Exhibition Tour: "American Art Deco: Designing for the Masses" - A Journey Through Decorative Arts During the 1920s and 1930s
The "American Art Deco: Designing for the People" exhibition, currently on tour, offers a captivating exploration of an international style that thrived in the United States between 1918 and 1939. The major lender to this traveling exhibition is the Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art in Denver, Colorado.
This exhibition, which features approximately 140 objects, delves into decorative arts, fine arts, architecture, and design, providing a comprehensive insight into the era's aesthetic sensibilities. Highlights of the exhibition include a 1925 René Lalique glass vase and a 1930 Ford Model A.
American Art Deco emerged during the 1920s and 1930s as a style that combined modernity with luxury and elegance. It was influenced by various cultures, including ancient civilizations and modern technological advancements. The style was featured prominently in architecture, design, and art, often symbolizing the optimism and dynamism of the era.
Key features of American Art Deco include the use of bold, geometric shapes, such as triangles, circles, and zigzags. The style often incorporates luxurious materials like ivory, chrome, and exotic woods, reflecting the era's pursuit of modernity and sophistication. American Art Deco frequently celebrates modern technological advancements, such as automobiles and skyscrapers, and blends influences from various cultures, including ancient Egyptian, Greek, and African motifs, along with modernist ideals.
The exhibition's focus on these aspects highlights how Art Deco brought modernity and luxury to everyday life through design and architecture. The 1920s and 1930s were marked by great social and economic hardships, including the stock market crash of 1929 and the dust bowl of 1930-36. However, the "American Art Deco: Designing for the People" exhibition underscores how Art Deco continued to thrive during these challenging times, offering a glimmer of hope and a symbol of progress.
Depression glass, machine-made glassware produced from the late 1920s through about 1940, was marketed to middle-class housewives as a way to brighten their dining tables during the Great Depression. This exhibition provides a unique opportunity to witness how Art Deco design permeated even the most everyday objects, offering a touch of luxury and modernity to everyday life.
The "American Art Deco: Designing for the People" exhibition is currently on display at the Frist Art Museum in Nashville, TN, and will continue its tour at the Wichita Art Museum in Wichita, KS, and the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, MO. This exhibition is a must-see for anyone interested in the history of American design and its impact on everyday life during the 1920s and 1930s.
Traveling through various cities, the "American Art Deco: Designing for the People" exhibition showcases how Art Deco lifestyle incorporated everyday objects and travel-related items, such as cars and train station furniture, to bring modernity and luxury to people's lives during the 1920s and 1930s. With its diverse collection of artworks and decorative items, this exhibition is a testament to how Art Deco influenced people's travel experiences and adapted to the aesthetic sensibilities of the era.
