How Art Deco came to be - Term Paper Example

It mainly affected decorative arts, such as furniture, architecture, graphic arts, pottery or jewelry, but its influence extended to other artistic fields like films or fashion. “This movement was, in a sense, a broad umbrella covering many different artistic styles and movements in the early 20th century such as Neoclassical, Constructivism, Cubism, Modernism, Bauhaus, Art Nouveau, and Futurism”. As Carol Fisher says, its origins are rooted in a reaction to the flowing motifs and fussiness of Art Nouveau with its emphasis on individual craftsmen made pieces.

Its strongest points were its elegance and functionality. It was mainly based in geometric forms, zigzags and curves, and it is said that it was influenced also by tribal arts from Central America or Africa. Of course, the epoch’s advances in machinery and technology also influenced Art Deco, especially in the use of new materials such as crystal, steel, aluminum, lacquer or inlaid wood. These materials were used to produce pieces of art with staggered motifs, streamlined forms, stylized lines, gentle clean curves and rosette patterns.

Exotic motifs and patterns inspired in nature, like plants or flowers, were also typical in Art Deco’s works of art. The declination of Art Deco came when it started to be seen as extremely loud, excessive and opulent art. Art Deco was finally ended, until the 80s, when there was an interest for it coming from graphic designers. Some colonial countries like Philippines continued using Art Deco until 1960. (Pheebay.com, "So What is Art Deco Design", October 2008. http://www.pheebay.com). Streamline Moderne was the artistic movement which followed Art Deco as a consequence of the Great Depression of 1929, based in the principles of aerodynamics and the simplicity of lines, ideas that were more in agreement with the sobriety of that period.

Some splendid examples of Art Deco buildings could be the spire of the Chrysler Building or the Rockefeller Center in New York, the Bacardi Building in La Havana, the Goinia Theatre in Brazil, the BBC Broadcasting House in London, Palais de Tokyo in Paris or the Sta. Cecilia's Hall in Manila. Also, magnificent examples can be found in