“Then you can choose to take the high road, consider that imitation is a form of flattery so to speak and decide to not spend too much energy on the issue. Publicize your art as much as you can and make it sure serious buyers and art galleries know that your style is genuinely yours. Copycats usually get tired after a while: after all there is not much personal satisfaction in copying and they will often go from copying one artist to copying another. What they are copying is also something you did in the past, and because you are the creative force behind the art that is being copied, you often moved on to the next step in your art journey being always one step ahead. You own the creative tools, they are just replicating an end product.”
“What a funny thing painting is. The abstract painters always insist on their connection with the visible reality, while the so called figurative artists insist that what they really care about, is the abstract qualities of life.”
Marlene Dumas (b. 1953) The White Disease signed, titled and dated ‘The White disease Marlene Dumas 1985’ (on the reverse) oil on canvas 51 3/8 x 43½ in. (130.5 x 110.5 cm.) Painted in 1985. Price realised USD 998,500
“Foundation is a decentralized NFT marketplace launched in early 2021. It aims to connect digital artists and collectors through a platform that emphasizes quality and originality. Unlike other marketplaces that prioritize volume, Foundation focuses on curating a selection of high-quality NFTs, making it a popular choice for serious artists and collectors.”
“Art can be deeply meaningful, but so can teaching, engineering, raising a family, repairing bicycles, or running a small shop. When someone can’t see the value in other people’s choices, it usually comes from a narrow mindset and a limited perspective.”
The future of art is likely to be less about what tools are used and more about why someone chooses to make something at all.
Technology will keep expanding the surface of art. Digital tools, AI, mixed reality, and new display formats will make creating and sharing work easier and faster. But ease has a side effect: when almost anyone can generate images instantly, the value shifts away from novelty and toward intention. What begins to matter is not how impressive the output looks, but whether it carries a point of view.
Art will continue moving away from markets and institutions as the main judges of meaning. Many artists will work quietly, outside galleries, posting, archiving, or simply making without an audience in mind. This doesn’t reduce art’s importance; it returns it to something closer to personal necessity. As Marcel Duchamp once said, “Art is not what you see, but what you make others see” — Marcel Duchamp.
Handmade and slow processes will not disappear. In fact, they may feel more meaningful precisely because they resist speed. Painting, drawing, and physical materials will coexist with digital work, not in competition but as different ways of thinking. Choosing a medium will be an ethical or emotional decision, not a technical one.
Meaning, not perfection, will become the center. Viewers will be less impressed by polish and more attentive to honesty. Work that feels lived-in, uncertain, or incomplete may resonate more than finished statements. In a noisy world, quiet clarity becomes powerful.
Ultimately, the future of art is human. No matter how advanced tools become, art will still be a way to sit with questions, to notice small things, and to leave traces of thought behind. As long as people feel the need to reflect, resist, or simply pay attention, art will continue, just in forms we haven’t fully named yet.
If a painting is created mainly to match a luxurious interior rather than to express something deeply personal or challenge ideas, then it leans more toward decorative art, even if it’s technically a painting. It becomes part of the decor rather than a standalone statement.
That raises an interesting question—does the intent of the artist or the way the artwork is used define whether it’s fine art or decorative art? If someone paints with raw emotion and meaning but it ends up as a luxury wall piece, does that change what it is?
Especially with modern abstract painting—it’s everywhere in high-end homes, hotels, and corporate spaces. A lot of it seems designed to be aesthetically pleasing but not too thought-provoking, so it blends into the environment rather than demanding attention. It feels like abstraction has been commercialized into a luxury good rather than a form of deep expression, at least in many cases.
Of course, that doesn’t mean all abstract art today is purely decorative. There are still artists pushing boundaries and using abstraction in meaningful ways. But a lot of what sells seems to be more about fitting a vibe than saying something.
