Art Deco made its formal appearance in Paris at the 1925 L'Exposition
Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes, a showcase
for art, architecture, and design that promoted progress, modernity, and
the present. The greatest export from this exhibition was a style that
has since been recognized as one of the great design movements of the
20th century. Art Deco's growing recognition coincided with the growth
of Los Angeles as the entertainment capital. Between world wars, the
city's architecture sprouted characteristic signs of Art Deco: the
interplay of vertical and horizontal features, geometric shapes, use of
exotic and modern materials, as well as simplified streamlined forms.
This volume's marvelous collection of images celebrates Los Angeles's
Art Deco heritage, showcasing such structures as Bullock's Wilshire,
Sunset Tower, the Oviatt Penthouse, the Wiltern and Pantages Theatres,
and many, many more.