| As a beacon of personal and artistic freedom, Paris, the "City of
Light," lured thousands of American musicians, artists, and writers in the 1920s and
1930s. They crossed the Atlantic, bringing with them a unique facet of the modern
age--jazz. This Smithsonian traveling exhibition tells the amazing tale of this
transcontinental cultural exportation and celebration. Organized and circulated by the
Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), "The Jazz Age in
Paris" premiered at the Smithsonian's Center for African American History and Culture
in Washington. The exhibition features images, artifacts, testimonies, audio and video
recordings.
In the 1920s, Paris rebounded from World War I with frenetic jubilation and artistic
creativity. Contributing to the energy were the Americans, including many African
Americans, who either served in the armed forces during the war and declined to return
home, or who traveled to Paris to experience its cordial racial and artistic climate.
Parisians openly encouraged the unique talents these new residents brought with
them--especially their music. "The Jazz Age in Paris" tells the story of the
American expatriates who so richly contributed to modern culture.
To experience the magic of the era, visitors will enter the exhibition through a
replica of an old Montmartre boulevard. Montmartre is the region in Paris where many
African Americans lived and worked, famous for its jazz clubs including Le Grand Duc and
Bricktop's.
A major portion of the exhibition presents material in the form of large
"scrapbook" pages, inspired by the original scrapbooks of comedian Johnny
Hudgins, one of the best-known American entertainers in Paris in the 1920s. Photographs,
letters, postcards, caricatures, advertisements, music manuscripts, reproduced drawings
and paintings are presented, with each section addressing themes of the era, such as Old
Montmartre, the Cake Walk and Ragtime music, the Parisian taste for exotic entertainment,
the impact of World War I, the expatriate experience, cabaret life and café society, and
changing social and artistic developments during the 1930s.
Free-standing kiosks, like those used in Paris to post fliers for concerts and events,
present the stories of eight important Jazz Age personalities including James Reese
Europe, Ada "Bricktop" Smith, Sidney Bechet, and Josephine Baker. Gypsy
guitarist Django Reinhardt, composer Darius Milhaud, and writers Hugues Pannaisié and
Charles Delaunay represent the Europeans who influenced and were influenced by the new
sounds, ideas, and spirit of the day.
The exhibition closes with a section featuring 12 original art posters created by
artists in Paris during the Jazz Age. Works by Jean Cocteau, Paul Colin, Miguel
Covarrubias, August Herbin, Charles Gesmar, and Leonetto Cappiello visually re-create the
fervor of the time.
"The Jazz Age in Paris, 1914-1940" has been made possible through the
generous support of Nissan Motor Corporation, U.S.A.
The following audio clips, taken from the Curriculum Guide for The Jazz Age in
Paris, require the free RealAudio G2 player available from www.real.com/products/player. All
recordings are © 1998 Smithsonian Institution.
Maple Leaf Rag, Music of Scott Joplin
Cake Walking Babies (from Home), Music of Clarence
Williams' Blue Five
The Man I Love, Music of Coleman Hawkins Quartet
He's Funny That Way, Music of Billie Holiday and
Her Orchestra
The Jazz Age in Paris
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