American Art Deco: Designing for the People,1918–1939 investigates a dynamic period in American history and culture when the country and its citizens went through political, economic, social, and artistic transformation and revolution. From stylish decorative art objects to products of industrial design, modern American paintings to compelling photographic images, the multi-media works of art in this exhibition reflect both the glamour and optimism of the 1920s and the devastation and escapism of the 1930s.

Art Deco, short for arts décoratifs, took its name from the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes, held in Paris in 1925. It celebrated a new style characterized by geometric ornament, symmetry, stylization, and angularity, which developed globally with different variants. In the United States, it combined modern style with an embrace of rich materials and new technologies, influencing the design of everything from skyscrapers and automobiles to clothing and radios. American Art Deco offers an in-depth examination of the cultural context of this international style as it flourished in the United States between the World Wars. Primarily from Midwest collections, the 140-plus objects in this exhibition exemplify the Art Deco style and underscore significant themes of the era, including the migration of designs and designers from Europe to the United States; industrial and technological advancement in the period following World War I; the changing profile of the modern woman; the rise of the middle class and consumer culture; and inequities in gender, race, and wealth.

The exhibition is arranged in ten thematic sections: Paris to America; American Art Deco; The New Woman; An Architectural Era; Art & Design; Streamline Modern; American Expansion; Economic Depression and Stimulus; Jazz Age—Culture of Change; and Modern Living. Highlights include glass by René Lalique and the Indiana Glass Company; sculpture by Paul Manship; ceramics by Frank L. Ferrell for Roseville Pottery Company; paintings by Aaron Douglas, Walter Dove, N.C. Wyeth, and Thomas Hart Benton; and photographs by Dorothea Lange and Carl Van Vechten. An array of everyday objects—from hats, compacts, and dresses to barware, clocks, and chairs—punctuates the exhibition.

What's Pictured: Raymond Loewy, designer (American, born France, 1893–1986), Hupp Motor Company, manufacturer (Detroit, Michigan, 1908–1941), Hupmobile Hood Ornament, 1936–38, chromium-plated metal, 6 3/8 x 6 1/8 x 6 1/4 in., Marshall V. Miller Collection

Free Wi-Fi is available in all Joslyn galleries. Guests may use their own mobile device to access the dual language American Art Deco mobile tour (transcript available in the website options). Dial (402) 881-3601 for English or
(402) 972-4031 for Spanish. Presented by Joslyn and OnCell. Special thanks to 91.5 KIOS-FM. Recording of an Omaha Symphony Chamber Ensemble Performing Music from the Era