What Painting Style Is Fashionable Today

[Dmitry-Afremov]

# What Painting Style Is Fashionable Today?

People often ask me:

“Dmitry, what style is fashionable right now?
Impressionism?
Modernism?
Pointillism?
Cubism?
Abstract art?
Surrealism?
Fauvism?”

And honestly?

I have no idea.

More importantly — I don’t think it matters at all.

What is fashion anyway?

Who decided what is “trendy” and what is not?

If your neighbor has an Impressionist painting hanging in his house, but you personally can’t stand Impressionism — are you really going to hang the same style in your home just because it’s fashionable?

That’s nonsense.

It does not matter what style a painting belongs to.

It does not matter what materials were used.
Oil paint,
acrylic,
collage,
appliqué,
digital art,
or even a banana taped to a wall and sold for six million dollars — which, honestly, I still don’t fully understand.

None of that is the important part.

The only thing that matters is whether you personally love it.

Think about something simple:
people spend roughly one-third of their lives at home.

And the comfort of your home affects your mood, your energy, and your emotional state.

Nobody truly cares whether the painting on your wall is:
an original or a reproduction,
expensive or inexpensive,
fashionable or unfashionable.

On one wall you can have Surrealism.
On another wall — Modernism.
On a third wall — Abstract art.

And that is perfectly normal.

The important thing is that you feel good living with those paintings.

That’s what really matters.

Because if you feel uncomfortable, then all the trends, labels, and “correct opinions” mean absolutely nothing.

Recently, a woman wrote to me:
“I chose this painting because I absolutely love abstraction.”

But the painting itself was just an ordinary landscape.

And honestly — wonderful.

If she sees abstraction in it, then for her it is abstraction.

Who has the right to tell her what she should feel when looking at art?

The most important thing is enjoyment.

A painting is part of you.
Part of your personality.
Part of your home.

For example, in my bedroom I have 62 small paintings hanging on the walls.
They hang so closely together that you can barely even see the walls anymore.

And I love it.

Some people walk in and say:
“Wow, that feels overwhelming. That’s too much.”

But I feel comfortable there.

If you don’t like it — don’t sleep in my bed.

It’s very simple.

And then there are people who have only one painting in their home.

I once visited someone who owned a small Rembrandt.

A real one.

And honestly — yes, that’s something to be proud of.

But here’s the interesting part:
he personally didn’t even like the painting.

He wasn’t proud of the artwork itself.
He was proud that it was inherited and worth more than his entire street.

He couldn’t even sell it because some legal documents were missing.

But every time guests came over, he would say:
“Look, we have a Rembrandt.”

And of course everyone reacted:
“Wow.”

But if you truly don’t like the painting — why hang it on your wall?

Put it in a safe.

Your home is you.

And you should design it in a way that makes you personally feel comfortable.

[MrBean]

I agree with the main idea that people should not buy or hang art just because a certain style is considered fashionable. Personal connection matters much more than trends.

At the same time, I would not say that style, technique, or art history do not matter at all. They can help people understand why a painting affects them emotionally, what visual language the artist is using, and how different works can live together in one home.

So maybe the best balance is this: do not let fashion choose art for you, but do not completely dismiss style either. Style should be a tool for understanding art, not a rule that tells people what they are allowed to love

[DailyHikerSam]

Dmitry, this feels a bit too dismissive of the role that art history, trends, and cultural context play in how people discover and appreciate art. You say fashion doesn't matter, but as someone who has spent decades selling artwork, you've clearly benefited from changing tastes and market trends yourself. Personal preference is important, but reducing everything to "just buy what you like" seems to ignore a big part of how the art world actually works.

[RustyTrail77]

Afremov's works are sincere and free

[MapleRunner84]

This is so true. I’ve never understood decorating your home based on trends instead of what actually makes you happy. At the end of the day, you’re the one living with that art every single day, so the only opinion that really matters is your own.

[PineStreetJoe]

You make an interesting point: art is deeply personal, and trends should never outweigh individual taste. A painting becomes meaningful not because it's fashionable or expensive, but because it creates an emotional connection and makes your home feel more like your own. In the end, the best style is the one you genuinely enjoy living with every day.