Art vs Decor: What’s the Difference?
Weather its a Picasso or a TJ Maxx poster, the purpose of art is still ultimately to be aesthetically pleasing and decorate/embellish the room it's in, right?
Actually, no.
Within the world of art, it can be hard to keep up with all the terms, functions, and definitions of all the multifaceted intricacies, yet there is a strong difference between Fine Art and Decor Art.
Let's discover it!
David by Michelangelo. From Online Gallery.
By the definition of the Cambridge Dictionary, art is:
While, by the definition of the Cambridge Dictionary, decor is:
Already, there is a stark difference in purpose and depth between the two. As best put by Soho Art:
Let's break it down further:
Purpose
Fine art seeks much more than to simply ¨look pretty¨ in its surroundings; it often tends to command them instead. Unlike decorative art, which is meant to fit the room it is in, fine art ¨IS the centerpiece of a room.¨
At its core, it seeks to evoke emotion, to get you thinking. As put by Soho Art, the emotions fine art can convey can range from ¨love, joy, and passion, to sorrow, shock and distress.¨, ultimetely, you will feel something looking at a fine artwork. It has this capability because ¨nothing is off limits.¨ Often, deep and relevant topics are spotlighted through fine art, acting as a subtle mouthpiece, making us suddenly aware.
Let´s take this painting by French painter Gustave Doré, made in 1874, titled ¨The Acrobats¨, as a case study of this emotional capability:
Gustave Doré. The Acrobats. From Wikipedia.
Here we see a family of traveling circus performers struck by tragedy. The grieving mother holds her son’s lifeless body as his head bleeds from a fatal titerope fall. The father watches helplessly as an owl perches next to the mother, a classic symbol of death and wisdom in many cultures. Props scattered around them, such as toys and instruments, symbolize broken dreams, while the playing cards reflect the heartbreaking hand life has dealt them.
This painting aims to comment on the socio-economic struggles of post-Industrial Revolution poverty. Where families were forced to endanger their own children just to earn enough to see another day. Even at first glance, this painting pulls my throat in a tight knot; there is no explanation needed to understand the parents’ devastated expressions.
Purpose
Decorative art, on the other hand, must ¨look aesthetically pleasing¨ to fulfill its main function: adorning or beautifying a room. Where fine art can challenge, provoke, even disgust the viewer, decorative objects:
¨are certainly never profound, ugly, disturbing or difficult to look at.¨
This type of art is selected specifically to complement the room it belongs to and its atmosphere. This goes beyond houses; in communal spaces such as hotels, restaurants, offices, public service buildings, and even universities, decorative art serves to pleasantly unify the room. Naturally, this type of art is ¨closely tied to design trends¨, as said by the Milan Art Institute. Meaning that once that trend is over, so is the art's relevance. Unlike fine art, which is classically timeless due to its uniqueness, decorative art only looks or feels right if its design style is still ¨in¨.
Originality
Another main difference point is the intent with which the piece was made.
Fine art speaks about the artist, their taste, struggles, worldview, and potential references they may be making within art history. It's all about the artists and their unique take, to quote the Milan Art Institute,
That is precisely why fine art is so good at creating loyal collectors obsessed with more than the product, but the artist's journey through expression. Fine art is a direct representation of an artist's soul. Hence, why even when they do commissions, no matter who orders the work,
The client's power only extends to trivial factors such as size and topic, yet the actual design, formulation, and final look all depend on the individual artist.
This piece here is done by one of our own non-abstract artists, Marie P. Mudafort. Her unique point of view stems from her Californian roots, aiming to explore American myths and icons. Drawn in by Wild West ideology, she seeks to represent the obsession with fantasy and overindulgence sewn into American culture. How her worldview influences her art is unreplicable.
Originality
Where fine art can tell the multifaceted story of its creator, decorative art is ¨simple and direct.¨ It can't afford to be complicated because it's just decoration, not a conversation starter. Where fine art can be interpreted differently depending on who looks at it, decorative pieces
This is a huge factor when it comes to replicability. Fine art is 1 of 1, a unique original piece or a limited series of works; there is no other like it. Decorative art is meant to be mass-produced and easily replaced, hence its low cost and compared lower quality. The ease of creating it, finding it, and replacing it makes it a low-risk and low-emotional-investment process, which can honestly be refreshing.
This is subsequently reflected in commissions, too. Here, the client has much more say than in fine art, being able to choose core factors such as ¨colors, style, and different elements on the piece.¨ It's not about the artist expressing their personal style, it's about fitting a mold.
Here’s a classic example to highlight my point: There is nothing wrong with a cute house sign (I love them), yet you can see how it lacks the depth of the piece above…
Live Laugh Love Rustic Wood Sign. From Back Home Country Acres.
Investment
As we have established that decorative art is relatively easy to create and multiply, and closely tied to design trends giving them a shorter lifespan, it is not seen as an investment. The stakes of owning decorative art are low, meaning throwing it out or replacing it wont way heavy on your wallet or conscious.
This can be double edged sword. If you ever want to redesign your space your previous decorative pieces may no longer work. Meaning you must buy more disposable art to fill the gaps. Often, decorative art is chosen for a space to match the main color palette, however this all goes out the window if you decide to paint the walls, get new wallpaper, etc.
On the other hand, decorative art can prove less stressful than fine art since there are no worries about it getting damaged, you loosing your taste for it, or it clashing with a remodling. Especially when living with kids or pets, its nice to know your not loosing thousands if something happens. Many fine art collectors can fall into the trap of obsessing over preserving the value of the piece rather than enjoying it for what it is.
MoMa. Temperature-controlled and glass-encased fine art.
Investment
Leading me to my next point. Fine art can often be an investment since its value can increase over time. This can especially happen if the artist you buy from experienced exponential career growth, they stop producing work, or the market turns to favor that style of art. Fine art can even be insurance in times of need, acting as
¨something you can sell when the time comes or even put as collateral for a loan if needed.¨
However, here at J. Nunez gallery, we do not sell investment art. We believe art should not be collected for how much it’s worth or how much it can be worth if you wait long enough. Our philosophy is much simpler: we want you to choose art that you enjoy, that speaks to you, makes you feel something.
We value emotional investment over economic. For us, a good purchase means everytime you look at it you are in just as much awe and admiration as the first time you laid eyes on it. There is no use in buying an expensive fine art masterpiece if it can never see the light, must stay in a temperature-controlled room, and can´t be enjoyed without the fear of something happening to it.
So now that you know the difference between Fine Art and Decorative Art, come pay us a visit at J. Nunez Gallery in Millburn or Summit, New Jersey, for all your fine art needs! Whether you like abstract, non-abstract, or photography, we have it all.
