A Brief Art Deco History
The City of Lights, 1925. Advertised as the Exposition Internationale des Arts
Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes, the world's most renowned, influential
artists and designers converged together in Paris to share a vision of the
future. This high profile event, the International Exhibit of Decorative Arts
and Modern Industries, was organized to present the evolution of design. Hailed
as a “celebration of living in the modern world, the exhibition showcased the
contributions of artists' modern interpretations of established designs.
The collective of artistic visions, described as experimental and avantgarde,
suggested the beginning of something revolutionary in the world of modern
design. From this exhibition, a new design tradition emerged. Originally dubbed
Style Moderne, the design movement now recognized as Art Deco would be given its
proper name in 1968, when the passage of time allowed for the studied
retrospective of the phenomenon it proved to be.
Upon its arrival in America, Art Deco swiftly enveloped American culture; its
widespread applications proved its appeal was based on more than simple visual
allure. Style Moderne concisely defined the contemporary times of 1920's and
1930's America. Spurned by the events of World War I, a healthy economy provided
the perfect conditions for positive outlooks and collective good spirits. The
movement banished the design traditions of the past; Neo-Classical, Revivalist,
and Victorian design movements were too stuffy and austere to convey the values
of contemporary America. Style Moderne was decorative, functional and cutting
edge. The revolutionary Style Modern married luxury and function in a versatile
design.
During its apex in the 20's and 30's, Art Deco style defined the mindsets and
lifestyles of the times. Art Deco served as an interpretation of the social
norms, expectations, dreams, desires, interests, fascinations, frivolities and
spontaneities of the culture in which it developed. A redistribution of wealth,
brought on by the end of darker times, paved the way for industrial progress.
Prohibition was prohibited, and a sense of revelry and celebration pervaded the
country. Women cut their hair, hemmed their skirts, and asserted their rights.
Morale was at an all time high; the future was bright with promise.
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Art Deco Style is the definition of eclecticism. Drawing
inspiration from a wide variety of sources, Art Deco Style has its
own unique look that is difficult to define. Its range of
characteristics makes it an extremely versatile style, and an
enjoyable one to work with, since Art Deco is easily integrated into
a wide variety of personal styles. This makes Art Deco admired by
many and a favorite among collectors.
Art Deco and the Transcendence of the Everyday Object
The fusion of the Art Deco design and American culture spawned a movement
that influenced every aspect of the contemporary lifestyle, and captured the
spirit of the 20's and 30's through the modern reinterpretations of traditional
designs. Inherent in works of fine art and the designs of the interior of
architecture, fashion, home furnishings, industrial mechanisms, ocean liners,
automobiles, and even common household items, the Art Deco style updated the
traditional forms of the past.
Art Deco's signature clean, streamlined forms encourage the eye to glide along
the smooth, uninterrupted outline of the design. The aerodynamic appearance of a
streamlined design conveys a sense a movement. Commonly applied to ocean liners
and automobiles, the sleek, modern forms allude not only to speed, but also to
the consumerism of the period. Streamlined automobiles depicted in
advertisements suggested power and a membership to the upper class; and
streamlined ocean liners hinted of leisure cruises and vacations.
Perhaps the most interesting examples of Art Deco style are in the
reinterpretation of common household objects. Art Deco philosophy dictated that
every object, no matter how humble its purpose, could be transformed into art
through decorative application. Prior to the art deco movement, cigarette
lighters were typically unremarkable in appearance. However, cigarette smoking
became the vogue in the 20's and 30's and as a result; the status of the
cigarette lighter was that of a fashion accessory. And so cigarette lighters
were transformed into sculptured, streamlined, lacquered, and embellished
designs; transformed from humble object to artistic application of the Art Deco
tradition.
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In the 1920’s, Art Deco updated the designs of classical traditions and
indigenous artistic forms of expression, and joined them with its own modern
representations. The artists and designers of the Art Deco period continued to
draw heavy inspiration from Nature and adhered to the guidelines that define The
Golden Ratio.
Art Deco style Bowl is highly decorative and heavily indebted to traditional
forms
Art Deco Design - Eclecticism Defined
The fusion of the Art Deco design and American culture spawned a movement
that influenced every aspect of the contemporary lifestyle, and captured the
spirit of the 20's and 30's through the modern reinterpretations of traditional
designs. Inherent in works of fine art and the designs of the interior of
architecture, fashion, home furnishings, industrial mechanisms, ocean liners,
automobiles, and even common household items, the Art Deco style updated the
traditional forms of the past.
Art Deco's signature clean, streamlined forms encourage the eye to glide along
the smooth, uninterrupted outline of the design. The aerodynamic appearance of a
streamlined design conveys a sense a movement. Commonly applied to ocean liners
and automobiles, the sleek, modern forms allude not only to speed, but also to
the consumerism of the period. Streamlined automobiles depicted in
advertisements suggested power and a membership to the upper class; and
streamlined ocean liners hinted of leisure cruises and vacations.
Perhaps the most interesting examples of Art Deco style are in the
reinterpretation of common household objects. Art Deco philosophy dictated that
every object, no matter how humble its purpose, could be transformed into art
through decorative application. Prior to the art deco movement, cigarette
lighters were typically unremarkable in appearance. However, cigarette smoking
became the vogue in the 20's and 30's and as a result; the status of the
cigarette lighter was that of a fashion accessory. And so cigarette lighters
were transformed into sculptured, streamlined, lacquered, and embellished
designs; transformed from humble object to artistic application of the Art Deco
tradition.
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Art Deco is laden with symbolic icons and motifs, drawing reference from the
past, but also illustrating the present values of the time as well as society’s
aspirations for the future.
During the Art Deco era, the redistribution of
wealth after the World War I funded the growth spurt of urban areas. As a
result, the birth of the skyscraper became a symbol of progress and of
nationalistic pride, representing America’s place in a brave, new world. As a
motif, the stepped, pyramid-like form of the skyscraper was represented on Art
Deco furniture and lighting.
The Legacy: Art Deco Modern Revival
The Art Deco movement collapsed in 1940. As times of war have a tendency to do,
the collective high spirits of American culture expended gracelessly like hot
air from a balloon. The optimistic outlooks of the culture crashed faster than
the stock market.
Historically, Art Deco was the breath of fresh air taken between the smoke of
World War I and World War II. The Great Depression, and the belt buckling that
accompanied it, destroyed the spirit which fueled the Art Deco movement. Perhaps
this is the reason why the Art Deco movement came to be associated with
frivolity and false luxury in the minds of those who experienced the period.
The look associated with Art Deco style has had periodic revivals since its 1940
decline, often represented in the entertainment sectors of film and animation.
The graphic advertising prints of the 20's and 30's are common fixtures in
entertainment establishments, such as restaurants, lounges, and night clubs.
Also, a surge in the renewed popularity of art deco style is driving the
reinterpretation of the style in the designs of contemporary home furnishings.
Today, Art Deco style goes by a new name; it is sometimes known as retro modern,
sometimes as vintage modern or some variation of the two. Regardless of the
label attached to the style, it still looks fresh and modern. In spite of this
enduring quality, to deny its origins and historical relevance would be cultural
plagiarism.
Recently, many celebrities (with the assistance of a personal stylist) are
adjusting their personas in an effort to capture the smoldering glamour
possessed by legendary starlets during the era of old Hollywood. Naturally, the
actions of celebrities spark the fashion trends that spread like wildfire
through the boutiques and shopping malls of America.
Americans yearn to remember a time when the future looked bright with promise; a
desire to return to a time when a woman never left her home without dark red
lipstick and dark eyeliner; to daydream of a time when the classy, streamlined
design of an automobile was a sexy thing to look at. Ingeniously capitalizing on
the glamour of old Hollywood style, the Art Deco style's rebirth as vintage
modern, seduces American trends and popular culture through the sweetness of
nostalgia.
To live in the present day, means to exist in a time of uncertainty. It is a
time of war with no end in sight. We are disillusioned by a chain of events that
infuriate us. Feeling the weight of uncertainty is frustrating; making it
difficult to determine how to answer a child's questions, and what information
to include, or omit. And ignoring the 1,000 lb pink elephant in the corner of
the room is proving to be an impossible task: the health of the planet, steadily
declining to an end that will prove to be an apocalyptic finale.
Why is Art Deco style returning? As Bill Murray famously said in the classic
film What about Bob? “I'm on vacation! A vacation from my problems!” Art Deco
style is reappearing because Americans need a vacation from their problems. The
vintage modern trend appeals to modern popular culture because of the
psychological associations connected to the Art Deco period, instilling
nostalgia for a period in history that exemplifies positivity. The spirit of Art
Deco during the 20's and 30's defines the essence of the American Dream. The
optimism, the cultivation of beauty and glamour in the every day, and the
pursuit of hedonistic happiness inspire popular culture to lighten up, to keep
the faith, to foster pride and to make the most of every day.
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