In order to understand why we are currently in a neo-baroque era I first wanted to further define baroque as we had discussed in class. I searched the internet and found what I think to be a clear and concise definition of the word. According to the merriam-webster dictionary (merriam-webster.com)
Baroque is:
"a style of artistic expression characterized by grotesqueness, complexity, extravagence or flamboyance,"
This means that modern examples of the neo-baroque era would be any elements of our lives that are overdone, flashy, and used to excite all the senses in the current time. The first examples of the neo-baroque era i explored are the luxury hotels of Las Vegas. One of the most well known and expensive hotels is Caesar's Palace, pictured below:
The hotel lobby is covered in gold trim, giant marble statues of Greek Gods and large pillars with sculptures and carvings of angels. Another Las Vegas attraction that can be classified as neo-baroque is the Freemont light show. I found that this light show is projected on the largest screen in the world which is longer then 1500 feet or five football fields.
I also found examples of a neo-baroque era in recent high end fashion trends. The fall 2012 Dolce & Gabbana line featured dresses and clutches that are bedazzled with jewels, lace and other eye-catching embellishments. The lines are thought to have been inspired by fashion from 17th century.
Sources:
http://www.vegas.com/attractions/off_the_strip/fremontstreet.html
http://www.shefinds.com/2012/this-fall-designers-want-you-to-go-baroque/
