Since the beginning of February, the portrait gallery in Washington has been giving us a glimpse into the definition of "cool." By visiting the exhibition "American Cool: 100 People Who Define Cool", we will find out who is to blame for the very existence of the word, how its meaning has developed and which people have personified it throughout history. For everyone who won't be heading to America until September, we've prepared a mini-insight that clarifies the essence of the exhibition and presents some of the coolest Americans in the gallery.
There are individuals who are just plain cool. In the National Portrait Gallery Smithosnian in Washington from February 7 to September 7, we can see who are the cult figures who have marked American popular culture to the point that they actually embody the word cool. Exhibition named "American Cool: 100 People Who Define Cool" is dedicated to 100 Americans who, with their cultural heritage, have become a unique symbol for a certain place and time.
What do we think of when we say someone is cool? By visiting the exhibition, we learn that "being cool" means radiating the aura of something new and self-confident. A cool person has a charismatic personality that never lacks some darkness and mystery. Each generation has certain individuals who stand out, are the embodiment of innovation in the field of style and have personality traits that are not the easiest to define. Sometimes eccentric, sometimes completely apathetic, they simply have "something more".
The word cool doesn't just exist and hasn't existed "always". It is an American word that was introduced into musical jargon by the legendary jazz saxophonist at the beginning of the 40s Lester Young, and the word "caught on" so well that we still use it today. At first, the word expressed calmness and restraint in an otherwise unfriendly social environment, but soon it began to be used for more relaxed purposes, when talking about stylish and nonchalant people.
There aren't many cool people, but it's hard to pin down just 100 of the coolest people in history. In order to avoid possible excessive subjective assessment, the curators set the following three headings for the selection:
1. a unique artistic vision, signed with a recognizable personal style,
2. deviation from the majority taste, rebellion against the existing ideas of the social order of the time,
3. iconic power and instant recognition,
4. a notable contribution to the history of American cultural heritage.
Each of the 100 chosen is a unique persona with no existing predecessor in American culture. The photographs in the collection round out the complex relationship between the real person, the image she presented to the media and fans, and her cultural legacy.
Kula's roots: before 1940
The rapidly developing and constantly changing first decades of the twentieth century laid the foundations for the emergence of cool as we know it today. The representatives who embodied the cool of that time were not yet considered such at that time, but they were definitely the cause of notable social changes. Fresh rebellion and new energies brought innovations to the world of the film industry, modernist literature, modern music (jazz) and art. The notion of leisure, technological progress, the development of radio, film, and motoring emerged, as well as the ever-increasing diversity of American cities and suburbs. All of this significantly changed American culture.
Although the Prohibition era in the 1920s aimed for greater morality with the ban on alcohol consumption, it was Prohibition that fostered new forms of expression, rebellion and the desire to have fun. Black Americans and women, in particular, began to fight for certain freedoms that are taken for granted today, but were only dreams at the time. Being cool marked the state of a rebel who is in complete control despite a hostile social environment.
Cool and the Counterculture: 1960-79
The 60s and 70s saw the development of movements that rejected authority and existing cultural norms and emphasized the importance of accepting and supporting new ideas. They were commanded by young rebel leaders of rock'n'roll, journalism and film. The word cool denoted opponents of the "system" who fought against the police, the government, the military, capitalism and traditional morality. They were characterized by drug use, sexual experimentation, celebration of emotional openness, struggle for the freedoms of the marginalized, thinking outside established social frameworks, glorification of authenticity and rejection of the artificially produced.
Being cool meant an outspoken person who was ready to fight for what was right and felt great in his own skin. What was once reserved for black Americans now began to be expressed through music, sports and politics. Cool meant communicating, but still with a certain amount of self-control. Rock'n'roll was a key form of artistic expression during this time, especially for the female gender, which made this possible. Patti Smith, Bonnie Raitt, Deborah Harry and Chrissie Hynde shook the existing cultural foundations with their unique iconography and new-age styles and maintained their personal integrity over time.
The legacy of the tower: 1980 to the present
In the 80s, rebellion was also accepted by the majority culture. The rebellious attitude has become popular, part of the mainstream and thus lost its charm. Rebellion has become acceptable, part of American culture, its distinctive aesthetic and entertainment industry. Cool has been embraced by fashion houses, music labels, the film industry and advertising agencies.
Cool sold out, there was no real rebellion left. Graffiti artists, skaters, hip-hoppers and even members of the grunge scene from Seattle submitted to the popularization of cool. In the 80s, the history of cool already existed, it was known who the legends were and how to "be cool". Young people could be inspired by icons and imitate their images. Everything became pre-produced, and uniqueness was already a real rarity.
