From the 1970’s into the 1990’s there was an 80’s Art Deco Revival. This revival, like the original Art Deco of the 20’s & 30’s, mixed with some of the other modern styles that were being created around the time. Many of these newer design styles, like Postmodern Architecture and Furniture designs, and the Memphis Milano Style, could actually be seen as rebirths of the earlier, turn of the 20th century, experiments in design like German Expressionism and Russian Constructivism. There is a long history of the “core design alphabet of Art Deco” mixing with other artistic forms of expression. It’s also interesting to note, that the bold color pallets of 80’s deco were similar to the earliest forms of Art Deco. We at the TADM like to think of Art Deco as being composed of the identifiable “Design Alphabets”. ZigZag, Konfetti, Fantastical Arts Decoratifs, and a “Thematic Subject Alphabet” (Workers, factories and gears, gazelles and fountains, skyscrapers and searchlights, flappers and parties, planes-trains-automobiles) Synthesis Art Deco is where items can be seen as having qualities of two or more styles Examples… Egyptian Art Deco, Bauhaus Art Deco. In 80’s deco we see that Postmodernism and the Memphis Milano styles often overlapped with Art Deco. Indeed, many of the artists and designers that created or worked with these styles mention that Art Deco was an inspiration to them. In our essay about the different Dialects of Art Deco, one that is important to 80’s deco is the Dialect of… “Konfetti Art Deco” - Geometric shapes randomly tossed to create fun patterns. Geometric shapes seemingly randomly used to create objects like furniture, housewares, and even figures and buildings, the designs often leaning to the absurd and impractical. Though practitioners of Memphis Milano for example, were working to create a new design style, many of their works were almost indistinguishable from what was being experimented with during the 1910’s and 20’s. Art Deco with its several “Dialects” is so full of wonderful design ideas and forms of expression, that it’s easy to see how artists could take different components or aspects of those ideas, and experiment around them in fresh new ways. 80’s Deco is a prime example of this. Taking, sometimes little used components of earlier Art Deco design, and bringing fourth a “New Wave” of Art Deco.
BELOW: “The Big Band” original, pencil signed Serigraph (screen print) by Giancarlo Impiglia 1987 Acquisition # 3-17-2023-542.59
BELOW: “At The Bar” original pencil signed Serigraph (screen print) by Giancarlo Impiglia 1987 Acquisition # 3-17-2023-542.60
BELOW: “Locomotive” Gouache and airbrush on board, by Alain Levesque 1990. Acquisition #11-24-2022-378.53
BELOW: Pedestal by Lyn Godley & Lloyd Schwan. Circa 1980’s Made in USA (Wood, paint, screws, 38 1/2″ x 16 1/4″ x 11 3/4″) 80’s Memphis/Postmodern Art Deco. Museum Acquisition # 2-21-2023-873.71
BELOW: “Lightning Bolt” Tea Set. Designed by Pierre Casenove circa 1985 for Salins Studios France. Memphis Art Deco.
