ART vs. Design: Are They The Same Thing?

I’m study Interior Architecture in UCSI, but my assignment majority more to Art field. Many people keep questioning me, art and design, are they the same thing? For me, no there are not, both of them have their own defining characteristics.  Art mostly have emotional context, it sometimes spark question, varied meaning, is an individual sport, has meaning and seldom usable. But design is more different to art, it solve problem, provide information, functional, can be taught and learned and purposely created for a client.

When art apply on architecture, I name it“artistic design.” Well, La Sagrada Familia in Spain is the best building to describe as artistic design. I have done a compare between La Sagrada Familia and Falling Water, both of them are the best design to me, but different characteristic and definition. I always admired things that really do not feel existed. I always think La Sagrada Familia is better than Falling Water, why? Because if you look at the detail,  you might feel the creative and the patient of the architecture itself , the organic windows , pillars ,ceiling, it really takes a lots of time , that’s why it still haven’t  finish yet. Falling water is very chic, postmodern, is really base on the technique, how you apply the building without destroy the environment. Frank Lloyd Wright do have the skill that I must say, I think mostly people can come out this idea more.

When my lecturer ask us in class, how would you think art apply on architecture, do you like it? Mostly I heard the answer is no, is a waste. For me, it depends on the situation, not every building suitable, sometimes we should embrace more. Disneyland is a very dreamy place, mostly their building more to artistic design, imagine when Disneyland build with postmodern, Mickey and Minnie doesn’t come out from the castle anymore, but from a very chic building, what will pop out from your mind? Okay, I said mine, “What the……Where’s my childhood, bring back my childhood!!”

Let’s jump out of the box, apply design and art into fashion segment. If you really a fashion lover, you do know about “Christian Dior” ,there’s  an ex designer name John Galliano, the current designer name Raf Simons, each designer  have their own design characteristic. If you compare both designer collections, you found out John’s collection more to artistic, dramatic more but Raf’s collection more to postmodern and chic. The fans of Christian Dior said Dior was totally losing a brilliant designer like John is the biggest mistake, but why Dior still hires Raf? It makes sense, because Raf benefits to the company more, postmodern and simple design really been acceptable more by society, but John’s collection more to display and exhibition.

For me, there’s no best design in the planet, because design is very subjective and wide. If your design caught attraction from others peoples, maybe is he or she was their cups of tea, while somebody don’t. Be grateful to your design and proud of it, one day somebody will embraced more to your design and bright your career.