Art evokes emotion. It’s why we tour the halls of art galleries, notice paintings hanging up in restaurants and hang posters on the walls of our apartment. A simple space can be enriched by swirls of color or an abstract sculpture.
As we navigate our day throughout State College, it seems impossible to escape the reaches of some art. The album cover poster on our wall greets us as our eyes struggle open in the morning, murals cover the walls of Starbucks while we wait for our daily pick-me-up and a marble bust of some historical figure or other sits patiently in the lobby of an academic building.
There does seem to be one place in our lives where art does not present itself. Interestingly enough, it’s one of the places where emotion flows most freely: the gym.
Gymspiration
We see gym bros wincing in pain as they rip through another set on the bench press and runners on the treadmill beaming through a runner’s high, but no art on the walls. If art amplifies emotion, is the gym simply not the place for art due to the energy already present? Does showcasing artwork go against the goal of focus and efficiency in the gym?
VALLEY believes gym art is just what our workouts are missing and could really enhance the energy of the gym. Imagine stepping foot through the IM doors and being welcomed by a sleek mural that utilizes bold lines and motivating colors like black and royal blue. Wouldn’t something like that get you feeling more badass, more determined to hit a killer workout? We often acclimate to the environment we are in, so if we are in a space with creative and powerful art surrounding us, then we will strive to be more like ourselves. Our workouts would surely benefit from this mindset switch.
So, What Would Gym Art Look Like?
We prompted AI to create some gym art that we thought would suit the gyms on campus. We also asked it to create art for other types of gyms, like female-only gyms and home gyms. Here is what it came up with.
This mural is a great inspiration for campus gyms, utilizing school colors and strong emotion.
This women-only-gym art showcases a strong woman and fun colors.
This wall art evokes feelings of power and grandiosity that everyone strives to feel when working out in their home gym.
It seems like there could be a market for gym art. It creates a motivational and inspirational atmosphere that we can benefit from as individuals trying to better ourselves. Maybe we should start advocating for more artwork in gyms because what better place to admire art than at the gym, where we need the mood boost the most?
What are your thoughts on turning gyms into more creative spaces? Let us know on X @VALLEYmag!
