It was an era that brought us the Empire State Building, jazz and new technology, but&nbsp;the 1920s and '30s also introduced a new design esthetic called art deco.&nbsp;

 has a new exhibit that focuses on domestic objects from that&nbsp;era. It features&nbsp;more than 40 items —&nbsp;from vacuums&nbsp;to ashtrays —&nbsp;from private collections in the Calgary area.

This FADA Cloud radio dates to 1947, which is later than the classic art deco era, but is still in the deco style. 

FADA radio

"When you see art deco buildings," curator Caroline Loewen&nbsp;told the

&nbsp;"you see really new technologies being involved, new materials, sleek lines, smooth, bright colours. It felt very modern."

She says the design movement started in about 1925 in Paris, and stood out in strong contrast to the Great Depression of&nbsp;the '30s.

Frida Kahlo photo exhibit opens at Glenbow Museum

Frida Kahlo was famous for her colourful self portraits, but art lovers in Calgary will have a rare chance to see another side of the life and times of the iconic Mexican painter. An exhibit of photos is opening this weekend at the Glenbow Museum.

Frida Kahlo painting a portrait of her father in 1951.

kahlo 

"It thought that technology would save us and bring us out of the Great Depression and that we could all have shiny new things in our houses."

The Future Looked Bright: Art Deco in Everyday Life runs at Calgary's&nbsp;Lougheed&nbsp;House until April 29.

The Electrolux model 30 was designed in 1937 to look like a classic '30s train. It was in production for nearly 20 years, and a common sight in houses right up through the '50s.

Electrolux vacuum 

This hood ornament is from a 1951 Chevy. There are a lot of art deco items made in the shapes of airplanes, ships, zeppelins and trains because designers wanted to emulate the speed and glamour of the new modes of transportation.

Chrome hood ornament

Lougheed House has a new art deco exhibit on display until April 29.

'Sleek lines, smooth, bright colours': Art deco resurfaces at Lougheed House exhibit

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