Why We Are in Dire Need of a 21st Century Art Nouveau Movement

The very best moments in a 21st century life are the ones not happening online, they are spent in the company of people, nature and the freedom the world has to offer. They are certainly not spent in the moments you’re on your phone as you scroll through fruit brainrot, propagated influencer ads, an algorithm that’s feeding your political views and that one British person’s trip to Asia that ‘changed their life.’ However, as we go deeper into the century and the rise of AI, it seems that even the people trying their best to sustain themselves on physical media are getting caught in the trap of digital conglutination. Not only are we increasingly susceptible to having our thoughts shaped and altered by AI but we are living in a scary shadow of uncertainty on what’s real and what isn’t. 

During the industrial revolution, when the world started becoming so profit-oriented, machine focused and ignored the natural cues of the world, artists began turning to arts & crafts and the Art Nouveau movement to reintroduce elements of nature, handmade and beauty back into the dull world. And it seems that more than ever, it is time we turn to a similar concept of bringing natural features and human creativity back to our world. 

Art nouveau is quite tricky to navigate as it both opposed and embraced the industrial revolution, but I think it perfectly aligns with our lives now where we cannot necessarily only oppose the digital age but we have to learn to co-exist together and separately. Art nouveau favoured the reproducibility of the industrial revolution and it is definitely something we can utilise in our own way. This reproducibility was valuable as it allowed these posters and art forms to reach a wider audience and influence on a larger scale, just as we can use the digital age to share art and interact with other artists which is valuable for human interaction across the globe. Reproducibility does not however mean everyone buying the same home decor from Urban Outfitters or whatever other fast fashion company has also reproduced it, but rather having an original which we can share with others to build off creatively. 

However, just as Art Nouveau favoured the industrial revolution’s quick production, much like the arts & crafts movement before it, it appreciated the ability to make with our own hands and favoured true craftsmanship and care over what was being made. In many ways this is the quality we are so quickly losing in our world. We need to stop looking for the fastest alternative and start depending on people who are skilled and trained in their field to help produce what you are looking for. This way we don’t have to worry that traditional craft, textile and art forms are being lost but instead are being kept in circulation, taught to new generations and using these forms to meet our needs rather than the knock off version. 

Glasgow, Paris, Budapest are key examples of cities with embedded art nouveau elements in their urban landscapes, and oftentimes these are the architectural decisions that stick with visitors due to this reflection of the natural world. In a country of red bricked cityscapes, having some art deco features amidst can bring in a newfound sense of whimsy whether it’s as little of a detail as a doorknob or lamp post or as eye-catching as the Paris metro entrances by Hector Guimard. 

By introducing these same qualities into our lives today, it seems there is a small way of restricting the reach of the digital world into other aspects of our lives. Not only are we reclaiming the creative space but we are reminding ourselves that art, architecture, film, literature and fashion are reserved for humans. In many ways, a lot of recent magazine covers are displaying just this concept, such as the recent cover for Interview featuring Zendaya and Robert Pattison in a very avant garde way. These covers are opening our eyes to seeing this extremity of portraying creativity in a way that no AI could ever do and can only be thought out and perfected by a group of likeminded creatives. 

This century is really the age we need to implore individuals to be eccentric and to be bold people to combat this current reliance on AI and the digital world to make us feel something. Whether it’s dressing with art nouveau features such as shell handbags, Schiaparelli style sculptural wear, or incorporating nature into our everyday wear, it can really change our relationship with ready to wear fashion and our modern mindless consumerism. Beginning to explore different, handmade and unique decor for our houses that don’t look like they came out of the IKEA catalogue can remind us that it’s okay to not go the conventional way. The key idea to really take out of having a new Art Nouveau style movement is not to consume more to completely change our everyday lives but to begin to think differently, to rely more on handmaking, and to really reclaim all these aspects of our lives that make us human rather than leaving it up to AI and the digital world.