The Mimetic Theory of Art

Powdertech celebrates the Mimetic Theory of Art

If it was good enough for Aristotle………………………

Powder coatings can be of any colour and texture. At Powdertech Corby we have expanded upon this property to develop a wide selection of finishes that replicate, as near as possible, surfaces that occur naturally, in nature. We have wood, stone, and terracotta finishes and shades that resemble shiny and patinated metal.

Our finishes enable architects and designers to use strong, flexible and above all lightweight metal to replicate the appearance of these materials to which we, as human beings, are so attracted and attached. In offering these finishes, we are celebrating the concept of ‘mimesis’, imitation in other words, which has been a long held artistic principle. For Aristotle, art was always imitation of nature and evaluation of art was to be based on how closely it resembled real life.

The ‘Mimetic Theory of Art’ was accepted for many generations within the art world and by  philosophers and aestheticians who believed that art was the faithful imitation of natural ideals. Furthermore, it was thought that art had to be of some ‘use’ and have an objective, be it moral, religious, educational or social, as a justification for the amount of time, money and other resources put into it!

Thankfully we no longer subscribe to such strict notions, but at Powdertech we are very pleased to know that the amount of time and thought we put into developing our own mimetic finishes has a long artistic tradition. We never stop perfecting our finishes, be it to achieve the sparkle appearing in certain types of stone, different grains and knots in wood and the gleaming depths of polished metal or glazed terracotta.

Visit our website to order a selection of our ‘mimetic’ finishes. Or read our case studies and visit a project we have coated in Wood, Stone, or Terracotta Finish, Evolution patinated finishes or PowderLUX. These are all collections of finishes resembling the natural world.  Seen in a real-life setting these finishes look even more representative of the ‘real thing’.  Contact us to discuss the look and feel you want to achieve for your design, using our innovative ‘mimetic’ finishes on lightweight aluminium.