Vintage20 is very proud to present Art Deco Masterpieces, the first museum quality exhibition of Art Deco furniture and design pieces in Korea. Centered in France, Art Deco was an international art design movement of the 1920s and 30s. Its style was the culmination of high-end modern luxury in Paris. Its elegant, glamorous yet functional and modern style spread quickly to the rest of Europe and the United States. Art Deco affected all areas of art, from architecture, interior design to paintings and even film and can be seen as a precursor of modernism.
The furniture and interior pieces introduced in this exhibition embody the panache and exquisite craftsmanship of the leading figures of Art Deco at its peak.
Arranged in discreet domestic settings in the gallery, the following are just some of the rare pieces being exhibited:
A desk by Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann that is crafted from the most exotic and rare woods to the highest possible standards, his secretaire suggests great refinement of taste and superior design. Its simple, elegant and dignified design is typical of Ruhlmann.
Jean-Michel Frank's parchment cabinet equally evokes a sense of exquisitely well-balanced modern luxury. Frank's exuberant yet simple designs reveal impeccably embellished surfaces made of exotic, rare and unexpected materials such as parchment, shagreen (shark skin) and even straw.
Similarly, Eugene Printz and Dominique's furniture and interior designs recreate the opulent lifestyles of the Art Deco patrons who could pursue such luxury even during wartime.
Celebrated for his immaculate lacquer work, Jean Dunand's vases accent many of the above pieces throughout the exhibit. Like his contemporaries, Dunand was committed to exploring exotic and avant-garde materials coupled with superior attention to detail.
Paired with the Art Deco furniture, Vintage20 is presenting some of the finest examples of sculptural tables and lamps by Alberto Giacometti. These works resist easy categorization representing a fine balance between art and design, emotional expression and functional aesthetic.
Art Deco Masterpieces presents an unprecedented opportunity to see such an extensive collection of Art Deco masterpieces in one exhibition. Furniture, especially by Ruhlmann and Frank, is much sought after by collectors, and rarely seen together in one space in such a great number, not only in Asia but anywhere the world. The furniture and interior pieces presented in the exhibition recreate the lifestyles of the most privileged European bourgeoisie in addition to hinting at the political and cultural complexities of the 1920s and 30s.