When the first homo sapiens found shelter in caves, and they lit fires, they gave light to the dark interiors. From that moment they were compelled to adorn their simple dwellings with some kind of art; to leave their mark on the space. Those cave drawings were among the very first works of art that remain amongst mankind's most valued of artworks. Thus, interior design was invented, and our obsession with personalising our environment began.
Art began to appear in all forms and all places. As 'our caves' became constructions of our own design, and became more sophisticated, so did our artworks.
And ever since, every civilisation that has sought to influence the rest of the planet, they have expressed their thoughts, emotions and dreams with artworks.
So what role is art fulfilling when it is in our own homes? What drives us to create room-scapes that reflect who we are, how we like to feel, how we wish to be perceived?
Personally, I like art in my home that calms me. Something that reminds me of special places, occasions or events that can be in my memory, or even my imagination. Art that enable me to revisit or invent an experience that gives wings to thought, light to dreams, and colour to memories.
And sometimes, it has to colour coordinate with your curtains and lounge suite. Or conversely, provide a stark, invigorating contrast to your altogether-too-safe beige or grey carpet. Or, the currently, very fashionable 'greige'. A perfect backdrop to a bit of spot colour to draw the eye and brighten the room, and your day.
For me, when choosing art for the home, the word that most often comes to mind is FUN. Of course, everyone has different ideas and perceptions of fun. Frankly, life's too short to dwell on the dark side of existence. My argument for this is NATURE. It is full of colour, movement, spontaneity and energy. LIFE!
Coming home to a carefully chosen piece of abstract art is like walking into a 'welcome home' fanfare every time you come in from work or trips from far flung places.
HELLO! welcome back. I'm your art for your home. Nice isn't it!
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