Art Deco was a popular international art design movement from 1925 until the 1940s, affecting the
decorative arts such as
architecture,
interior design, and
industrial design, as well as the
visual arts such as
fashion,
painting, the
graphic arts, and
film. At the time, this style was seen as elegant,
glamorous, functional, and modern.
The movement was a mixture of many different styles and movements of the early 20th century, including
Neoclassical,
Constructivism,
Cubism,
Modernism,
Art Nouveau, and
Futurism.
Its popularity peaked in Europe during the
Roaring Twenties and continued strongly in the United States through the 1930s.
Although many design movements have political or philosophical roots or intentions, Art Deco was purely decorative.
Art Deco experienced a decline in popularity during the late 30s and early 40s, and soon fell out of public favor. It experienced a resurgence with the popularization of
graphic design in the 1980s. Art Deco had a profound influence on many later artistic movements, such as
Memphis and
Pop art.
Surviving examples may still be seen in many different locations worldwide, in countries as diverse as the
United Kingdom,
Spain,
Cuba,
Indonesia, the
Philippines,
Argentina,
Romania,
Australia,
New Zealand,
India and
Brazil. Many classic examples still exist in the form of architecture in many major cities. The
Empire State Building and
Chrysler Building, both in
New York City, are two of the largest and best-known examples of the style.
History
After the
Universal Exposition of 1900, various
French artists formed an informal collective known as,
La Société des artistes décorateurs (the society of the decorator artists). Founders included
Hector Guimard,
Eugène Grasset, Raoul Lachenal, Paul Follot,
Maurice Dufrêne, and Emile Decour. These artists heavily influenced the principles of Art Deco as a whole.
This society's purpose was to demonstrate French decorative art's leading position and evolution internationally. They organized the 1925
Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes (International Exposition of Modern Industrial and Decorative Art) in Paris,
which would feature French art and business interests.
The terms
Style Moderne and
Art Deco both derive from the exposition's title,
though
Art Deco was not widely used until popularized by art historian
Bevis Hillier's 1968 book
Art Deco of the 20s and 30s.
In the summer of 1969, Hillier conceived organizing an exhibition called
Art Deco at the
Minneapolis Institute of Arts, which took place from July to September 1971. After this event, interest in Art Deco peaked with the publication of his 1971 book
The World of Art Deco, a record of the exhibition.
Sources
The structure of Art Deco is based on mathematical
geometric shapes.
It was widely considered to be an eclectic form of elegant and stylish
modernism, being influenced by a variety of sources. Among them were the so-called "primitive" arts of
Africa, as well as historical styles such as Greco-Roman
Classicism, and the art of
Babylon,
Assyria,
Ancient Egypt,
and
Aztec Mexico.
Much of this could be attributed to the popular interest in archeology in the 1920s (e.g. Tomb of King
Tutankhamun,
Pompeii, the Lost City of
Troy, etc). Art Deco also drew on
Machine Age or
streamline technology,
such as modern
aviation,
electric lighting, the
radio, the
ocean liner and the
skyscraper for inspiration.
It is in streamline modern styles that this technology fully manifests itself and, although it is not antithetical to Art Deco, it is now considered to be a separate architectural style.
Art Deco design influences were expressed in the crystalline and faceted forms of decorative
Cubism and
Futurism.
Other popular themes in Art Deco were
trapezoidal, zigzagged, geometric, and jumbled shapes,
which can be seen in many early pieces. Two great examples of these themes and styles are in
Detroit,
Michigan: the
Fisher Building and the
Guardian Building.
Attributes
Art Deco was an opulent style, and its lavishness is attributed to reaction to the forced austerity imposed by
World War I. Its rich, festive character fitted it for "modern" contexts, including the
Golden Gate Bridge, interiors of cinema theaters (a prime example being the
Paramount Theater in
Oakland,
California) and
ocean liners such as the
Île de France,
Queen Mary, and
Normandie. Art Deco was employed extensively throughout the United States' train stations in the 1930s, designed to reflect the modernity and efficiency of the train.
Art Deco made use of many distinctive styles, but one of the most significant of its features was its dependence upon a range of ornaments and
motifs.
The style is said to have reflected the tensions in the cultural politics of its day, with
eclecticism having been one of its defining features.
In the words of
F. Scott Fitzgerald, the distinctive style of Art Deco was shaped by 'all the nervous energy stored up and expended in the War'.
Art Deco has been influenced in part by movements such as
Cubism, Russian
Constructivism and Italian
Futurism,
which 'are all evident in Art Deco decorative arts'.
Materials and design
Art Deco is characterized by use of materials such as
aluminum,
stainless steel,
lacquer and
inlaid wood.
Exotic materials such as sharkskin (
shagreen), and
zebraskin were also in evidence.
The bold use of stepped forms and sweeping curves (unlike the sinuous, natural curves of the
Art Nouveau),
patterns, and the
sunburst motif are typical of Art Deco. Some of these motifs were ubiquitous — for example, sunburst motifs were used in such varied contexts as ladies' shoes,
radiator grilles, the auditorium of the
Radio City Music Hall, and the spire of the
Chrysler Building.
Streamline Moderne
A parallel movement called
Streamline Moderne, or simply Streamline, followed close behind. Streamline was influenced by the modern aerodynamic designs,
including those emerging from advancing technologies in
aviation,
ballistics, and other fields requiring high velocity. The attractive shapes resulting from scientifically applied
aerodynamic principles were enthusiastically adopted within Art Deco, applying streamlining techniques to other useful objects in everyday life, such as the
automobile. Although the beauty of the functional design, not tacked on ornamentation, of the
Chrysler Airflow design of 1933 was commercially unsuccessful, it provided the lead for more conservatively designed pseudo-streamlined vehicles.
Streamlining quickly influenced American and European
automobile design and changed the look from the rectangular "
horseless" carriages into sleek vehicles with sweeping lines,
symmetry, and V-shapes that added to their mystique of speed and efficiency.
Nash Motors introduced the modern fully-unitized body (
monocoque) design for the low-price market in 1941 that featured
fastback “Slipstream” models with high prow-like
hoods, and Art Deco "speed lines" in sweeping
chrome grilles and parallel bar trim. These aerodynamic-looking designs were applied by automakers and continued to be popular in the
sellers' market after
World War II. These "streamlined" forms began to be used in the design of mundane and static objects such as
pencil sharpeners,
refrigerators,
and
gas pumps.
Art Deco celebrates the Machine Age through explicit use of man-made materials (particularly glass and stainless steel),
symmetry,
and repetition, modified by
Asian influences such as the use of silks and
Middle Eastern designs. It was strongly adopted in the United States during the
Great Depression for its practicality and simplicity, while still portraying a reminder of better times and the "
American Dream".
Decline and resurgence
Art Deco slowly lost patronage in the West after reaching mass production, when it began to be derided as gaudy and presenting a false image of luxury. Eventually, the style was cut short by the austerities of
World War II. Before destruction in World War II,
Manila possessed many Art Deco buildings; a legacy of the American colonial past. A resurgence of interest in Art Deco came first in the 1960s,
and then again in the 1980s with the growing interest in
graphic design,
where its association with
film noir and 1930s
glamour led to its use in advertisements for jewelry and fashion.
Surviving examples
Some of the finest surviving examples of Art Deco art and architecture are found in
Cuba, especially in
Havana. The Bacardi Building is noted for its particular style, which echoes the classic themes of Art Deco. The style is expressed in the architecture of residences, businesses, hotels, and many pieces of decorative art, furniture, and utensils in public buildings, as well as in private homes.
Another country with many examples of rich Art Deco architecture is
Brazil, especially in
Goiânia and cities like
Cipó (
Bahia),
Iraí (
Rio Grande do Sul) and
Rio de Janeiro, especially in
Copacabana. Also in the Brazilian Northeast — notably in countryside cities, such as
Campina Grande in the state of
Paraiba — there is a noticeable group of Art Deco buildings, which has been called “Sertanejo Art Deco” because of its peculiar architectural features. The reason for the style being so widespread in Brazil is its coincidence with the fast growth and radical economic changes of the country during 1930-1940. Art deco buildings are also numerous in
Montevideo,
Uruguay, including the iconic
Palacio Salvo, which was South America's tallest building when it was built in the late 1920s.
thumb|left|The restored [[U-Drop Inn in
Shamrock,
Texas on
Route 66]]
Fair Park, located in Dallas, TX, stands as one of the largest collections of Art Deco structures. Much of the Art Deco heritage of
Tulsa,
Oklahoma remains from that city's
oil boom days.
Houston,
Texas has some surviving buildings, such as the
Houston City Hall, the
JPMorgan Chase Building and the
1940 Air Terminal Museum, though many are threatened by modern development. In
Beaumont, the
Jefferson County Courthouse, built in 1931, is one of the few Art Deco buildings still standing.
Napier,
New Zealand, was rebuilt in the Art Deco style after being largely razed by the
Hawke's Bay earthquake of 3 February 1931. Although a few Art Deco buildings were replaced with contemporary structures during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, most of the centre remained intact for long enough to become recognized as architecturally unique, and from the 1990s onwards had been protected and restored. As of 2007, Napier has been nominated for UNESCO
World Heritage Site status, the first cultural site in New Zealand to be nominated.
In London, the former
Arsenal Stadium boasts the famous East Stand facade. It remains at the
football club's old home at
Highbury,
London Borough of Islington, which was vacated in the summer of 2006. Opened in October 1936, the structure now has
Grade II listed status and has been converted into flats. William Bennie, the man behind the project, famously used the Art Deco style in the final design which was seen as one of the most opulent and impressive stands in world football. The
London Underground is also famous for many examples of Art Deco architecture .
thumb|Art deco in India|[[New India Assurance Building, 1936,
Mumbai,
India]]
Mumbai,
India has the second largest number of Art Deco buildings in the world after
Miami.
In
China, at least sixty Art Deco buildings designed by Hungarian architect
Laszlo Hudec survive in downtown
Shanghai.
Kansas City is home to the
Kansas City Power and Light Building which completed construction in 1931. This building serves as a great example of the
Great Depression and its effect on Art Deco construction. Original plans called for a twin tower to be built next to it on its west side. However, it was never built due to financial constraints. As a result, the 476 foot tower has a bare west side, with no windows. Other examples of Art Deco buildings in Kansas City include
Municipal Auditorium (Kansas City), the
Jackson County Courthouse (Kansas City, Missouri),
Kansas City City Hall; and
909 Walnut.
Cincinnati, Ohio houses the
Cincinnati Union Terminal, an Art Deco style passenger railroad station that opened in 1933. After the decline of railroad travel, most of the building was converted to other uses. It now serves as the Cincinnati Museum Center, which welcomes more than one million visitors per year and is the 17th most visited museum in the United States.
In
Indonesia, the largest stock of
Dutch East Indies era buildings are in the large cities of
Java.
Bandung is of particular note with one of the largest remaining collections of 1920s Art Deco buildings in the world, with the notable work of several Dutch architects and planners, including
Albert Aalbers that added the expressionist architecture style to the Art Deco by designing the DENIS bank (1936) and renovated the Savoy Homann Hotel (1939),
Thomas Karsten, Henri Maclaine-Pont, J Gerber and C.P.W. Schoemaker. The Nederlandsche Handel Maatschappij building (1929), now Museum Bank Mandiri, by J de Bryun, AP Smiths, and C Van de Linde, and right across it, the
Jakarta Kota Station (1929) designed by Frans Johan Louwrens Ghijsels, are the surviving Art Deco buildings in
Jakarta.
The
Manila Metropolitan Theater located along P.Burgos Street in
Manila is one of the few existing art deco buildings in the Philippines.
Valencia, Spain built profusely in Art Deco style during the period of economic bounty between wars in which Spain remained neutral. Particularly remarkable are the famous bath house Las Arenas, the building hosting the Rectorship of the
University of Valencia and the cinemas Rialto (currently the Filmoteca de la
Generalitat Valenciana), Capitol (reconverted into an office building) and Metropol.
Africa's most celebrated examples of art deco were built in
Eritrea during
Italian rule. Many buildings survive in
Asmara, the capital, and elsewhere.
Finally, one of the most famous surviving examples of the Art Deco style is the famous
RMS Queen Mary, which is currently moored in retirement in
Long Beach, California as a floating museum and hotel, a true lasting reminder to the past glory of the once numerous trans-Atlantic ocean liners, and to the Art Deco period.
Influences
The distinctive style of Art Deco has been echoed in many similar movements since its early decline.
Art Deco influenced later styles such as
Memphis and the
Pop art movement.
It also had an effect on
post modern architecture and styles, even through to the late 1970s.
Art Deco has also had a marked influence on contemporary design.
House design in the United Kingdom
During the 1930s, Art Deco had a noticeable influence on house design in the United Kingdom,
as well as the design of various public buildings.
Straight, white-rendered house frontages rising to flat roofs, sharply geometric door surrounds and tall windows, as well as convex curved metal corner windows, were all characteristic of that period.
See also
