Art Deco or deco, is an eclectic (diverse) artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and

flourished
internationally throughout the 1930s and into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including
architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and jewelry, as well as the visual arts such as painting, graphic
arts and film. The term "art deco" was coined in 1966, after an exhibition in Paris, 'Les Années 25' sub-titled Art Deco,
celebrating the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes (International Exhibition of
Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts) that was the culmination of style moderne in Paris. At its best, art deco represented
elegance, glamour, functionality and modernity. Art deco's linear symmetry was a distinct departure from the flowing
asymmetrical organic curves of its predecessor style art nouveau; it embraced influences from many different styles of the
early twentieth century, including neoclassical, constructivism, cubism, modernism and futurism and drew inspiration from
ancient Egyptian and Aztec forms. Although many design movements have political or philosophical beginnings or
intentions, art deco was purely decorative. [6]

History

After the Universal Exposition of 1900, various French artists formed an informal collective known as La Société des
artistes décorateurs (the society of decorator artists).[7] Founders included Hector Guimard, Eugène Grasset, Raoul
Lachenal, Paul Bellot, Maurice Dufrêne, and Emile Decoeur. These artists greatly influenced the principles of Art Deco as
a whole.[8]

This society's purpose was to demonstrate internationally the evolution of the French decorative arts. They organized the
1925[9] Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes (International Exposition of Modern
Industrial and Decorative Art) in Paris,[10] which would feature French art and business interests.[8][11] The terms style
moderne and art deco both derive from the exposition's title,[3]

During the summer of 1969, Hillier conceived organizing an exhibition named Art Deco at the Minneapolis Institute of
Arts, which occurred from July to September 1971. After this event, interest in Art Deco increased with the publication of
his 1971 book The World of Art Deco, a record of the exhibition.[13]

Sources and influences

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. Archaeological excavations and the ability to
travel during this time influenced artists and designers, integrating several elements from countries which were not their
own. Among them were historical styles such as Greco-Roman Classicism, as well as the art of Babylon, Assyria, Ancient
Egypt, Aztec Mexico, and Africa.

Much of this could be attributed to a popular interest in archaeology during the 1920s (e.g., the tomb of Tutankhamun,
Pompeii, Troy, etc.). Art Deco also used Machine Age and streamline technologies[16] such as modern aviation, electric
lighting, radio, ocean liners and skyscrapers for inspiration.[5] Streamline Moderne was the final interwar-period
development, which most thoroughly manifests technology and has been rated by some commentators as a separate
architectural style.[17]

Art-deco design influences were expressed in the crystalline and faceted forms of decorative Cubism and Futurism.[18][18]
Other popular themes of Art Deco were trapezoidal, zigzagged, geometric, and jumbled shapes,[15][19] which can be seen in
many early works. Two great examples of these themes and styles are in Detroit, Michigan: the Fisher Building and the
Guardian Building.[20]

Attribute
Art Deco was an ornamental style, and its lavishness is attributed to reaction to the forced austerity imposed by World War
I.[ It was suitable 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 used extensively in the United States for railway stations during the 1930s,[21] designed to
represent the modernity and efficiency of railway trains. Around the world, a number of amusement parks were constructed
with inter-war art-deco architecture, of which surviving examples include Playland (New York) and Luna Park Sydney.[22]

Art Deco used many distinctive styles, but one of the most significant of its features was its dependence upon a range of
ornaments and motifs.[5]

The style is said to have represented the cultural politics of its time, with eclecticism having been one of its defining
features.[5][15] In the words of F. Scott Fitzgerald, the distinctive style of Art Deco was developed by 'all the nervous energy
stored up and unexpended in the War'.[5][23] Art Deco has been influenced partly by styles such as Cubism, Russian
Constructivism and Italian Futurism,[15] which are all evident in Art Deco decorative arts.[8]

Streamline Moderne

Streamline Moderne

A related style named Streamline Moderne, or simply Streamline, developed soon afterward. Streamline was influenced by
the modern aerodynamic designs,[14] including those developing from the advancing technologies of aviation, ballistics, and
other applications requiring high velocity. The shapes resulting from scientifically applied aerodynamic principles were
adopted for Art Deco, applying streamlining techniques to other useful objects of everyday life, such as cars.

Streamlining quickly influenced American and European automobile design and changed the appearance from the
rectangular "horseless carriages" into sleek vehicles with sweeping lines, symmetry, and V-shapes that seemed to add to
their suggestiveness of speed and efficiency.

Consumer products

Art deco was a popular style used for consumer products such as furniture, china, lamps, cars, jewelry, watches, ash trays,
pens and more.

Decline and resurgence

Art Deco slowly lost patronage in the West after becoming mass-produced, when it began to be deride as gaudy and
presenting a false image of luxury. Eventually, the style was ended by the austerity of World War II.

A resurgence of interest in Art Deco began during the 1960s, and then again during the 1980s with the graphic design. Its
association with "film noir" and 1930s glamour resulted in its use for advertisements for jewelry and fashion and toiletries.

United States

The US has some good examples of art-deco architecture. New York, Chicago, and Detroit have a great many art deco
buildings: The famous skyscrapers are the best-known, but notable art deco buildings can be found in various
neighborhoods. Detroit's many examples of art-deco architecture include the Fisher and Guardian Buildings both of which
are now National Historic Landmarks. Los Angeles, California, also has much art-deco architecture, in particular along
Wilshire Boulevard, a main thoroughfare that experienced a period of intense construction activity during the
1920s.Notable examples include the Bullocks Wilshire building and the Pellissier Building and Wiltern Theatre, built
during 1929 and 1931 respectively. Both buildings experienced recent restoration.

Kansas City is home to the Kansas City Power and Light Building, which was completed during 1931. This building
is a good example of the Great Depression and its effect on Art Deco construction. 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.

Minneapolis has the Foshay Tower, which was finished in 1929. The building was built right before the Great Depression
and is one of, if not the only obelisk shaped office building in the world. Minneapolis also has the Rand Tower and the
Wells Fargo Center, an example of modern Art Deco architecture. Neighboring St. Paul has the First National Bank
Building and the Saint Paul City Hall. The city of Rochester, Minnesota houses the Plummer Building, the original
building for the world-famous Mayo Clinic, which was built in 1927.

Influences

Art Deco influenced later styles such as Memphis and Pop art. It also affected post-modern architecture and styles, even
through to the late 1970s. Art Deco has also influenced contemporary design. Within the discipline of contemporary art,
artwork deco plays a big and impressively lavish role. The strong colours and sweeping curves lend art deco the trademark
boldness that expressed much of the progress and modern advances of the 20th century.

Within the twentieth century the decorative arts converged in what is named the art deco movement, which grew to affect
architecture, trend, the visual arts in addition to design. The time period ‘art deco’ was derived from a World’s Fair held in
Paris, France, called the Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes within the year 1925.

Although the movement and time period comes from the Exposition International des Arts Decorative et Industrials
Modern, the term was not broadly used till the late 1960s. Particularly pre- World Struggle I Europe influenced the art deco
movement, although many cultures influenced and had been influenced by this artwork movement. Much of the world was
experiencing related shifts in modern technological advances.

For the most part, the art deco movement was caused and impressed by the rapid advances of technological and social
aspects of the early twentieth century. As culture responded to those more and more changing instances, the art deco
movement was an outgrowth of those modern phenomena.

Artwork deco is considered typically to be an eclectic sort of decorative modernism that was influenced by a variety of
artists and explicit artwork forms. Artwork deco contains furniture, metalwork, clocks, glasswork and screens as well as
paintings and other high quality art forms of pieces.

The art deco style is known for its lavishness and epicurean flairs which can be attributed to the austerity of tradition led to
by World Battle I. Robust patterns and daring colours and shapes were used, as had been many specific motifs used
universally.

For instance, the sunburst motif was used in every little thing from the Radio Metropolis Music Corridor auditorium,
images of ladies’ footwear, the spire of the Chrysler Constructing and several other other pieces of artwork, architecture
and design. Other ubiquitous motifs present in art deco have been stepped kinds, the zigzag, chevron patterns and sweeping
curves.

Within the West, art deco lost its steam across the Second World Struggle, but continued to be used all the best way into
the Sixties in colonial international locations corresponding to India, where it served as a gateway to Modernism. Then
within the Eighties art deco made a comeback in graphic design. Artwork deco’s affiliation with Thirties film noir led to its
use in each vogue and jewellery ads.