Exposition Coloniale Internationale

The Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne (1937) was a major international event held in Paris to celebrate modern advancements in art and technology. Taking place from May to November 1937, the exposition’s theme revolved around how technology could enhance everyday life, symbolizing the optimism of the era for progress and modernity. The site of the exposition was strategically located along the Seine, between the Eiffel Tower and the newly constructed Palais de Chaillot, a building designed as the central architectural landmark of the fair. The event showcased national pavilions from around the world, highlighting innovations in various fields such as transportation, energy, communication, and industrial design. These technological exhibits were meant to emphasize efficiency and the role of science in shaping a better future.

However, the exposition also reflected the turbulent political climate of the 1930s, as it took place during a period of rising tension in Europe. The confrontational positioning of the German Nazi and Soviet pavilions, placed directly across from each other, became symbolic of the ideological struggles that would soon lead to World War II. Among the most famous exhibits was Pablo Picasso’s “Guernica,” displayed in the Spanish Pavilion. The painting, depicting the bombing of the town of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War, served as a powerful anti-war statement, underscoring the political undercurrents of the event. While the exposition aimed to highlight technological progress, it also exposed the fractures and conflicts brewing in Europe at the time, making it a fascinating snapshot of both artistic and geopolitical tensions in the interwar period.