some of the profound examples include the rock-cut temple of Indian temples, where the building skin is a work of sculptural art; Islamic architecture showcases the geometric and colourful mosaic art in its ceilings and walls, and the ancient Greek buildings which had sculptures and statues themselves as an element of a building. Examples like these prove that both professions grew hand in hand.
It was during the Renaissance period when architects engaged in the field of art and painting like Filippo Brunelleschi, whereas many artists began to observe, study and immerse themselves in the architectural field, such as Alberti and Leonardo Da Vinci.
The Differences
There is a fair understanding of art within architecture, whereas it might not hold the same vice versa. You might find architects who paint and sculpt, but you may need help finding artists (by education) who build or design spaces. A study by UCL and Bangor University researchers compares the observation of images of places by artists and architects (UCL, 2017). It was found that architects generally talked about the path through the space and where it led to. On the other hand, painters and artists would think about the 2D and 3D spaces present in the image, where they describe the picture in terms of foreground and background.
“In regards to architecture, it has been considered the ‘mother art’ where all the arts can be ‘housed’ and from which all other arts can grow…”
(Dias, 2017)
Levels of Connection
First is when an architect is also an artist or a painter, and vice versa; this is often seen when architects use art to present their ideas and concepts. Examples include BV Doshi, Zaha Hadid, Santiago Calatrava, Frank Gehry etc. Michelangelo, an Italian painter and sculptor, practised as an architect and Geovani Lorenzo Bernini, a prominent sculptor, designed churches and piazzas.
Second, when artists and architects draw inspiration from each other; the art movements like De Stijl and Dadaism influenced the configuration of spaces in design paving the way for architectural movements like Modernism and deconstructivism.
Three, merging fields where both fields are treated as one and can no longer be credited as separate entities. The House of Luis Barragan, known for its emphasized colours, the play of light shadow, and cubic minimalism is also famous for its expression of various art paintings. As a result, the paintings have become an innate part of the house.
References:
- Liggins, M. (2022). Between Art and Architecture | Matt Liggins | TEDxAuckland. [online] www.youtube.com. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCEhsqUBu5I.
- Dias, S.F. (2017). Collaborations and Connections Between the Arts of Architecture, Painting and Sculpture: New Artistic Fields and Shared Significances. Covergências. [online] Available at: https://www.academia.edu/35354014/Collaborations_and_Connections_Between_the_Arts_of_Architecture_Painting_and_Sculpture_New_Artistic_Fields_and_Shared_Significances [Accessed 24 Dec. 2022].
- UCL (2017). Artists and architects think differently compared to other people – UCL study. YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7dsVjWRitI [Accessed 25 Dec. 2022].
