Imagine walking into the lobby of a New York City building, previously the headquarters of one of the world’s largest children’s toy companies, which today houses dozens of small corporate offices. The lobby is unremarkable, like countless others. Now, picture a large, striking art piece hanging above the reception desk, depicting a model car, one of the most cherished toys produced in this historic building. This artwork echoes the building’s rich past, altering the atmosphere from bland to inspiring and unforgettable.
When developing a commercial interior design project, thoughtfully selected art can change how people see and experience a space. Art can infuse it with character and a sense of purpose, turning ordinary environments into memorable experiences.
ATP.art, an art consultancy, collaborated with artist Sam Lasseter to create Oh! Oh! Oreo (2023) for 85 Tenth Avenue in New York City. Inspired by the original 1912 cookie design, this artwork celebrates the building’s history as the former Nabisco headquarters and its connection to the Chelsea neighborhood.
Energy, Excitement, and Engagement
In commercial interior design, art is often seen as just a decorative element, but its impact is much more significant. Art can shape perceptions of both the space and the company it represents.
Art has the power to embody and reflect a company’s ideas and values, making the space more meaningful and relatable for visitors. It can forge lasting connections and encourage customers to come back. Art also has a profound effect on employee well-being and productivity, contributing to an environment that enhances morale and encourages creativity and innovation.
These effects are not just theoretical, but are rooted in physiological changes in our neural pathways that have a lasting effect on shaping our perceptions and behaviors.
For example, in commercial interior design for a retail environment, choosing art that embodies the excitement and energy of shopping can amplify the atmosphere, adding a new layer of engagement for shoppers.
Tony Whlgn’s mural at Neiman Marcus exemplifies the impact of art in commercial spaces, turning a routine shopping environment into an immersive and visually engaging experience.
Achieving such an impactful integration of art into commercial settings requires not only creating a cohesive atmosphere with a consistent theme or style but also the incorporation of other key aspects in choosing the right works:
- Align art with the company’s identity to reinforce brand values and narrative.
- Cater to the varied tastes of employees, clients, and visitors to ensure broad appeal to your target audience.
- Be mindful of the cultural sensitivities and strategic priorities.
- Select art that remains relevant and engaging for the duration.
To help you do this, you may want to consider an art consultancy. A good art consultant is also a business partner who takes the proper steps to secure fair value through careful evaluation of both artistic and technical quality of art. They also work within allocated budgets to source quality art without overspending and choose physically durable pieces suitable for heavy traffic areas.
Cedric Michael Cox’s artwork in Cincinnati weaves local history with abstracts, transforming the space into a vivid reflection of community pride and historical depth.
As more companies are seeing art as an effective means of engagement and branding, keeping pace with what’s visually appealing and current can be challenging for businesses handling art selections themselves. The rise of AI-generated imagery and who owns it is a prime example of how quickly the industry can change. Engaging with art consultancies can help businesses ensure their art choices stay pertinent and effectively enhance their commercial spaces.
However, finding that one-stop shop will not be easy. There are only a handful of firms that have the ability to execute multiple parts of the curation process, from planning to acquisition, production, and installation.
Let Art Consultancies Help Find the Right Piece for Your Commercial Interior Design
Art consultancies like ATP.art offer a vast network of diverse artists and unique artworks with a complete set of services, including in-house legal experts to manage artist contracts and commercial operations to coordinate all logistics. They go even further with a range of media services to showcase the art selections and the overall commercial interior design. ATP’s advanced capabilities in professional cinematography, photography, podcasting, documentary film, episodic storytelling, and publishing generate content showcasing the space while boosting the brand’s message. Their comprehensive approach helps you achieve successful results because the multifaceted team works with you throughout the changing demands of your business.
The upfront invested effort in the art strategy has been proven to yield significant increases in engagement, which directly translates to higher retention and satisfaction. In other words, think about your own experiences. You may remember the welcoming vibe of a hotel stay, the coziness of a quaint restaurant, or the comfort of a nice reception area. Highly likely that the art in that space played a significant role in leaving a lasting impression.
Artrepreneur and ATP.art are an artist platform and an art consultancy. Our clients are prominent names in finance, hospitality, retail, commercial real estate, architecture, design, and affordable housing development. The platform has over 130,000 artists from all over the world and offers all categories of art, including open-edition prints, original works, murals, and commissions. We are a B Corporation, and our mission is to help artists succeed and encourage everyone to live life artfully.
