Art Deco at 100: All Cocktails and Jazz?
Danielle Thom | ArtReview | 24th September 2025
Art deco, that most famous of design styles, gets put under the microscope. It was never a unified movement but rather “full of complexities”. At first, its ornate geometric lines showcased luxurious materials – “the extractions of empire”. It picked up motifs from Egyptian and Mayan discoveries. Hollywood used it as “shorthand for guilt-free opulence”, notably in movies featuring Fred Astaire. Today, art deco carries a ‘period’ feel, reincarnating optimistic, mid-20th century views of the future.