Art Deco- what exactly is it?

Art Deco- what exactly is it and how did it come about?

Coined by the British Art Historian Bevis Hillier in the 1960s, it derives from the title of the Exposition Internale des Art Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes, a major design exhibition held in Paris in 1925. Art Deco refers to an era, as well as a style.  According to Meggs' History of Graphic Design, Art Deco is a term used to" identify popular geometric works of the 1920s and 1930s. It signifies a major aesthetic sensibility in graphics, architecture and product design between the two world wars. There are influences of cubism, the Bauhaus, and the Vienna Secession commingled with De Stijl and suprematism as well as a penchant for Egyptian, Aztec, and Assyrian motifs."  Coined by the British Art Historian Bevis Hillier in the 1960s, derives from the title of the Exposition Internale des Art Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes, a major design exhibition held in Paris in 1925.

Unlike any other design fad in American history, the geometric forms and indigenous symbols of overseas cultures were dispersed across the nation in not only the residential and commercial realm, but in ocean liners and Hollywood movies, creating a lavish and luxurious image in society which resulted in distinctive American Art Deco opulence. This style combined motifs from autochthonous cultures with representations from the mechanical and automotive industries that were prospering throughout 1930s culture. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate through images the comparison between the forms of rediscovered, ancient cultures and the architectural characteristics of American Art Deco.” (Poole)

Works Cited

Pool, Rachel1, rfp26@nau.ed. EBSCOhost, doi:10.18848/2154-8560/CGP/v09i02/37-53. Accessed 29 Oct. 2018.

“Cassandre | Biography, Designs and Facts.” Famous Graphic Designers, 2018, www.famousgraphicdesigners.org/cassandre.

        Meggs, Philip B., and Alston W. Purvis. Meggs' History of Graphic Design. Wiley, 2016.