The NYT has a story about how midcentury modern is on the way out, partly due to pricing soaring into oblivion and the resulting scarcity of pieces, and partly because the resurgence has simply run its course. You can look at that as good news or bad, depending on your appreciation for modern design.
The prediction of the coming trend, and especially the accompanying photos, look like bad news to me. The text talks about Chinese influenced design, but also the nineteenth century and the turn to the twentieth. The photos are of art nouveau furniture, and the prediction is of the coming popularity of the period.
Art nouveau has always been my favorite. Sure, I can appreciate other things, but I love the organic flow of art nouveau, especially the furniture and decorative trimwork in interior spaces. At the National Museum of History in Rio, I used to go look at the collection of art nouveau furniture, and gaze longingly at the vitrines.
So why bad news? At first it won't be so bad, because all of a sudden, things I like will be "in" which means increased visibility. It might even mean design touches will start showing up in everyday new items. Which is all well and good, I suppose. Except that will also mean saturation. Or worse, maladaptation. And with popularity comes expense. Which makes me think about that sofa I need to get recovered, and how much more it will cost (if I can afford it at all).
So much for just being out of step with fashion, in obscurity.
Posted by binky at September 24, 2006 12:34 PM | TrackBack | Posted to Culture
