Art Deco and its Origins
The Art Deco movement began between World Wars 1 & 2 in the early 20th century. Its origins date back to the 1920s, during the Paris Expo exhibition. The design movement was comprehensively adapted, utilized, and expressed through various mediums and industries. These include architecture, interior design, fashion, visual arts, and product design.
The design continues to capture the attention of the public and architectural enthusiasts and remains an iconic style in the history and continuation of architecture. It is an amalgamation of designs inspired by different architectural styles and cultural movements. These include Egyptian motifs, African ethnic designs and patterns, futurism, and cubism.
Art Deco emerged after the Art Nouveau movement, which ended in the 1910s. This was a shift in the design philosophy and their cultural contexts. It was a symbol of modernity, progress, structure, and order. It embraced clean lines, bold colors, and streamlined geometrical designs inspired by the ships.
The architectural movement reflected the Machine Age – which saw rampant industrialization and technological advancements at a global scale. This meant the designs were modified and characterized into simplistic forms for easy production, assembly, and proliferation.
Art Deco and its Global Influence
The 1920 Paris Expo helped the Art Deco design and style to gain recognition and pursue its influence in different parts of the world. Its impact was notable in European cities such as London, Barcelona, Warsaw, Milan, and Prague. The Art Deco patterns were designed for cultural & institutional buildings and Art Deco facades for buildings that required adaptive reuse.
It spread to other parts of the world primarily through expositions and world fairs. The attendees were architects, engineers, and others from related fields. Additionally, the architects from different countries emigrated to European countries for professional training and practiced the design of Art Deco buildings in their native countries.
As many European countries colonized different parts of the world from the Global South, these regions were introduced to the Art Deco culture. As the economy prospered in this era, the architectural style surfaced into the construction standards and interior decoration. This created a great demand for stylish, modern, and sleek buildings that added to the visual aesthetics of the region. Art Deco’s global influence extended to North & South America, Africa, Asia, New Zealand, and Australia.
Art Deco Representing the Regional Identity
Many regions adopted the Art Deco architectural movement into their local, cultural, and regional designs. This curated many unique patterns. For example, Mumbai’s Art Deco is also known as ‘Bombay Deco’.
The architects from each region were inspired by the local & indigenous arts and included related patterns and intricate motifs. These design features hold and symbolize the cultural contexts. It reflected the historical, political, and environmental factors of each region. Embracing Art Deco meant that it was a symbol of its growing international influence. As this kept spreading to different parts of the world, it evolved through different regional variations, it became a visual representation of the local character and identity.
Art Deco in India:
There are many influences of Art Deco spread out over India. Art Deco buildings are seen in Hyderabad, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai. Of these cities, Mumbai possesses the most number of Art Deco buildings. This includes – cultural and financial institutions and residential buildings. In 2018, UNESCO inscribed the Art Deco ensembles in Mumbai as a World Heritage City.
The Art Deco buildings in the country are known for their curved or sleek facades, intricately wrought ironwork, streamlined design, bold colors, and geometric patterns. Some institution buildings include regional or private company logos that define the purpose and add to the cultural experience in terms of aesthetics.
There are many residential buildings of Art Deco style in Mumbai. This includes the Queen’s necklace at Marine Drive. Other neighborhoods include the apartments at Charni Road and Matunga. These buildings continue to exhibit the nostalgic charm of the city and are a part of city walks curated for heritage enthusiasts.
Art Deco in the USA:
Art Deco has a widespread influence in the USA. It became popular in many cities and influenced the design of architectural structures such as skyscrapers, theaters, hotel rooms, lobbies, and everyday household items. It was also represented in photography and fashion.
The well-known Art Deco collection in the country is seen in Miami and New York. The collection in Miami is popular due to its Hollywood and other film representations. The Art Deco buildings in Miami have vibrant colors that characterize the beachfront where it is situated. The building has pastel colors and is streamlined. Some defining features in the Miami Art Deco collection include curved edges, porthole windows, and terrazzo flooring.
The Art Deco collection signifies multiculturalism as it drew inspiration for its designs from various cultures and different historical periods. It further symbolizes the city’s cosmopolitan character. The elements from different cultures include Egypt, the Aztecs, and the Native Americans. The Art Deco designers in New York were also inspired by jazz. Its influences were represented in different patterns and interior design.
Art Deco & Visual Design
There are common patterns that form the base for Art Deco designs. These include sunbursts, zigzags, fan-shaped patterns, square spirals, aerodynamic curves, and chevrons. These patterns are a form of maximalism. They were a curation of excess and abundance. The golden patterns are overlayed on a black background. These patterns reflected a sense of grandeur and glamour.
Art Deco & Interior Architecture
The visual features of the Art Deco architectural style found their way into the interior design of residential and commercial setups. Their streamlined forms could be used for furniture such as tables, chairs, doors, stairs, and elevators. Their finishes favored luxurious materials such as polished wood, lacquer, glossy metal finishing, and exotic wood such as ebony and rosewood.
Other luxurious metals included stainless steel, chrome, gold, and platinum which were popular as the Art Deco décor continued to propagate. The shiny finishes can be compared to the image of glistening gold – from Ancient Egypt. Many techniques to work with different types of glass were also explored and innovated. Colorful and thick glass pieces were popular in the Art Deco buildings.
Their bold color combinations are well-known in interior design. Shades of gold, black, deep blue, and dark green are some well-known color combinations used in Art Deco interior design. These color combinations are used for the seating cushions and furniture sets.
Citations
- Benton, C., Benton, T., and Wood, G. (2018). Art Deco: 1910 – 1939. Belfast: Bulfinch Publisher
- Bayer, P. (1999). Art Deco Architecture: Design, Decoration, and Details from the Twenties and Thirties. London: Thames & Hudson
