Colleagues at Historic Shanghai have reminded that today is the 5th anniversary of the World Art Deco Congress-2015, the first such event to take place in Shanghai – and in Asia. It was only five years ago, but it feels like an eternity. The enquiry into the built legacy of the Russian architects in Shanghai was still in its infancy; now we know dozens of remarkable architects and scores of their buildings.
The photo above shows yours truly delivering a talk "Boulevard Moscou: Russians, Art Deco & Shanghai". Now that we know the towering figure of Emmanuel Gran, the hefty legacy of Wladimir Livin-Goldenstaedt, and the splendid scattering of modernist buildings in the West French Concession, the talk could have lasted for hours. One famous name, however, would not be heard from the stage: as the research confirmed, Alexander Yaron would not touch art deco with a ten-foot pole!
Top image: Shanghai Art Deco.
