15 Jan Art Trends we loved in 2022
Happy New Year everyone!
As we settle into the new year, contemplate our resolutions, and perhaps gear up for some redecorating, now is the perfect time to refresh your art collection with the latest trending art by emerging artists. Read on to explore the art trends, hacks and techniques that have caught their attention and that promise to make a timeless addition to any art collection.
Art exhibitions and events
Creative communities have emerged to immersive virtual and inperson events and exhibitions, enabling artists to reach global audiences. Galleries, museums, fashion houses and even massive art festivals, are making use of various platforms in the metaverse to capture the spirit, culture and qualities of real-life events such as paint and sip events. Its absolutely amazing to live in a world where creating art is so accessible and such experiences are available.
The Rise of Mixed Media
Many artists are delving into mixed media, oil with acrylic, collage, modelling paste, gesso, and even wall putty (!) Yes, the cement-based powder that make the wall look smoother, can be used for creating incredible textures in your painting. Artists are explorers when it comes to mixed media and the possibilities are endless. Most of the gels and pastes that artists can use are colourless or white blenders that act like the paint itself but when mixed with pigmented acrylic paint or other mediums can give a painting or a piece of artwork a different look and a different style. Certain products can be used in creating layers and glazes with acrylic pigments. Many have a different outcome including the fluid acrylic which moves but maintains its body and is great for pouring. Thanks to the great painting courses in dubai now, we are able to learn all these techniques in a fun-filled environment.
Crypto and NFT Artworks
Crypto art and NFTs have become invaluable assets. Mainstream artists have begun to adopt this approach, with record-breaking sales and announcements of new and exciting digital art projects. Till today, the most expensive NFT ever sold is an artwork called The Merge, created by the renowned artist who goes by the pseudonym Pak, for a sum of USD 91.8 million. Artists like Alexis Olin, Yura Miron, Artem Humilevskiy, Mykola Dosenko and Chernaya Rechka have been making waves in the NFT space because of their purpose-driven digital art.
With the rise in the number of people using digital currencies as an investment or a fundraising method to support themselves or generate donations, the relevance of cryptocurrency and NFTs is not going to subside anytime soon. We are also proud to announce that We Love Art has also launched in the NFT market.
Wall Putty
Did you know that acrylic putty can be used both on drywall surfaces and plaster? It is also available in a powder form that is ready to use. Moreover, they are extremely durable with a smooth finish, as well as display the same colour as wall paint. Recently, a lot of artists are uniquely using wall putty to create some stunning paint textures. The best part? They are quick drying!
The Evolution of Memphis
Brands are reviving the geometric shapes, vibrant colours, and bold patterns that optimize the Memphis Design trend of the 1980s in the realms of art, interiors, fashion and graphic design. This trend can be identified in the gaming and graphic design space, with simple emojis, primitive internet frames, bright colour blocks and funky retro interfaces.
Coined by the legendary Italian designer Ettore Sottass, Memphis design returned as a source of inspiration for designers in the 2010s, including major brands such as Missoni and Dior. The unapologetic and bold style is now being used a lot by different interior and graphic designers, as well as filmmakers. Due to the increasing trend, We Love Art is proud to introduct memphis for the first time in our painting course in Dubai.
Graffiti and Street Art
Street art has retained its popularity throughout the past decade, with many famous street artists like Banksy, Eduardo Kobra and Alec Monopoly becoming famous names in the art community.
Of these, anonymous graffiti artist Banksy has created artworks that have been sold at auctions for millions of dollars. Covering almost everything, from the Israel conflict, to even Brexit, Banksy’s talent knows no bounds. We are especially a fan of his ‘Girl with Balloon’, and even designed the We Love Artbox for it. And now, it is becoming more common to do this kind of art not just on streets, but also indoors, with the use of acrylic spray paint. Using spray paint allows you to cover surfaces quickly and more evenly than traditional paint, and can be an effective way to touch up or apply a new coat of paint for many different kinds of DIY projects- and we had so much fun using them in the We Love Art painting courses. With recent political conflicts as well as social unrest in the world, street art has garnered more attention and will continue to do so this year as well.
As we begin 2023, we are grateful for all the art trends we got to try and experiment with last year and can’t wait for all we get to see this year.