Brussels is hosting a year-long celebration of Art Deco, including a new exhibition at the BELvue museum. Co-curated by Cécile Dubois and Werner Adriaenssens, the exhibition highlights how Art Deco was the first artistic movement to appeal to a wider public beyond elites, transitioning from luxurious handcrafted goods to mass-produced objects for the middle class globally.
Brussels celebrates art deco’s mass-produced objects for the middle class
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️Brussels is hosting a year-long celebration of Art Deco, including a new exhibition at the BELvue museum. Co-curated by Cécile Dubois and Werner Adriaenssens, the exhibition highlights how Art Deco was the first artistic movement to appeal to a wider public beyond elites, transitioning from luxurious handcrafted goods to mass-produced objects for the middle class globally.
- 1 1830: Belgian revolution
- 2 1920s-1930s: Interwar years, Art Deco's peak
- 3 1925: International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in Paris (founding moment of Art Deco); Oscar Jespers' sculpture 'Fine Pearl' created
- 4 1935: Boch Frères employed 1,350 people
- 5 1976: King Baudouin Foundation founded
- 6 June 2025: Exhibition opens at BELvue museum
- 7 Year-long: Brussels' celebration of Art Deco
- Increased recognition of Brussels as an Art Deco center
- Deeper understanding of Art Deco's historical and economic significance
- Promotion of cultural heritage
What: An exhibition in Brussels celebrating Art Deco's evolution from luxury items for elites to mass-produced objects for the middle class, showcasing its global spread and economic impact.
When: Opened this month (June 2025). Part of a year-long celebration. Discusses interwar years (1920s and 30s), 1925 (International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts).
Where: Brussels, Belgium (BELvue museum, King Baudouin Foundation), Paris (birthplace of movement, 1925 exhibition), New York, Soviet Moscow, Shanghai, Beirut, La Louvière (southern Belgium), Antwerp (port), Belgian Congo (inspiration).
Why: To highlight Art Deco's unique characteristic as the first artistic style to democratize art and appeal to a wider public, and to market Brussels as a center for the movement.
How: Through an exhibition featuring sculptures, vases, furniture, and everyday artworks, co-curated by art historians, and supported by a year-long city-wide celebration.