Commissioning art is very different from purchasing it.
When art is bought for a finished space, it must adapt to what already exists. Size, palette and placement become the primary considerations.
When art is commissioned early in the design process, the relationship changes entirely.
The artist can respond to the architecture, the narrative of the project and the cultural identity the designers want to express. The work is not forced to fit the space. It is created for it.
This collaboration often begins with conversations rather than sketches. Designers share the story of the project, the emotional atmosphere they want to create and the cultural references that inform the design.
From there, the artist interprets those ideas visually.
The result is artwork that feels integrated rather than installed. It carries the narrative of the project in a way that furniture, materials and lighting alone cannot.
Commissioning art in this way transforms the role of the artist from supplier to collaborator.
And the space becomes richer for it.
♡ Sketchy Brett