Mid-Century Modernism in Tucson? Who knew!

By the time I discovered that Modernism Week was going on in Tucson, it was almost over. I managed, however, to see the Trailer Show that’s part of this annual event sponsored by the Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation.

Modernism in all its streamlined beauty was the No.1 design aesthetic of my teenage years. I loved seeing homes and cars in that style in magazines–especially in California–not realizing it was a radical design choice. All I knew back then was that it was “new” and very unlike the my family’s old Craftsman home in the Pacific Northwest.

Anyway…back to Tucson. Displayed in a parking lot along Broadway were sleek, shiny Air Stream trailers, a long sexy Cadillac plus one woman who decided to dress in the spirit of it all.

Here is some of what I saw:

I was surprised to learn that Air Stream trailers are still being manufactured–in Ohio, no less. This vintage one in the Modernism Trailer Show apparently can be rented to take a few of your friends on an Air Stream outdoor adventure or other special event. An Arizona variation on glamping!

An artist and her husband lived in this Air Stream going from place to place selling her paintings. One of them is on the left. Many of the paintings were of Air Stream trailers in scenic locations. But what intrigued me were the reflections of shoppers and one photographer in the mirror-like side of this Air Stream.

Air Stream Social also had a much smaller, but equally updated vintage trailer on display. The reflections are of the buildings surrounding the parking lot.

Not all the trailers were Air Stream. I loved this one with the cats-eye sunglasses on the back! And are those polka dots a reference to that old song about an “Itsy Bitsy Bikini”?

Turquoise blue was a popular color back then and seems to be making somewhat of a revival. Pink plastic flamingos have, of course, been a perpetual source of humor and silliness since the ’50s. Next year I hope to see more of this October event. Mid-century homes in Tucson sound interesting.

If you are a Tucsonan and would like a starter tree for $5, go here for more details.