News

New Digital Exhibition: Art Deco and the Decorative Arts in the 1920s and 1930s

Published: 4 August 2011

Art Deco and the Decorative Arts in the 1920s and 1930s pays homage to Art Deco to mark the 10th World Congress that was held in Montreal, Quebec, May 24 – 30, 2009. It displays examples of Art Deco design in various formats and styles including ephemera, popular magazines, book-bindings, typography and advertisements from the holdings of the Rare Books and Special Collections, McGill University.

Drawing upon materials from Rare Books and Special Collections, including the John Bland Canadian Architecture Collection, the influence of the Art Deco aesthetic is documented with architectural drawings and photographs, brochures, theatre programmes, trade and commercial catalogues, menus and post cards. The latter items provide an intimate glimpse of the era through the tangible objects of everyday life, while the former traces an important transitional period from traditional architectural styles to the "modern" concepts of design and functionality. All together, they reveal a vibrant era of innovation and experimentation.

Visit the digital exhibit at http://digital.library.mcgill.ca/artdeco

Back to top