Inspirational Artworks in the Mundanity of Everyday Life

Sipping our morning cup of coffee, washing a set of dirty dishes, or squeezing toothpaste onto the brush. Our lives are filled to the brim with monotonous and tedious moments like these. Making these moments interesting or even inspiring seems near impossible. A little artistic touch may just do the trick. Read more here in Inspirational Artworks in the Mundanity of Everyday Life

Main Image illy

The boundaries of what art can be have been pushed by countless visionaries. Simply put, art cannot be confined to a strict mold. A tale as old as time, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Although it may be cliche, it couldn’t be more true. The routine of everyday life is just as mundane and boring as you perceive it. It is up to each individual to find beauty in the boring.

This concept is very familiar to Korean artist Lee Ufan, a pioneering force in the Mono-ha movement. In Japanese, Mono-ha means “school of things”, indicating an appreciation for everyday objects.

Lee Ufan, Image StudioLeeUfan by Claire Dorn

This artistic revolution was coined to challenge the boundaries of art that have often been employed by the Western world. Mono-ha style is particularly focused around identifying items in the natural world that are prone to going unnoticed by the average passerby. These objects include things like a smoothed stone in a forest or pieces of plywood suspended in midair.

A recent venture of Ufan’s has been collaborating with illy to put his artistic touch on their iconic coffee cup. This collaboration blends seamlessly with the Mono-ha philosophy that Ufan is so well known for.

The cup designs feature two paint strokes, one in red and one in blue. The minimalism and simplicity of the design mirrors the simplicity of brewing a cup of coffee. This action is a mundane routine for millions of people, but, with the right cup, can spark the imagination.

Image illy

This is far from the first collaboration of its kind that illy has done. Their initiative, the illy Art Collection, was first launched in 1992 with a cup designed by Matteo Thun. Since then, the brand has worked with over 100 artists to create unique and inspiring cup designs. Lee Ufan is the newest addition to their portfolio of imaginative artists.

The cups feature a wide range of styles, colors, and images. Each unique artist is able to express their personal style onto the blank, white canvas of the classic mug design.

Federico Fellini illy Art Collection 1993

This initiative has been immensely successful as it encourages people to marinate in the moments of their lives rather than rushing through them. Much like a piece of art begs a passerby to stop and reflect, sitting down for a cup of coffee can spark similar reflection.

A blaze of inspiration can be found in even the simplest of things. Whether its with a coffee cup or a stone, it’s up to us to discover the beauty in the mundane.

To learn more about The illy Art Collection, please visit here

If you enjoyed reading Inspirational Artworks in the Mundanity of Everyday Life, why not try Cardboard Chronicles: A Remarkable Odyssey from Mundane to Artistic Marvel

.Cent Magazine London, Be Inspired; Get Involved