There are probably a thousand reasons why we buy the everyday things that we own, from clothes and beauty items to decor to furniture. It could be that we were influenced on social media or encouraged by a friend; that we thought it might be practical and solve a problem; or that it was an impulse that satisfied some momentary, psychological itch. But the best purchases or acquisitions—the things we truly treasure—are often those that “spoke” to us—something about them meant something and compelled us to take them home. This meaning can be found easily in heirlooms, for example, but what is it about other things that makes us feel a connection?
“I recently bought these espresso cups that were designed by the artist Judy Chicago based on her Great Ladies cycle of works,” shares Vadim Grigoryan, the co-founder of Art as Life. “They’re really beautiful. And now each morning when I drink my coffee I look at them and I think of Marie Antoinette or Virginia Woolf, who inspired the artist’s patterns. All of a sudden, my morning coffee—something banal and everyday—becomes a much more elevated experience.” Vadim believes strongly in the ability of artists to bring meaning and beauty to objects. “And by beauty I mean not only aesthetics, but also the beauty of an idea, the beauty of the mind. That is very important,” he adds.
"There is an aspiration these days to make every detail of life meaningful and even if you don't notice it, it doesn't mean that it doesn't matter."
Fellow co-founder Maria Srgv, dressed in an artist-designed T-shirt during our meeting, couldn’t agree more. “There is an aspiration these days to make every detail of life meaningful and even if you don’t notice it, it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t matter,” she says. Her thoughts echo Western society’s growing focus on practices of mindfulness in recent years. “Every piece of information that is processed by your brain affects you somehow. So I think it’s very important to be selective about what information you allow your brain to process—and what you surround yourself with is a big part of that.”
But many of the new items that are available to buy today are devoid of meaning—mass-produced stuff that very little thought or joy has gone into. The attachment of things to meaning is something that is a lot stronger in history. This is partly to do with the scarcity of materials and skilled labourers back then but also about attitudes and philosophy. “In ancient times, every single day and every act was filled with some kind of meaning, idea, or connection to the self or to others. Perhaps because people didn’t live as long as we do now it made every day and action much more intense,” says Vadim. He proffers Plato’s theory of forms and Ovid’s Metamorphoses as examples.
And the meaning attributed to objects is also different across cultures. In Asia, for example, objects are held in much higher esteem. Some historic Japanese traditions argue that objects have a soul, and this idea is still very much preserved today. Vadim points to the book In Praise of Shadows (1933) by the Japanese author Jun’ichirō Tanizaki, which looks at Japanese aesthetics in everything from architecture and theatre to everyday objects and food. In it, Tanizaki compares the use of light and darkness as the direct contrast of Western and Asian cultures and notes how Japan was losing this subtlety in its Western-led modernisation. “In the West, we prefer things that are in your face and shiny, but in Japan they prefer these softer elements. And I think that is exactly what artists bring to objects: they bring the shadows, the nuances, the depth,” Vadim says.
Interestingly, at almost the exact same moment that Tanizaki was pondering shadows, the American philosopher John Dewey was publishing his seminal book Art as Experience (1934). Dewey laments the breakdown between art and daily life, which he says occurred when society declared art as an independent field. Before that, everyday objects such as utensils, pots and rugs were made with great care, and enhanced everyday life. Now, such beautifully made historic objects are put on plinths in museums and removed from the functions that they once performed. Art as Life aims to act against this fossilisation of objects and to platform artists’ works that reunite beauty, meaning and function. “We want to present amazing things that can penetrate every moment of life,” says Vadim. The kinds of things that “speak” to you.
AIMEE DAWSON is a British writer, editor and speaker on all things art and culture. Among her areas of specialty are social media, the digital sphere and art in the Middle East. She was formerly an editor at The Art Newspaper in London.
It sounds so simple. Mix the old with new. Done well, it looks effortless. But the bad examples—laboured, jarring—show what a skill it is to create harmonious yet unexpected juxtapositions.
Even when it wasn’t cool or lucrative, creatives throughout history couldn’t help but make wondrous items for everyday life
Learn about the latest drops and get exclusive offers straight to your inbox.
Please submit your question, enquiry or insight into the very nature of art itself in the form below.
Effective Date: 1 October 2024
ArtAsLife.com (“we”, “us”, “our”) is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal information when you visit and interact with our website, ArtAsLife.com, especially during its pre-launch “coming soon” phase. This policy is designed to comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other applicable laws.
1. Information We Collect
During the “coming soon” phase, we collect minimal personal data, primarily for communication and marketing purposes. The types of personal information we may collect include:
2. How We Use Your Information
We collect and process personal data for the following purposes:
3. Legal Basis for Processing Your Information
We only process personal data when we have a lawful basis to do so under GDPR:
4. How We Share Your Data
We do not sell or rent your personal data to third parties. However, we may share your information with trusted third-party services under certain conditions:
5. Data Retention
We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes we collected it for, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.
6. Your Rights Under GDPR
Under GDPR, you have the following rights concerning your personal data:
To exercise these rights, please contact us at info@artaslife.com.
7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience on our website. You can manage your cookie preferences via your browser settings.
8. Data Security
We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure. We use a range of technical and organizational measures to safeguard your personal data and prevent unauthorized access, disclosure, or modification.
9. Third-Party Links
Our website may contain links to other websites of interest. However, once you have used these links to leave our site, please note that we do not have control over these external websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of these third-party sites before providing any personal information.
10. Children’s Privacy
ArtAsLife.com is not intended for use by children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe that a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us, and we will delete such information immediately.
11. Changes to this Privacy Policy
We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time. Any changes will be posted on this page with the updated “Effective Date”. We encourage you to review this page periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your data.
12. Contact Us
If you have any questions or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:
Email: info@artaslife.com
By using our website, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.
