If any art form encompasses the ego culture and grandeur that is the American
dream it would be art deco. The art deco period has been extremely influential
on the twentieth century American culture. With its smooth flowing lines and
graceful forms the style was adapted in to many of the preceding art movements,
including pop art. Post World War I life and the industrial boom combined with
increased wealth creative an opulent style of art and design that is treasured
to this day.
After the First World War rations were lifted and the country as a
whole was flourishing. It is interesting to note that the movement
took its name from an exposition of decorative arts and modern industry in 1925.
Thus the name art deco and it started the modern age genre of design, which
was held popular through the sixties and has had an insurgence of retro design
in our modern time. After more and more artists, designers and architects were
influenced with the style it became a trademark of the twenties. Art Deco styling
appeared in a multitude of mediums. Ships had more streamlined elements. Buildings
were embellished with grand architectural elements crafted out of wood, steel,
or stone. Furniture took on a more stylized look with heavy construction bold
prints and earthen elements. Clothing reflected the grand style that was Art
Deco. Reflecting the style in the lines, colors, and accessories. Advertisements
during this time took on a unique feel. The illustrations were based mostly
upon smooth flowing figures, objects or abstract forms. Posters were a popular
form of Advertising in the beginning of the twentieth century, and they were
not left untouched. The typefaces used in posters in the Art Deco period tended
to be large and bold. Some unique typefaces were designed then and they conveyed
the streamlined style of the art and architecture. The influence was so strong
that Art Deco had an influence in just about every aspect of life.
The architecture designed with Art Deco styling might be the most notable of
all Art Deco influences. Many of those buildings still exist and stand as a
vintage example of the movement that changed the design world. Supreme examples
of Art Deco architecture include the Chrysler
Building, Empire
State Building, and many of the hotels
lining South Beach in Miami, Florida. The steel structures of that time
were crafted to be seamless and streamlined representations of masculinity and
power. The architectural elements that were Art Deco never seemed casual. They
shouted power, strength and quality. The interiors were not too ornate, but
they were not minimalist.
Everything seemed to have such a sense of balance and integrity that such gilding
was quite unnecessary. Many of the buildings that represented the epitome of
the Art Deco style were commercial in purpose. They attracted people with money
and those working to earn it. The furniture of the period utilized expensive
and rare wood, making a piece that was only available to the wealthy. Some was
imported in to the country from France and others used fabric from the far corners
of the Earth.
The art pieces during the Art Deco period evolved with the change of
American Industry. The nation became more commercialized until the
Great Depression and then the commercial sector grew enormously after the Second
World War. The American car became the canvas for postwar Art Deco design. The
use of streamlined elements became commonplace and the grandeur of Art Deco
was emphasized, if not exaggerated. Bold, bright colors were used as accents
and the metallic look of polished metal was captured in many paintings and illustrations.
The crisp lines and painted planes almost looked photo realistic, even though
they were still quite stylized. Geometric forms were always part of an Art deco
design. The masters of the period could use shapes to create drama in such amazing
an ingenious ways. The period had a simple and complex side. They balanced each
other in all of the Art Deco period designs.
All in all, the Art Deco period was the beginning of an era. American artists
took the beginning of a French art movement and expounded upon the ideas and
style. Most notable and widely recognizable is the architecture that was inspired
by the Art Deco movement. The basis of Art Deco design was continued through
the Modern and Space Age designs of the sixties. Not every aspect of art benefited
from the Art Deco movement. However, it changed the way this nation views commerce,
achievement, and greatness. Art Deco is almost like a visual satire, with its
exaggeration, and stylization. Nevertheless, this opulent style was essential
for the variety and opulence of the past that we can study and learn from now,
perhaps incorporating it in to a new art movement and having a renaissance of
Art Deco.