Roaring into the Future: Art Deco and Early Modernism in New York, 1925-1935

When: Thursday, September 26,  6:30 to 8:00 p.m.

Where: Dominican Academy,
Where: 44 East 68th Street, New York, NY 10065

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About the Event:

Register today to join ADSNY for this special, pioneering exploration of the 10 years that took America from the effervescent heights of the Jazz Age to the depths of the Depression, during which New York state transformed the nation.

In this illustrated talk, by independent curator and decorative arts historian Lori Zabar, we will celebrate the Empire State as the driving force behind the creation of 20th-century modernism. For the first time we will investigate how throughout the state, artists, designers, and manufacturers generated avant-garde art, fashion, technology, decorative arts, and music that resulted in the century’s most important design revolution.

Although works of this period are often referred to as Art Deco today, at the time it was dubbed Modernism or Modernistic. Modernism appeared in elegant Art Moderne designs based on classical historical precedents, faceted skyscrapers and objects influenced by Cubism, brawny Machine Age wares using the vocabulary of machine parts, and sleek Streamlined products reflecting aerodynamic principles of speed. Zabar will show us how, across the state, New Yorkers designed, manufactured, and distributed new, nationally influential works, often made with innovative materials that reflected seismic post-World War I shifts in social customs, women’s rights, race relations, and technological discoveries. By 1935, New York, rather than Europe, was synonymous with modernism.

Some of the designers and objects featured in this talk will include:

• Wallpaper by Charles E. Burchfield
• A wrought iron balustrade by William Hunt Diederich
• Glassware by Steuben Glass
• A silver plate cocktail service by Elsa Tennhardt
• The iconic skyscraper bookcase by Paul T. Frankl
• Carpet designs by Ruth Reeves for the landmarked Radio City Music Hall
• A flapper evening dress by Peggy Hoyt
• Jewelry by Tiffany & Co.
• Tableware by Russel Wright
• Metalwork by Revere Copper and Brass
• Decorative arts by Donald Deskey
• Graphic design by Winold Reiss
• Cameras by Eastman Kodak Company

And much more!