Art Deco 1918 – 1939 Modern Exotica
4.2. - 8.5.2005

The fashionable phenomenon that was later dubbed Art Deco spread like wildfire in the years between the world wars. It was seen in all the visual arts: architecture, the fine arts, fashion, interior design and other fields of design, as well as photography and film. It drew its influences from the exotica of far-off lands: for example, the discovery of Tutankhamen’s tomb in 1922 provided many stimuli on Egyptian themes. Art Deco added a touch of luxury in times full of contrasts from the swinging twenties to the Depression and rising fascism in the thirties.

Design Museum’s exhibition Art Deco 1918–1939 Modern Exotica examines Art Deco both as an international phenomenon and in its expression in Finnish architecture, fine arts and design. The material for the exhibition has been borrowed from Belgium, France, Sweden, Germany, Switzerland the U.S. in addition to materials from Finland. Silver objects, furniture, ceramics, glass, jewellery, clothing, textiles and fine arts are used to convey a fascinating image of a time symbolised by jazz, skyscrapers, Hollywood films, luxurious restaurants, ocean liners, and travel, as well as individual craft products and machine-made romanticism.

The exhibition has a publication, Art Deco 1918–1939, with contributions by expert Finnish and foreign writers.

Design Museum is open to the public daily (Mon – Sun)11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Free guided tours in Finnish at 5 p.m. on Tuesdays and on 4 p.m. on Saturdays. In Swedish on Tuesdays at 4 p.m.
Entrance fees: adults € 7, students € 3, comprehensive school students and children free of charge.
Requests for guided tours subject to fee, phone: 358 (09) 622 0540, from 8 am until 11am.
Fees for guided tours on week – days 48 €, on week – ends (Sat-Sun) 58 €.

Designmuseet - Design Museum
Korkeavuorenkatu 23
FIN-00130 Helsinki
Tel. 358(0)9 622 0540
Fax 358(0)9 6220 5455
www.designmuseum.fi

source: Design Museum