This essay is paradigmatic of what draws me to Substack. Having no special interest in architecture, it's a delight to be snared into contemplation: Why have I always been partial to Art Deco and find myself returning to its best manifestations in cities such as Barcelona or Paris? Come to think of it, I have been victimized by the brutalism of Bauhaus architecture at several college campuses, literally in one case, where the flat-roof library was infamous for dropping clods of ceiling on study carrels and their unsuspecting students.
Now, I am armed with theories to explain Art Deco's untimely demise, from cultural to economic supply-side to the conspiratorial (I'm keyed in to a lot of conspiracy theories but the Tartaria conspiracy ain't one of them).
So many wordsmith edibles here, it would be hard to choose just one. When you note the trickiness to defining Art Deco because it "contains multitudes," I immediately recalled the very American poetry of Walt Whitman:
"Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself,
(I am large, I contain multitudes)."
Come to think of it, Uncle Walt might just have been the poetic avatar of the Art Deco style, roughly 3/4 of a century before its too-brief, butterfly existence!
And yes, it is "objectively more profound to hear Billie Holiday sing of summertime."
I'm glad you picked up on my Walt Whitman reference! I agree that he's an excellent poetic pairing for Art Deco. So funny that you were literally brutalized by Brutalism. And thank you for all your kind words.
Who said "Art Deco is the Twentieth Century we were supposed to have?"
That is true, and tragic.
The century of speed and progress, and streamlined, gleaming metal, became the century or death camps, gulags, aerial bombing, totalitarian torture chambers, and the lands of freedom and dynamism slowly losing their confidence and their optimism, and then their hope, and then their identity.
I never thought to compare glass skyscrapers to John Cage’s silent composition. I like this. But it’s almost, like pop music now, the compulsion to make profits drives the industry. It’s harder to get “indie” skyscraper architecture. Driven by fear and pumping out sequels because they’re low risk
Although the compulsion to make profits was strong in the Art Deco era, too. I'm with Hughes that the decline in ornamentation was caused by a cultural choice rather than economic concerns.
I come at this from working class, something must be done to improve the dignity of labor and pride in work - and so I find Art Deco and the first architecture I ever appreciated . It also helped that by chance for years I lived in a restored Art Deco building that had been a hospital, part of the Jersey City, NYC revival of historic buildings. It was the Jersey City Medical Center, it is now called The Beacon. A tour inside was more enamoring than out. It was the tiling restored - the beauty- go and look.
Also the history.
I must point out to the author- Art Deco was far from a rich man’s cathedral, the very sewer manhole covers and many, many small machines such as lamps, furniture, clothing… electrical generators, post boxes- that sanitation workers could make and handle covers of beauty - THAT is American.
Look here; once what we covered our shit 💩 with is more beautiful than our modern towers.
Never mind the internal tiling and decor - art deco really is more beautiful on the inside.
Again this was a Hospital, built by Frank Hague, Jersey City Boss, Kingmaker of FDR in 1932, man of the people, maternity ward named after his mother, and by the way has a mile long underground tunnel to City Hall. Hague used to walk from City Hall to the Hospital to take payoffs there- also visit his mistress.
coincidentally, another Substacker- Sterling HolyWhiteMountain- just posted on his quest for American Art Deco architecture landmarks, with photos https://substack.com/@aphoristic/note/c-69504240
I added some examples from Scranton, PA in the replies.
“after 1945 our plutocrats, bureaucrats, board chairmen, CEO's, commissioners, and college presidents undergo an inexplicable change. They become diffident and reticent.”
This is Burnham’s Managerial Revolution. BTW they just gave up, it’s “democracy” - which means committees. It has now trust me infected most government and corporate workers. That’s if one is even still working…
The GOOD NEWS is when someone gives up … they also get out of the way. Time for Beauty- even if it takes the Beast.
This essay is paradigmatic of what draws me to Substack. Having no special interest in architecture, it's a delight to be snared into contemplation: Why have I always been partial to Art Deco and find myself returning to its best manifestations in cities such as Barcelona or Paris? Come to think of it, I have been victimized by the brutalism of Bauhaus architecture at several college campuses, literally in one case, where the flat-roof library was infamous for dropping clods of ceiling on study carrels and their unsuspecting students.
Now, I am armed with theories to explain Art Deco's untimely demise, from cultural to economic supply-side to the conspiratorial (I'm keyed in to a lot of conspiracy theories but the Tartaria conspiracy ain't one of them).
So many wordsmith edibles here, it would be hard to choose just one. When you note the trickiness to defining Art Deco because it "contains multitudes," I immediately recalled the very American poetry of Walt Whitman:
"Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself,
(I am large, I contain multitudes)."
Come to think of it, Uncle Walt might just have been the poetic avatar of the Art Deco style, roughly 3/4 of a century before its too-brief, butterfly existence!
And yes, it is "objectively more profound to hear Billie Holiday sing of summertime."
I'm glad you picked up on my Walt Whitman reference! I agree that he's an excellent poetic pairing for Art Deco. So funny that you were literally brutalized by Brutalism. And thank you for all your kind words.
Who said "Art Deco is the Twentieth Century we were supposed to have?"
That is true, and tragic.
The century of speed and progress, and streamlined, gleaming metal, became the century or death camps, gulags, aerial bombing, totalitarian torture chambers, and the lands of freedom and dynamism slowly losing their confidence and their optimism, and then their hope, and then their identity.
Can it be reclaimed?
Can it be gotten back on track?
Here's to hoping...
Brilliant. Peak American architecture.
We need to do it again for space.
Outer space? Fuck yeah! Art Deco spaceships are the way of the future.
Yes , and Art Deco launch pads and hangars.
I think I would sacrifice my very life to guarantee such a future for humanity and my descendents.
The GOOD NEWS is when someone gives up … they also get out of the way. Time for Beauty- even if it takes the Beast.
Step up, Beautiful Beasts.
(Seriously, all The Modernists are beat on every Front, this one’s on y’all).
I never thought to compare glass skyscrapers to John Cage’s silent composition. I like this. But it’s almost, like pop music now, the compulsion to make profits drives the industry. It’s harder to get “indie” skyscraper architecture. Driven by fear and pumping out sequels because they’re low risk
Although the compulsion to make profits was strong in the Art Deco era, too. I'm with Hughes that the decline in ornamentation was caused by a cultural choice rather than economic concerns.
I come at this from working class, something must be done to improve the dignity of labor and pride in work - and so I find Art Deco and the first architecture I ever appreciated . It also helped that by chance for years I lived in a restored Art Deco building that had been a hospital, part of the Jersey City, NYC revival of historic buildings. It was the Jersey City Medical Center, it is now called The Beacon. A tour inside was more enamoring than out. It was the tiling restored - the beauty- go and look.
Also the history.
I must point out to the author- Art Deco was far from a rich man’s cathedral, the very sewer manhole covers and many, many small machines such as lamps, furniture, clothing… electrical generators, post boxes- that sanitation workers could make and handle covers of beauty - THAT is American.
Look here; once what we covered our shit 💩 with is more beautiful than our modern towers.
https://fineartamerica.com/art/manhole+covers
Never mind the internal tiling and decor - art deco really is more beautiful on the inside.
Again this was a Hospital, built by Frank Hague, Jersey City Boss, Kingmaker of FDR in 1932, man of the people, maternity ward named after his mother, and by the way has a mile long underground tunnel to City Hall. Hague used to walk from City Hall to the Hospital to take payoffs there- also visit his mistress.
https://rich.mcclear.net/2017/04/18/art-deco-hospital/
Thank you for this essay! It’s one of the most incisive and enjoyable pieces I’ve read on here
coincidentally, another Substacker- Sterling HolyWhiteMountain- just posted on his quest for American Art Deco architecture landmarks, with photos https://substack.com/@aphoristic/note/c-69504240
I added some examples from Scranton, PA in the replies.
like this one https://www.retroroadmap.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Screen-Shot-2021-08-04-at-2.46.04-PM.png
“after 1945 our plutocrats, bureaucrats, board chairmen, CEO's, commissioners, and college presidents undergo an inexplicable change. They become diffident and reticent.”
This is Burnham’s Managerial Revolution. BTW they just gave up, it’s “democracy” - which means committees. It has now trust me infected most government and corporate workers. That’s if one is even still working…
The GOOD NEWS is when someone gives up … they also get out of the way. Time for Beauty- even if it takes the Beast.