Why do we buying artworks? /blog/article
Some of us sometimes thinking, reflecting, or fantasizing while looking at any pictures. What about? What thoughts and images begin to excite our core? Why do we buy paintings? Why do we need them? Do they look at one painting for a long time? I think that, among other things, they are reliving their life or a part of it that did not come true the way they dreamed about it.
We are able to create mental worlds and immerse ourselves in them. There we are what we wanted or want to be. Everything is as we need it there. Paintings in our house are a special way to emphasize the status of the owner, his taste and sophistication, and, perhaps, successfully complement the design of the room, create special the atmosphere. On the other hand, a painting, like any other work, has a certain value with aesthetic, cultural, on the pictorial side, it requires from the viewer a certain "work", "spiritual experience", "living perception", "recreating" it anew in the consciousness of the beholder. Thus, by doing this "work" with the picture, we take a direct part in its formation from an artistic "thing" into an artistic value, thereby we ourselves become involved in art. How exactly do we express ourselves in the context of the art objects we choose? This knowledge can be useful both for professionals working with interior design, and ourselves.
It would seem that the simplest and most obvious explanation is that we buy what we like and what fits into our budget. This is true. But it is not explains why we liked this particular poster, although for others it does not represent almost any artistic value (although it costs thousands of thousands of rubles). It also doesn't explain why some people frame clumsy and naive works in beautiful frames. Their children. In fact, behind our choice is a complex system of interaction of emotions, memories, associations, preferences and features of your personality. Psychologists who have studied this question have found out that there are at least three main aspects, forming the choice.
Embeddedness in everyday life and location - that is, how this graphic object fits into our daily affairs.
Subjectivity - or what are the physical characteristics of the object that relate to our emotions and memories, as well as associations from the past.
Authorship - who is the author of the work, does his name, personality mean anything to us.
Embeddedness in everyday life and location
So, here is a photo of a kitchen-living room in a private house. There are two abstract patterns of painting (let's call them "blue" and "red"). The "blue" picture can be seen only passing by, in the direction of the dining room. Those who sit at the table, as well as those who sit on the chairs, they can't see it, because it will turn out to be a corner. Those who sit on the couch (and, for example, communicate), too her not really they observe it because it is located behind and to the side relative to them. Therefore, we can say that the blue picture built into everyday life is only at the moment when you pass by it. Maybe at this moment she reminds the hosts that time is passing And everything changes, so the same way you go from a formal room (living room) to an informal one (dining room). But the "red painting" - a little different thing. She visible every time you go up or down the stairs. Moreover, there is a door behind the stairs, which is an exit to the terrace. Therefore, every time the owners of the house, their children or guests use these parts of the house, they see a red the painting. It turns out, that this work of art is embedded in their everyday life much more. There is another painting in this room the same abstract type: it does not immediately catch the eye, because the angle is chosen by the photographer. But this work art is built into life the owners are even more than the previous two, because it is visible not only from the hallway, from the living room, but even from the dining room and a little bit — from kitchens. It's hanging right in front of the sofa.
Subjectivity
Subjectivity. The second criterion is how much of what is depicted in the picture it is connected with our personality, emotions, character, preferences. In the example earlier, these are just the very subjective, individual emotions that (perhaps) causes the red picture. Your personal memories in connection with this drawing are the very real and hidden meaning that the image carries - pleasant memories. There are a great many options: from associations with the one who gave the painting (a warm relationship with a person), to feelings of "we are one family" when looking at a vintage photo of grandparents.
Authorship
The author's name. Obviously, you may know the author of the work of art, or you may not know (or consider this information insignificant). The author can be not only a professional artist, but also your child, or yourself, for example. This aspect - the importance of the name and the personality of the author - plays a rather large role in choosing not only the work itself, but also in choosing a place for him. With paintings everything is clear to well-known authors: there is pride, and a sense of belonging, and a sense of self-awareness, etc. But the other cases even more interesting for me. For example, the location for children's drawings is actually not only in the nursery. If remember about criteria of subjectivity and embeddedness, then many will understand why children's drawings can also be relevant on kitchen. Because they allow parents to remember their children quite often in a pleasant context, for example, to recognize their abilities or creative potential. Paintings whose authorship is insignificant to you may, in fact, mean something common, mass, widely used or frequently encountered, devoid of individuality. Also, you can, as if, "assign" authorship to yourself, considering that be for example, you have the ability and time, you would draw exactly the same thing yourself.