(Toronto, Ontario, June 3, 2003) On Saturday, September 20, 2003, Toronto’s Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) proudly welcomes Art Deco 1910-1939, a multi-faceted and comprehensive showcase of the glamorous and popular style, organized by London’s Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A). The ROM is honoured to be the sole Canadian venue for this remarkable exhibition, and the first of only three North American venues. Art Deco, the first exhibition to be displayed in the Museum’s newly renovated Garfield Weston Exhibition Hall, is on display until Sunday, January 4, 2004.

Art Deco features over 250 masterworks by celebrated artists and designers in all media, from industrial design to fine arts. Objects range from luxurious, handmade pieces in exotic imported materials, such as the enameled gold and jeweled Greyhounds vanity case (1920) by Cartier, to mass-produced objects such as the Eastman Kodak Company’s leather encased Beau Brownie box cameras (1930-33). The objects originate from the collections of the V&A, the ROM and dozens of other public and private collections.

Exclusive to the ROM's engagement of Art Deco is a 1934 McLaughlin Buick Sport Coupe, on loan to the ROM from the Canadian Automotive Museum in Oshawa. The maroon, two-door beauty embodies the spirit of the times, with its built for speed, streamlined exterior. This Canadian-made classic greets visitors upon entering the ROM's South East Atrium. Measuring 5.3 metres (17.5 feet) in length, it is too large to fit within the main exhibition hall and proved almost too large to pass through the doors of the ROM.

From 1910, when Art Nouveau slipped out of fashion, Art Deco proliferated in the decorative and fine arts of Europe and quickly spread to America and the rest of the world. Responding to the demands of the modern world and encompassing both the most costly works of art, and widely available consumer goods, Art Deco transformed the look of everything, from industry and cinema to fashion and photography. Though the style flourished between the two world wars, the 1925 Paris Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts is generally accepted as the highpoint for the style with the New York World’s Fair of 1939 as its culmination. Discarded as a style by the time of WWII, it was not until 1966 that the term Art Deco was even coined. Until then, the style was known by a number of terms, including “Jazz Moderne”, “Streamlined Moderne” or simply “Moderne”.

At the ROM, the lead curators of Art Deco 1910-1939 are Peter Kaellgren and Brian Musselwhite of the ROM’s Western Art & Culture Department. Dr. Kaellgren states, “Art Deco is the first comprehensive historical survey of the style to be presented in Canada. Unlike dinosaurs or ancient civilizations, Art Deco was very much a part of the living Canadian experience when it was new and emerging…during the 1920s and 1930s. I am thrilled to help bring back the experience of this stunning style to the ROM visitors of 2003.”

Art Deco 1910-1939 is proudly presented by the Art Shoppe. The Art Shoppe, Toronto, is the largest fine furniture store in Canada, and for almost 70 years, has featured Modern, Traditional and Antique furnishings from around the world. Says Martin Offman, President & CEO, "Art Deco design in home furnishings is enjoying an important resurgence and the Art Shoppe is pleased to present this historic exhibition, giving the opportunity to our customers and many others to view it.”

William Thorsell, Director and CEO of the Royal Ontario Museum, comments, "Art Deco combines the elegance of the machine age with luxury in materials and ebullience in spirit unmatched, perhaps, by any other popular style. Art Deco is expressed in every medium, from furniture to jewellery, fashion to transportation. This exhibition is extraordinary in its authority and reach about Art Deco, a sensual pleasure and a powerful inspiration to contemporary design.”
Exhibition Highlights
Art Deco 1910–1939 brings together some of the most important and influential artists and designers of the last century including: Sir Cecil Beaton, Edgar Brandt, René Buthaud, Cartier, Coco Chanel, Henry Dreyfus,
Raoul Dufy, Jean Dupas, René Lalique, Jeanne Lanvin, Tamara de Lempicka, Man Ray, Jacques-Emile Ruhlmann, Elsa Schiaparelli, and Edward Steichen, among many others. These artisans are represented in all media, including painting, sculpture, architecture, furniture, textiles, glass, metal, jewellery, graphic art, transport, industrial design, fashion, film, and photography.

Approximately 11,000 square feet of space (Weston Hall and the South East Atrium) is divided into six chronologically arranged sections, guiding visitors through the exhibition’s narrative and exploring how a style that originated within the European luxury craft tradition became synonymous with the experience of worldwide modernity.

Introduction: The Style and Age provides a contextual framework for Art Deco and illustrates the style’s main characteristics through a concise selection of objects. It depicts the typical iconography, forms, and materials of Art Deco and examines its global spread. Among the section’s many highlights are: a Lotus Dressing Table (1925), a magnificent combination of oak, mahogany, ebony, ivory, silver, bronze, and glass, by Jacques-Emile Ruhlmann; a colour lithograph of the evocative rail poster, Étoile du Nord (1927) by Adolphe Mouron, better known as Cassandre; and a powerful steel and aluminum Waterwitch outboard motor (1936) by American John R. Morgan.

The next section explores the exciting Sources of Art Deco. Designers drew inspiration from many sources to create an eclectic style and several are explored within the exhibition. In The Ancient and Exotic, it is illustrated that Egyptian and Greek art provided inspiration for modern products as diverse as furnishing textiles and pieces of ornamental sculpture, while other works show the influence of Mayan, Aztec and African art. The Avant-Garde examines the powerful exoticism of the Ballets Russes and the influence of the new geometric language of Cubism, while National Traditions focuses on influences as diverse as Scandinavian folk weaving and peasant pottery.

The pivotal Paris Exhibition of 1925 (Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes), the event which gave the style its name, highlighted growing tensions between traditionalism and modernity in design. It also marked the turning point in Art Deco, as its dazzling display of luxury was obviously unsustainable. Art Deco brings together, for the first time since 1925, a group of important works which were exhibited in Pavilion d’un Collectioneur, including Jean Dupas’ well-known painting Les Perruches (The Parakeets), a provocative oil on canvas. This section also explores the central role of the boutique and
department stores in stimulating consumer interest and promoting the style.
The Exotic and The Moderne examine two of the main visual approaches to Art Deco in Europe. While The Exotic illustrates how European designers incorporated African and other “colonial” materials to create exciting modern designs, The Moderne reveals how designers responded to 1929’s stock market crash. At that time, previously neglected materials such as plastic, chrome and aluminum changed the look of Deco.

The Deco World tracks the global development of Art Deco and its appeal to consumers world-wide. This section highlights an exciting age of travel and transportation and acknowledges that trains, ocean liners and automobiles helped spread the style around the world. Works from India, China, Japan, and Australia are included in this section and the exhibition ends with a look at Art Deco in America, where the style had a profound impact. Skyscrapers such as New York City’s Chrysler Building became icons of the style while the enormous popularity of Hollywood films was integral in disseminating Deco around the world. Finally, Streamlining represents the last, and arguably the most glamorous, phase of Art Deco. The Great Depression saw Streamlining emerge as a symbol of speed and efficiency, applied to everything from buildings and cars to radios and fashion.

Art Deco was first curated by Ghislaine Wood, Tim Benton and Charlotte Benton. It was organized by and first presented at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum (March 27 through July 20, 2003) and is a sequel to their highly successful Art Nouveau exhibit of 2000. Following the North American premiere of Art Deco at the ROM, the exhibition travels to the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (March 13 to July 5, 2004) and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (August 22, 2004 to January 9, 2005).

Other information
A lavish, 464 page, full-colour publication, entitled Art Deco 1910–1939, written by a team of international scholars, accompanies the exhibition.

An extraordinary Gala evening celebrating the opening of Art Deco 1910 - 1939 takes place at the ROM on Thursday, September 18. Full details are yet to be confirmed. For more information on this special event and ticket availability, please call the ROM Foundation at (416) 586-8064.

Inspired complementary programming will be offered during Art Deco, including film series, lectures, and symposia. A ROMBUS trip called “Art Deco Toronto” has been confirmed for Thursday, November 6. Docents from the Department of Museum Volunteers will also offer guided tours of Art Deco at regularly scheduled times throughout its engagement. Additional details and tickets for all ROM programs may be obtained at 416-586-5797.

There has never been a better opportunity to purchase a Family Membership to the ROM. For $99.00, a family of up to two adults and four children under 18 years of age will enjoy free tickets to Art Deco and other exhibitions coming to the ROM for the next year as well as unlimited free general admission and discounts at the ROM Repro Shop. An exclusive Art Deco Members’ Preview takes place on Friday, September 19. Please call 416-586-5700 for further information.

Admission to Art Deco is included with paid general admission (see details below). Advance, timed tickets are now on sale through TicketKing at 1-800-461-3333 or 416-872-1212 or in person at the ROM. Groups of
ten or more adults may call Mirvish Group Sales at 416-593-4142 or 1-800-724-6420 for information on special rates and private guided tours. Schools and student groups should call the ROM’s Education Department at 416-586-5801.

ART DECO 1910–1939
September 20, 2003 to January 4, 2004

This exhibition is organized by the V & A, London.

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The Royal Ontario Museum is an agency of the Government of Ontario.

The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is an internationally renowned museum of first rank and a popular attraction. Canada’s largest museum, it was created in 1912 with an unusually broad dual mandate of natural history and human cultures. Today, the ROM comprises engaging galleries of art, archaeology and science, and showcases Canada’s culture and natural history. The ROM also conducts important scientific and academic research around the world in partnership with prominent institutions and governments. In 2001/2002 the ROM welcomed more than 1,050,000 visitors. For the second consecutive year, the ROM has been chosen as the Top event venue in Canada for 2003.

Renaissance ROM, the new master plan to transform the Museum, is a $200 million expansion project that will allow the display of more collections in new and renovated galleries, generate additional revenues for collections, education and research, and anchor a new cultural centre in Toronto. The project architect is Studio Daniel Libeskind. Although galleries and other amenities may be closed at times during the construction period (May 2003 to December 2006), the ROM will remain open throughout, offering an eclectic lineup of major traveling exhibitions and many of its popular permanent galleries.

The ROM is located at 100 Queen’s Park, in the heart of downtown Toronto, at Bloor Street West and Avenue Road, by the Museum subway stop. The ROM is open seven days a week year-round, with the exception of December 25 and January 1. From September 20, 2003 to January 4, 2004, hours of operation from are: Monday to Sunday - 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., except Friday, from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Admission prices during this period: Adults $15 on weekdays; $18 on weekends; Students/Seniors with ID $12 on weekdays; $15 on weekends; Children $8; Infants (4 & under) are admitted free. During ROM Friday Nights (4:30 - 9:30pm), reduced admission rates for Art Deco 1910-1939 and Peter Rabbit's Garden (open from October 11, 2003 to January 4, 2004) are: Adults $10; Seniors, Students and Children $5; Infants (4 & under) free. Wheelchair access, stroller rentals, and guided gallery tours in English and French are available. For information on ROM Group Services, please call (416) 586-5859. For 24-hour information in English and French, please call (416) 586-8000 or visit the ROM’s web site at www.rom.on.ca