In a world where bravado can often be measured by size, a new trend in interior design is challenging the market’s appetite for grandiosity. Enter the tiny painting trend, where instead of overcrowding a space with a sprawling gallery wall or imposing piece, there’s a growing interest in smaller, more intimate kinds of art.
In 2018, there was a marked push towards larger paintings, according to artnet’s Kate Brown. “At fairs and in galleries, canvases towered with a cold confidence that felt, at moments, unmerited,” Brown wrote. However, “recently, smaller artworks have become more apparent in galleries and on fair floors.” And now that she mentioned it, we’re seeing it everywhere.
Take Brooklyn-based Jennifer J. Lee, who assisted the abstract painter Julie Mehretu on a large-scale commission for the lobby of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. She’s been working smaller lately, with her latest work on view in an exhibition titled Small Fixations. Meanwhile, there’s Lisbon-based Mia Middleton who makes small-scale photorealist freeze frames; Istanbul-based Hasan Kale who paints incredibly detailed scenes on bottle caps, halved almonds, matchstick heads, and butterfly wings; and New York-based Izzy Barber, who creates micro-sized observational plein air paintings. The works of these artists, among so many others, offer a refreshing prompt—an invitation to step in and get intimate.
For Brown, there might be a simple explanation for this phenomenon. She referred to the High Heel Index theory, a measurement in the world of trend forecasting coined by former IBM consumer products expert Trevor Davis. Davis found that shoe heel height is correlated with economic upturns, with recession periods being met by lower heel height. “Could the same be said for the length (and width) of paintings and art?” Brown asks. Surely, material costs, studio space, and shipping fees all come into play in trying times (consider the pandemic, when many artists were literally working at their kitchen tables).
While necessity can dictate trends, many designers are here for it, experimenting with the small art experience in new ways. ELLE DECOR A-List designer Ghislaine Viñas says she's been inspired, recently, by small portrait series in very traditional houses. “It's always fun to reinterpret traditional design elements, taking them out of their expected context and giving them a refresh in contemporary interiors," she says. “Playing with scale can have a dramatic effect, and a series of tiny paintings—especially in places where one might expect an oversized piece like above a bed—adds an unexpected element to a space."
Brooklyn-based interior designer Taylor Migliazzo Simon, the mind behind this year's takeoff 'Unexpected Red Theory' trend, agrees. She recently took to Instagram in praise of tiny art. “There's no such thing as art that is too small,” she said in the post. “It’s almost tongue and cheek kind of fun but can still feel refined.”
Other designers are skeptical. This is “just another design trend,” says ELLE DECOR A-List designer Joy Moyler, noting that she has yet to field a client request for a tiny art wall. “Some images just need to be larger, bolder, if you will, to read and make an impact,” she says. “My preference is a mix of large and small frames…these collages read more as a sculptural element on the wall.”
For those looking to think micro-sized in their own space, Viñas advises homeowners to be unconventional. “When you're about to do the obvious—like hanging a large piece of art or two on a large wall—consider turning things upside down,” she explains. The key to this is placement: “I don’t have many design rules but scale is important. If the scale isn’t considered, it can feel awkward.”
This style can also work in contrast with oversized art, Viñas adds. “Try placing an extra large piece on one wall and juxtapose it with a cluster of tiny paintings nearby. This creates a playful tension.” Or, consider layering a small portrait over wallpaper: “If you have a bold, modern graphic print you can opt for a 17th-century portrait, while for a smaller scale wallcovering you can pair it with a contemporary black and white photograph," she says. "There are endlessly fun ways to experiment."
Rachel Silva is the associate digital editor at ELLE DECOR, where she covers all things design, architecture, and lifestyle. She also oversees the publication’s feature article coverage, and is, at any moment, knee-deep in an investigation on everything from the best spa gifts to the best faux florals on the internet right now. She has more than 16 years of experience in editorial, working as a photo assignment editor at Time and acting as the president of Women in Media in NYC. She went to Columbia Journalism School, and her work has been nominated for awards from ASME, the Society of Publication Designers, and World Press Photo.
