In the movie The Great Gatsby, you can see many fancy and magnificent mansion interiors, such as diamond patterns on the wallpaper and spiral staircases etc. These interiors and similar features in the movie scenes are all related to the ‘Art Déco style’.
Art Déco is a design and art style that was popular in the 1920’s and 1930’s. The influence of Art Déco is growing more and more, not only in movies but also in various buildings based on the Art Déco style. It can be seen all around the world. One might wonder, what is the reason that Art Déco holds the attention of modern people living in the 21st century?
When Art Déco was first introduced, young women, regardless of class, pursued a life of splendor, elegance, and cheer. Art Déco contains the value, “I want to live a splendid life.” As such, the Art Déco style is currently in the spotlight of many people because the values of modern people are similar to those of the people during the 1920’s and 1930’s.
In today’s modern cities, the style of high-rise modern skyscraper buildings is based on Art Déco and is widely common. As modern people buy expensive goods to show their wealth, luxury apartments using the Art Déco style are designed to give a wealthy image. These apartments have become fashionable because of the high number of people who want to show off how prosperous they are. We can see Art Déco in many different places in our daily lives such as cafes, hotels, etc, and accessories.
Although the Art Déco style is attractive, it can be said that this is a reflection of the psychology where people try to elevate their status by showing they are part of a wealthy class. This psychological thinking, whether conscious or unconscious, poses many questions for society to consider. Is Art Déco often used in modern times to simply project luxury? Does Art Déco accurately represent and reflect true wealth?
Trends are always changing. It is difficult for a fashion to last for a long time just because it looks luxurious. They come and go, and then they come back and go away again. Nevertheless, the fact that Art Déco style can still be seen today means that people’s consumption has increased. In other words, Art Déco has become a symbol of wealth, and people’s desire to show off their own wealth has increased.
Art Déco may seem like an era of splendid paradise. But it is necessary to look at various hidden aspects of Art Déco, not just pursuing the sparkling surface of Art Déco.
