4. Abstract Expressionism
As persecuted artists fled Europe, New York became the center of the art world. Abstract artists experimented with new techniques, including dripping paint onto canvas.
3. War and Noir Films
A propaganda tool for the war effort and a needed escape from reality,.This golden age of film launched the careers of legendary starlets and debonair gentlemen, introduced the first Disney releases and pioneered the seamy film noir genre.
With jazz music firmly entrenched in American culture, traveling soldiers introduced the world to dances such as the Lindy Hop, Jitterbug and Jive. The energetic steps accompanied the syncopated rhythms of the big bands, which could employ up to 20 musicians. Famed artists of the era included Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington and Glenn Miller.