Art Deco Style Meets Mexican Color – Oaxaca

Description

I’ve long had a soft spot for Art Deco style anything but particularly architecture. I’m not sure what started me on that path as there’s precious little of it to be found in the area where I grew up. Maybe that’s enough of a reason? Maybe it was the Art Deco style furniture I inherited from my grandparents? Whatever it was, there’s something about the lines of Art Deco and the pared down Art Moderne that speak to me. I love the simpler but bold lines. When compared to some of the incredibly ornamental styles that came before them, it’s a breath of fresh air.

This is far from the only Art Deco style architecture that I’ve encountered in Mexico, but there was something about this blue Art Deco style building on a street corner in Oaxaca that really caught my eye. Perhaps again it was because it wasn’t the norm? Oaxaca is known for it’s wealth of historic Spanish Colonial architecture. In fact, the well preserved colonial core of the city is the reason it’s a UNESCO listed city. And, if you look at my other work, you’ll see I was impressed by the beauty of those old buildings as well, but this little gem stood out for me.

I consider this particular print an example of Mexico meets Art Deco Style. It has the vibrant colors of much of Mexico and Latin America but the lines of Art Deco. What a wonderful marriage! I was a bit torn whether this was technically Art Moderne or Art Deco style, but I think there’s just enough ornamentation that I suspect most would identify it as Art Deco but I’d love to hear your opinion? Whatever the style may be, the great colors mixed with a little bit of the rustic worn look of Mexico won me over the moment I saw it. Staying on the same street, I passed this corner regularly during my few days in Oaxaca and it was only on the last day that I found the right light and the a mix of action on the streets to capture the right moment.

Aside form the great architecture and vibrant color, the best ingredient in this shot is those, dare I say, atmospheric skies? Just look at the intense blue and the clouds that feel close enough to touch! Those skies are a trademark of my artwork from Oaxaca. I don’t know if I had incredibly favorable weather or if it was the altitude in Oaxaca, but the skies always felt like a tangible object that was just barely out of reach. The clouds were alive and the blue was intense.

What captures your attention most in this Oaxaca art print? Is it the beautiful old Art Deco style building? The vibrant colors? The Amazing skies? Or? I hope you might take a few moments to pause and share your thoughts!