Why Art Deco TodayWhy Art-Deco Today? As you think of going green these days, think of using more and more of recycled materials in your jewelry designs, you’ll find that you are contributing in the modern art deco movement. 
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What is it? It is many things of the past connected with a modern twist. Art deco style has become quite popular recently especially in jewelry art. I found this term as I was learning about making beads with recycled paper and teaching children about going green. I was experimenting with children making cylindrical paper beads that I have discussed in
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Simpler forms, geometric designs, minimal art became fashionable. The after effect of the World War brought a reaction against perceived decadence and use of cheaper things like aluminum, plastic and base metals became stylish in the jewelry art. It started in 1925, where a group of French artist formed an organization called International Exposition of Modern Industrial and Decorative Art (translating the term into English from French.) The whole concept of this subject matter is very huge. Here we are only going to scratch the surface, or touch just the tip of the ice berg. We are going to discuss it in the area of the jewelry art. The idea of art deco is connected with many things of the past with a modern twist. The ancient Greek designs, Middle Eastern subjects, Egyptian influences were mixed with Realism, Cubism and many other ideas. Then it had a modern twist in the sense that as there were more traveling artists all over the world, ethnic designs and exotic materials also played a significant part. All on a sudden after the 1930s this radical movement in Art kind of came to a halt until very recently, in 1970s... Why? Some blame the World War II. People, especially common people were occupied with day to day survival, there was not much left for Art. Some say, it is the Great Depression of the 1929 that did it. Some say this is the characteristic of history- typical cycles. Others say- may be something was simmering inside. How did it got revived? Art historian Bevis Hillier in his book Art Deco of the 20s and 30s in 1968 was partially responsible making this term popular again.(Ref: Wikipedia) In the summer of 1969, Hillier had a chance to organize an Exhibition called Art Deco in the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. After this event there was a huge interest in this subject matter and I would say that was one of the first steps how the revival began. Why do we need to know about it today? See, people like it when you use gun metal chains, copper and antique brass. And it is coveted no less than expensive metals, as long as the piece is beautiful. You are traveling all over the world these days. You are bringing may be a handful of Hill Tribe silver spacer beads from the Far East Tribal population and recycled glass beads from Africa into your jewelry and beading them with Czech glass cubes. You are using sweeping curves, Zebra prints and sunburst motifs in your designs. Knowingly or unknowingly as you are using the faceted glass beads, zigzagged and trapezoidal crystals you are bringing in Cubism and other modern elements. May be you integrate some Egyptian filigree with a modern twist to it. What I like about the art deco movement is- it brought a huge change in style and people’s attitude. Now, technical mastery has become as valued as the material itself. Some important artists of this era : Elsa Schiaparelli, Rene Lalique, Paul Emile Brant and Coco Chanel are just a handful of names among many talented artists. Just because the materials used are cheaper in monetary aspect does not make the jewelry cheaper. Such artistic pieces are highly valued and can be quite expensive. Even though it is true that while some pieces are extremely beautiful many are ridiculously ugly. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder indeed. To me, the art deco movement is inspiring and I embrace it. To me regardless of the monetary value of the materials used – “A thing of beauty is a joy forever” And that is what as an artist I strive for.
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