LECTURE SCHEDULE: Saturday, September 5

(The day’s lectures will all take place in the Queen’s Salon)

10:00 am – 11:00 am

The View From Here: Revisiting the Concepts, Technology & Promise of the Art Deco House

Presented by Randy Juster

In the mid-1930s, designers were hard at work making products look sleek, clean and futuristic. This “moderne” style was wildly popular with the public, and it seemed that everything could—and should—be streamlined. But there was one item that enjoyed only limited acceptance: the Art Deco house. Were they too far ahead of their time? Unsuited to harsh weather? Or did they just cost too much? In this presentation, Randy Juster will address these questions and give a photographic tour of houses built by adventurous souls from Silver Lake to Shanghai. He’ll also take the measure of these houses with the benefit of hindsight. Randy will show an assortment of Vitrolite kitchens and bathrooms, exceptional metalwork, sandblasted glass and glass block. He’ll discuss period color schemes and share stories from Deco homeowners around the world. If you are seeking an Art Deco home, live in one, or simply appreciate them, you won’t want to miss this presentation.

11:30 am – 12: 30 pm

Deco Dining Plain and Fancy How Food and Its Presentation Reflected Art Deco Sensibilities when Dining In and Dining Out

Presented by Brad Bunnin

Art Deco’s impact on buildings, clothing, and industrial design is obvious, and it’s been the subject of many studies. But Art Deco also found its seductive and invigorating way into such mundane areas as the kitchen and the dining room, and such special places as the restaurant. In this delectable lecture, Brad Bunnin will reveal the many ways in which Art Deco took its place at the table, through images from several aspects of food preparation and service. Brad will illustrate and discuss the elements of Deco design that found their way into all aspects of American eating, perhaps Deco’s most common and accessible expression—at home, in sleek and elegant restaurants, as well as in the humble neighborhood diner. A must-attend for any food-loving decophile!

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

The Sights and Sounds of Egyptomania

Presented by Jeffery L. Segal

Western interest in the exotic east and Egypt in particular dates back to the time of Napoleon.  But the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamen in 1922 led to a new wave of Egyptomania which coincided with the nascent Art Deco movement.  This visual confluence of cultures marks a historical moment and commemorates that moment over time.  Join Jeffery L. Segal as he explores the impact of this movement on design—and society. A highlight of the talk will be the presentation of some of the wild (and wacky) music to rise from the shadow of the pyramids, culled from Mr. Segal’s collection of exotically illustrated music sheets. If you’re one of those who thinks “Old King Tut Was a Merry Old Nut," you won’t want to miss this opportunity to experience a little of the magic of Egyptomania.

LECTURE SCHEDULE: Sunday, September 6

(Except where noted, today’s lectures will all take place in the Queen’s Salon)

10:00 am – 11:00 am

The Russians Are Coming: Russian Influence in the Art Deco Style

Presented by Denise Thain

Beginning in the teens into the early 1930s, Russians played a part in shaping the fashion world in Paris and beyond. Russian émigrés exerted an undeniable influence on fashion in the 1920’s, from clothing designs to fabric creation, the models that wore them, the photographers and artists who illustrated the designs, they touched every aspect of the fashion world. Wonder where Yves St. Laurent got the ideas for his ground-breaking “Cossack” collection in 1976? Denise Thain takes you through the original Russian style invasion and its movers and shakers, from Erte, to Caret, Ardanse and more.

11:30 am – 12:30 am

Los Angeles Art Deco

Presented by Jeff Bissiri

Join architect Jeff Bissiri on a “walking tour” of downtown L.A.’s Art Deco gems. This presentation, crafted from Jeff’s personal photo collection and his extensive knowledge of the style and techniques of the period will increase your understanding of the style’s development, and the profound impact that Art Deco had in Los Angeles. You’ll explore the metamorphosis of architectural style in the teens and early twenties into what we now call Art Deco and will then “tour” the historic core of L.A. Bring some paper to take notes for your own downtown explorations!

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

(NOTE: This Lecture will be held in the ROYAL SALON)

The Roots of Elegance: Art Deco Jewelry, the Wiener Werkstatte

and European Art

Presented by Lisa Schoening

Jewelry in the Art Deco era was shaped by the extraordinary work flourishing around it— in fashion, in visual arts like painting and sculpture, in architecture and interior design, in photography and illustration, and of course in the movies. But while jewelry designers and the great jewelry houses were certainly responsive to these influences, the roots of Deco jewelry drive far deeper, into the rich soil of European Art Nouveau. Facing the 20th century, enthralled by the new voices of Symbolism and Expressionism, the jewelers and craftsmen of the Wiener Werkstatte, Munich’s Jugendstil and the Glasgow School were resolving the question of modernity in a visual language that will be instantly familiar to Deco aficionados everywhere. Join Lisa Schoening for a glittering discussion of a sparkling subject, including the design, materials and the details of workmanship that distinguish these extraordinary pieces.