ART MOVEMENT: ART DECO

     Art Deco is a heavily influenced movement that, unlike most movements, wasn't a political response to the great war of the 30's. In fact, Art Deco existed long before the war under a different identity - the 'Modern Style'. As a result of the harsh cultural conditions during World War II, it lost it's popularity due to it's bias towards the rich. It was only until the late 60's (Post World War II) that Art Deco experienced a resurgence and flourished in the 60's, where it's name "Art Deco" was coined in 1966 after an exhibition in Paris and it's first book by Bevis Hillier in 1968 was released. Since then it has gone on to globally influence all areas of design, such as Architecture, Interior Design and Film - its most famous example in the UK is the Midlands Hotel in Morecombe (seen below).

  Famous for it's mathematical and elegant geometric shapes, Art Deco became heavily influenced over the early 20th century by various different ancient cultures, such as the art of Babylon, Ancient Egypt, Aztec Mexico and Africa. From this culmination of cultural influences manifested the common household image of Art Deco and without realising it, we as a modern society are exposed to it's massive influence to this day. In the UK you have the Midlands Hotel in Morecombe inspired by the geometrical focus Art Deco adopts and in the US you have the Chrylser Building (Shown below) that was inspired by the trademark Sunburst Motif (seen below) and the Golden Gate Bridge that focuses on mathematical shapes to facilitate function (also seen below).

    As a lover of art that can be appreciated at face value, Art Deco is a movement that, although abstract in it's design, appeals to me through it's elegant and aesthetically pleasing visuals. It's the type of art style that I would personally adopt if I was an architect or artist and through research, I have begun to realise the actual extent such a movement has influenced countries around the world. This is a realisation not spawning just from research,  but from personal experience. After being told that Cinemas are probably the best example of Art Deco's influence on interior design I was dumbfound as to exactly how this was the case, until I went to the cinema and took the picture below;

   Instantly you can see the Sunburst Motif created by the use of light and shadow - in this case it is actually used to present light rather than to represent an ideology or symbol like the Chrysler Building succeeded in doing with it's sunburn motif peak as if to say "Look at this, look at what our country has accomplished". This Cineworld in Didsbury, like many others around the country, simply used it for effect - understandable considering its magnificent effect. 

    All in all, Art Deco's influence has been felt globally, and through the images above it's clear its legacy has been solidified. However, although used in many forms of art, 'art' itself is the best example of what Art Deco represents.

NEXT POST: ART DECO: HISTORICAL DESIGN ESSAY PLAN