Priyanka Shah Introduction to Design Studies: Outline for Final Research Paper Teaching Assistant: Jenny Florence

Outline for Final Research Paper

Topic: Did the presence of capitalism in the United States of America not allow an important art movement like Modernism set in and be realized to the maximum? Outline: - INTRODUCTION: Define capitalism: an economic and political system in which a countrys trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit rather than by the state. How is USA a capitalist country: all of the profit stays with the private owners here, state has less authority over the public and private lives of people here, lots of big independent businesses that span over the entire world, a lot of monopoly over certain products and services, etc. What does capitalism actually mean in the deeper sense of the word: greater profits, extreme consumerism, money oriented lifestyle, focus on earning more and more money to make lifestyle better, marketing gimmicks, company wanting to create a good public image to increase its sales, popularity, etc. - SOME POINTS The American House: exuberant, colonial architecture (symmetrical and square, decorative crown above the front door, narrow side windows flanking the front door, paired chimneys, etc. To own a house was always part of the American Dream.

Depression era: the time when a lot of skyscrapers were built in New York. Implication of this was that the big companies needed to hold up their public image even during the depression era, to keep the faith of the people intact in their company. The Empire State building, Chrysler building and many others were built at this point.

Architectural style of these buildings: Art Deco - highly decorative, bringing in elements of the past into the structure of the building. Glorifying the past, trying to replicate the glorious past through these elements. Example: the arches of the Chrysler Building directly referencing the arches found in Roman architecture (groin vault).

The elements that are taken from the past arent necessarily American. They are taken from all around the world and its history. They do not have their own past to take from.

Modernist movement took place in the early 20th century, and grew during the interwar period.

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