The glamour of the Jazz Age
Read time 1 minute 30 seconds
he Nassau County Museum of Art‘s exhibition Deco at 100, on view January 18 – June 15, 2025, offers a vibrant celebration of the Art Deco movement’s centennial.
It celebrates a century of style, innovation, and cultural revolution—a dazzling tribute to the iconic Art Deco movement. This immersive exhibition showcases over 170 masterworks, including paintings, sculptures, high fashion, elegant furnishings, and exquisite decorative arts. This bold and glamorous style shaped American culture—especially on Long Island—during the exuberant Roaring Twenties.
Deco at 100 is a curated collection of legendary names and rare treasures: luminous lamps by Louis Comfort Tiffany, dynamic compositions by Fernand Léger and Reginald Marsh, chic illustrations by Guy Pène du Bois, and even custom shoes designed for Judy Garland by Salvatore Ferragamo in 1938. Long Island’s own F. Edwin Church work is highlighted in a special local spotlight gallery.
A true showstopper in the exhibition, Don Jacot’s Herald Square, 1936 (After Berenice Abbott) is a striking photorealist masterpiece that brings a historic New York moment vividly to life. This expansive 40 × 78-inch oil painting reimagines Berenice Abbott’s iconic 1936 photograph with breathtaking color and precision. Jacot transforms the black-and-white original into a vibrant, contemporary cityscape—capturing the bustling energy of Herald Square with remarkable detail and cinematic flair. Seamlessly blending homage with innovation, Jacot offers a fresh, dynamic perspective that bridges the past and present in a way that feels both timeless and utterly modern.
But this exhibition goes beyond beauty. Deco at 100 dives deep into the cultural revolution of the Jazz Age—from the rise of women’s independence to the birth of suburban life and the architectural boom of New York City. There’s rare insight into the contrasting worlds of Long Island’s lavish Gold Coast elite and the domestic workers who helped shape their world.
Whether you’re a lifelong art lover or simply curious about one of history’s most glamorous eras, Deco at 100 is a captivating journey through elegance, energy, and enduring style.
