I love all things Art Deco. I love all things Josephine Baker, and today is her birthday. Both phenomenons were at their apex at the exact same time and it makes sense to me that the two go hand in glove. There is no other figure that better exemplifies the Art Deco asthetic than Josephine Baker in the 1920's and 30's.
We all know the story of the ignored, ugly duckling from America, who transformed into a beautiful swan in France and took her revenge on the world. Josephine grew up black and poor in St. Louis. She was just a chorus girl, but with a little sumthin' sumthin' extra (and still just a teenager) when she left Harlem in 1925, and traveled to Europe with a theatrical troupe in a sub-par vaudeville revue. On opening night the show plodded on & on until...JOSEPHINE! Carried on stage on the back of a coal-black muscle man, she shook her tits and her bananas and electrified all of Paris. And the Parisians were ready! In fact, the Parisian cultural scene was ready for all things African (American) in the 1920's. This photo: Consider Josephine's jewlery. The most important single innovation in Art Deco jewlery was the invention of the double-sided clip or clasp. New materials were introduced like laquered metals and rhinestones to fully complement the new short hairstyles popularized by trendsetters like Josephine Baker.
That very same year (1925), Paris presented another sensation that shook the world, the Exposition des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels. Paris was the center of the Arts world, and this exhibition was a full-scale attempt to further place French architectural design, fashion and luxury goods at the forefront of every field. It is from this exhibition that the term Art Deco derives its name. We all know Josephine's story, so to better understand Josephine's importance in the movement, it's important to talk a little more about Art Deco than it is about Josephine, herself! In literally every room of my house you'll find something Art Deco. Sometimes it will be subtle and sometimes it's not so subtle, but I am of the opinion that a little bit of the Art Deco style goes a mighty long way in sophistication. Art Deco is easily recognizable today even by the non-collector. Telltale signs are sleek, smooth and seductive curves, emphasis on geometrics, rakish designs and zigzags. Everything from clocks, picture frames, sculpted figurines to cocktail shakers in birds-eye maple, chrome and bakelite are easily identified as an Art Deco object. Architecture like New York's Radio City Music Hall and Cincinnati's Union Terminal are living breathing testaments to the style. Movie theatres of the period offer the the best example of Art Deco at its most extreme with the palace-like decor in ornamental iron, murals, mirrors and high grandeur. With a combination of Egyptian, other African, Asian and Native American motifs, Art Deco hit its peak in the 1920's and 30's right when Hollywood was at it's most glamorous, and when Jazz first really came into mass popularity. And Josephine Baker was positioned right in the center of that time and place. This photo: "She helped popularize Art Deco, and she epitomized the style - her lookwas extremely sleek and almost machine-like, her hair like a cap" says one art historian.
The muse for many creators of Art Deco was the female body, with the sleek female form being found in professional photography, on posters, as bookends, and at the base of lamps and other lighting fixtures. And with her gorgeous, bronzed feminine form Josephine Baker was considered the living embodiment of Modernist art from primitivism to expressionism to Cubism. The one lasting theme that ran all throughout Art Deco illustrations and posters was that of the modish, chic, self-possessed and highly energetic woman. View the vintage footage, review the photographs, the articles, the bios and the memories and you know Josephine Baker was all of that! It is worth noting in this post that one of the era's greatest poster designers was Paul Colin. (Look in the header of this blog for an example of his caricature). All about symmetry and geometry, as they are about stereotype's, Colin's posters of Josephine are famous as expensive collector's items; even the reproductions make a bold statement in many a smart modern decor. I have chose not to include any of those images here. As equally reproduced and recognized, this is more about the photos and artwork from myriad artists that present Josephine Baker, the Jazz Cleopatra, in the Age of Art Deco.
The pictures tell the story better than I ever can. Enjoy!
Bakerfix was created especially for Josephine in Paris because she could not find black hair products in Europe. It was made to slick back or straighten the hair to keep it in the style that she popularized all over the world. Bakerfix flew off the shelves in France whether the ladies needed it or not. Today, original tins of Bakerfix sell in the thousands of dollars.
Note the sharp-edged and stream-lined cuts that so are so typical of the posters and artwork in the Art Deco Age.
They tried to make everything primitive! Animal motifs like gazelles and panthers were used in Art Deco photography like this shot. Note the unmistakable African imagery in Josephine's shadow on the wall. Josephine was an animal lover, and this shot was no doubt a play-up of her scandalous behavior as she strutted along the Champs de elysee with her pet leopard, Chiquita. They said they didn't know which was the more beautiful animal, Chiquita or Josephine in their matching outfits and diamond chokers.
The Ultimate! An Art Deco sculpture come to life! Sexually liberated and free in her own skin, Josephine Baker is photograped here by George Hoyningen-Huene. She stands naked but for a long cloth and a strand of beads! Bakelite, no doubt!
After her Paris debut, Josephine dominated the stage at the Follies Bergere!
Jo Baker was born on June 2nd. The actual date is arguable. She remains an enigma in death as she did in life. She is more than Jazz Age Diva. More than Art Deco poster child. She is more than legend. More than icon. She died in 1975 after a rags to riches, ugly duckling to beautiful swan, fairy-tale and fabulous life of personal and career highs and lows. For practically six decades she stayed at the top of her field and always, ALWAYS brought her A-game. Today, you can find Josephine galore and Youtube and it's worth every minute of viewing. Before Diana, before Madonna, before Beyonce and before Lynn Whitfield (in her career defining moment as Josephine) there WAS Josephine! I only hope I've done the woman, the age and the movement justice in just one blog post!
Bonne Anniversaire, Josephine!
Posted by: Thomas | June 02, 2009 at 09:20 AM
SHE IS JUST SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL!!!
Posted by: thegaytekeeper | June 04, 2009 at 01:53 PM