Final Exam - The Ideal Home

The perfect union of space and place define the ideal home. But many different definitions of perfect and ideal exist. As we have studied in this class, society has shown us a set of accepted norms related to the home. It is then up to individuals to take those ideas and norms and make them their own. As so rightly said by Daniel S. Defenbacher, “A man’s house is his art – at least a house is the nearest to art that most men will ever come” (Idea House Project, 377). In the case of the artists Andrea Zittel and Thomas Kinkade, the idea of art and the home comes together through all of their pieces. When compared, these artists are different in both the execution and design of their art. But they are similar in that they have adapted society’s ideal home into their own and specific representation of what it should be. 

“The discourse around the modern house is fundamentally linked to the commercialization of domestic life” (Idea House Project, 379). This quote reflects how American housing has attempted to find a one-size fits all model for the perfect home. Artist Andrea Zittel’s work breaks that one-size fits all mold and creates a new image of the functional home and what one truly needs to live. The traditional American home image has been that bigger is better. Zittel’s work shows us that smaller, but more functional units can be better. Seen below are two images of her 1994 living unit. This structure contains the basic necessities needed for the comfort and support of everyday activities. These images of her work illustrate how her structures can be moved around and changed for different uses. 

 

"AZ 1994 Living Units" 

Seen below is another living structure created by Zittel. “Indy Island is a fully inhabitable experimental living structure that examines the daily needs of contemporary human beings. The island is being occupied over the course of four summers by commissioned ‘residents’ who adapt and modify its structure according to their individual needs, while also serving as ‘hosts’ in order to facilitate public viewing of the work" (Zittel.org). 

"AZ Indy Island"

Andrea Zittel’s work reflects that her ideal home is small in space and can be located in almost any place. Her design choices indicate that she values basic functionality. 

When looking at Thomas Kinkade’s work is it clear that his ideal home is very different than that of Zittel’s. “My mission as an artist is to capture those special moments in life adorned with beauty and light. I work to create images that project a serene simplicity than can appreciated and enjoyed by everyone” (Thomaskinkade.com). 

Thomas Kinkade's "Gingerbread Cottage"

In Kinkake’s piece above we are greeted with the use of warm colors in an inviting space. In another work by Kinkake below, we can again see a similar environment with the same types of colors. His design choices indicate that he wants to portray a desirable home and living environment. His paintings are cottages with lots of natural elements like trees and plants. This gives us the idea that nature and the home is something of high importance to him.

Thomas Kinkade's "Make a Wish Cottage"

“For private space to become a home, it must be joined to a range of semiprivate, semipublic, and public spaces, and linked to appropriate social and economic institutions assuring the continuity of human activity in these spaces” (Hayden, 170). This quote represents what American society has imposed, but Kinkade shows the home in a private setting instead of in a neighborhood or public sphere. Almost every single work of Kinkade's is in a secluded, country like setting with the home as the main focus of the piece. This reflects that Kinkade’s ideal home is fairly large and cozy in space, and filled with nature and the countryside in place. 

Through the work of these two unique artists we have been able to see what each respectively believes is the perfect union of space and place in a home setting. The culturally accepted norms of society will always exist, but each individual has the opportunity to modify those norms to what works for them. 

Works Cited: 

"About Thomas Kinkade." The Thomas Kinkade Company. Web. 01 May 2012.

<http://www.thomaskinkade.com/magi/servlet/com.asucon.ebiz.biography.web.tk.BiographyServlet>.

"Andrea Zittel." Andrea Zittel. Web. 01 May 2012.

<http://zittel.org/works_horizontal.php?a_id=177>.

Griffith Winton, A. “‘A Man's House Is His Art’: The Walker Art Center's Idea House

Project and the Marketing of Domestic Design 1941-1947.” Journal of Design History 17.4 (2004): 377-96. Print. 

Hayden, Dolores. Redesigning the American Dream: The Future of Housing, Work, and

Family Life. New York: W.W. Norton, 1984. Print.

Images Cited: 

www.thomaskinkade.com

www.zittel.org