L'Art déco des régions : Modernités méconnues

Exhibition at the Musée de Valence, 28 September 2025 - 11 January 2026

In 1925, the International Exhibition of Decorative Arts became a showcase for French regional craftsmanship. Set against the backdrop of Parisian modernity, a hotbed of artistic effervescence, this iconic event illustrated the contrast between centralised, triumphant creativity and the affirmation of regional identities.

From the Neo-Provençal style to the Basque style, from Lyon silk to Drôme pottery, Limoges porcelain and Grenoble glove-making, these regions fully embraced the codes of the Art Deco movement – geometric lines, stylised patterns, bright colours – while preserving their uniqueness, particularly through their choice of subjects and materials. Local figures were open to outside influences, sometimes collaborating with Parisian designers such as Jacques-Émile Ruhlmann, André Mare and Paul Iribe.

Through nearly 300 works – period photographs, Limoges porcelain and enamels, Saint-Étienne ribbons, Quimper earthenware, Basque furniture, plans, drawings, models, etc. – this exhibition catalogue offers an insight into a rich and daring regional Art Deco movement. It evokes the diversity of the creations of the period and highlights remarkable artists such as Clément Goyenèche in Nice, Benjamin Gomez in the Basque Country and Étienne Noël in Dieulefit.