Art Deco Toys of the 1920s -1930s
About the Program:
The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures in Kansas City, Missouri, houses the largest fine-scale miniature collection and one of the nation's largest historic toy collections on public display. Among these are found many intriguing examples of Art Deco design. So, join us as we celebrate the holiday season with a special look back at toys of the Deco era with our guide from the National Museum.
Toys, like other material culture, are reflections of the larger society in which they were created. While crafted for children, toys were most often purchased for them by adults, and it is not surprising that adults would seek toys that reflected the popular style of the period. While a parent may not be able to afford a home in the Art Deco style, providing a dollhouse version of this to a child may have helped to fill that void for the adult.
Artists who work in the fine-scale miniature movement look to the past for inspiration. When the Museum’s co-founder Barbara Marshall commissioned an artwork from British artists Kevin Mulvaney and Susie Rogers, they chose multiple architectural models from the 1930s to create a magnificent Art Deco Jewelry Store (2011). Chris Toledo’s Art Deco Bathroom (2022) is one of many designed by the Los Angeles native to preserve the distinctive architecture of the period at a time when many of the actual bathrooms are disappearing due to remodeling or demolition.
Join Amy McKune, Curator / Senior Manager of Collections, for an in-depth look at some of these Art Deco-inspired treasures from the collection.
Can't join us at the time of the live Zoom event ? No problem! Those who register will receive a recording of the entire program a few days after the live presentation. When you sign up for the program you have the opportunity to watch, or rewatch, the recording at a time more convenient for you.
About the Speaker:
Amy McKune (she/her), Curator / Senior Manager of Collections, has been with The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures since 2017. In this role, she balances the responsibilities of managing the intellectual and physical control of the collection and interpreting it through curating exhibitions. McKune came to the Museum with thirty years of experience at four museums. Highlights of her tenure at the Museum include receiving and implementing two IMLS grants, coordinating the development of a new off-site collections storage unit, and curating several highly regarded exhibitions. McKune holds a B.A. in Anthropology from Kenyon College and an M.A. in History Museum Studies from the Cooperstown Graduate Program, SUNY – Oneonta.
Registration:
How to Register for ADSNY's Web-based programs:
- Click the gold Register button located to the left of the "About the Program" section
- Enter the requested information in the registration form and follow the instructions to pay online and complete your registration
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If you need further assistance registering for this event, or are experiencing a different issue, please email Events@ArtDeco.org, let us know which events you would like to register for, and we will send you an invoice that can be easily completed without going through the ArtDeco.org website.
All ticket sales are final. Sorry, there are no refunds or exchanges.
ADSNY is not able to issue new access information for this video event after the expiration date of the access link and password you receive upon your registration.
