The Art Deco Society of New York’s website gives viewers insight about what Art Deco is, explores the style in use during the 1920s, specifically in New York City, the history of early modern and Art Deco design, and the interwar culture (the time between WW1 and WW2). Also featured on the website is a list of books, compiled by ADSNY members, that focus on the architecture, design, and culture of the 1920s and 1930s. The books listed help readers gain a better and deeper understanding of the Art Deco style, and the era it was part of. Each section under the “What is Art Deco?” tab features 4 subcategories, each with many articles written by different authors and members of ADSNY.
The main page, which features the “About Us” section of the ADSNY, has a section that includes their mission statement, board of directors, its leadership, a brief history of the society, and even a way to get in touch! The Art Deco Society of New York happens to be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and is also a member of the International Coalition of Art Deco Societies, or ICADS for short. As they are not motivated by making a profit, the ADSNY is able to focus more on educating viewers with factually correct information versus misleading articles and featuring more ads than information. Their brief history section about the society states that they were first founded in 1982 as a nonprofit organization. As previously mentioned, the ADSNY is not motivated by profit, and their main goal is to draw attention to and educate the public about the significance of Art Deco and the influence it had in the 1920s and 1930s.
Each article features a small bio about its author at the bottom, as every article is written by a different author. The main information highlighted includes their educational background, degree, and where they have worked in the past in their relative field(s). Most of the articles, especially the ones written about Art Deco design, feature multiple images, all with a quick description and a translation for its title, or important text, if necessary. Unfortunately, I do not see any links or citations showing the sources for the images shown in the websites’ articles. Also included in the articles are quotes from sources pertaining to the articles topic. For example, the article titled “Gone to Sea: The Art Deco Ocean Liners” features a quote from Everett Viez, who was a maritime historian.
All in all, the Art Deco Society of New York’s website is an excellent source for doing research about the Art Deco architecture, art, crafts, and interior design. Featured are different headings about Art Deco elements, and in each section are multiple articles written by authors and historians in their respective fields (i.e. architecture, history). The articles shown all feature captioned images, as well as a brief bio about the author and their credentials. Also included is a small collection of videos that explore Art Deco era events and topics, such as the 1939 World’s Fair. Lastly, a list of books that feature information about the Art Deco era is included. This list allows viewers to find a book more specific to what they are researching or would like to know more about.
Jacob is a Communication Arts student at Ramapo College. Although creating custom merchandise and promotional products is his passion, he has a soft spot for discovering interesting and obscure history.
