2001 Art Deco Congress

The emphasis of previous World Congresses on Art Deco® have been on the origins and antecedents of the architectural style referred to as Art Deco. The evolution of the style, from sources as diverse as Egyptian antiquities to Art Nouveau, has been discussed in an effort to define the Art Deco style and to place it within the chronology of Western aesthetic history. Assuming that Art Deco did evolve from a variety of sources, the goal of the Sixth World Congress was to explore Art Deco's evolution after World War II: therefore the Congress' theme, "Deco: Where Did It Go?"

Using the City of Tulsa as a laboratory, the Sixth World Congress examined the architectural statements created by Tulsa architects in the period between the wars. These buildings, which fall well within the generally accepted stylistic parameters of Art Deco, were contrasted with post-war examples created by the same architects and their students. This critical examination focused primarily on the work of Tulsa architects, Bruce Goff, Joseph Koberling and Leon B. Senter. Additionally, the Tulsa laboratory served as an example of failures and successes in the preservation of an existing collection of Art Deco buildings. Lessons learned from vacant lots illustrated a second, more literal theme of the Congress' theme, "Deco: Where Did It Go?"

Following the successful formats of previous World Congresses, the Sixth World Congress provided lectures and seminars in the mornings, followed by an afternoon of group tours. Morning sessions offered an opportunity for delegates to concentrate on their specific needs and areas of interest.