In the old days of BC (Before Children) I used to do a lot of oil painting (yes, this one is mine). For several years I took classes from Kevin Weckbach on visual approaches in painting. Kevin is a truly inspirational teacher and a well recognized painter. His works are full of bold expression and spontaneity. But when Kevin teaches it’s all about the structure in painting. The “bones” or the “foundation” behind the artwork.
There are three simple questions that an artist has to answer: WHAT IF - Because the shapes have to be non-generic and unique. WHY- Because the painting has to have a strong and well executed concept (a visual approach). The concept cannot be arbitrary and has to be consequently carried through. And than there is HOW - the technical ability of an artist.
Those questions are the foundation of a good painting. Notice I never mentioned STYLE? Rembrandt and Pollock were both outstanding painters whose work can be described using the above criteria. Their paintings have strong structure and originality. Their skills are superb. Yet their style is completely different.
The same is true with architecture. Whether historical or contemporary, Victorian or modern no style is superior to the other. What defines good architecture is not the style but the solid foundation of well thought out concept and consistent execution. The style is a question of personal preference. Some wear tie-dye tee-shirts other prefer black turtlenecks. There is no right or wrong.
I often struggle when people ask me what kind of architecture I do: Residential or commercial? Traditional or contemporary? We need to categorize things to help us understand the world around us. The question I ask myself is: Buildings or Architecture?
Bravo on this well written post! I was involved in residential home building and interior design for many years and my personal experience was that clients who felt most comfortable associating with 'labels' such as "post-modern" or design labels such as "eclectic" did so because they did not yet develop a style of their own and they were were afraid of making any decisions that could result in mistakes. Having a label to fall back on gave them a feeling of relief because they could thoroughly research the style and eventually feel comfortable labeling themselves as "modern" or "traditional" or whatever style appealed to them.
ReplyDeleteOnce they had a binder full of magazine clippings that accurately depicted the look they wanted to achieve, then they would have enough confidence to say "OK, I want my house to look just like this, but different!" LOL
Style is not a recipe for success. There are good and bad examples in every category.
ReplyDelete"Style is transitory, but Architecture is forever."
ReplyDeleteRalph Martin Architect
http://www.art2arch.net