metalworking, weaving to graphic design, and sculpture to architecture; the broad
spectrum of disciplines makes the creation of art accessible to any aspiring
artist. However, each skill was often seen as an element independent of each
another. A painting was just a painting, a sculpture a sculpture, a building a
building. Sure there were historical architectural pieces that combined
sculpture and architecture (Gothic Cathedrals come to mind) with reliefs of
religious figures placed on the outer walls of these large buildings. However,
these reliefs served no purpose other than to add glamour. They served no
actual function in the overall success of constructing each building. Then came
Bauhaus. Bauhaus sought to find a way to unify all the arts together to form a
single universal work that utilized elements from each discipline.
The school known as Bauhaus was founded in 1919 by Walter Gropius, a
German architect in the city of Weimar, Germany. Gropius sought to find a way
to unify all the arts into one collective concept and apply this unified force
into a material object that was useful during a time of rapid industrialization.
His vision of of this artistic unification was recorded in his "Proclamation of
the Bauhaus" written in 1919. In it, Gropius states his desire of creating a
"utopia" consisting of craft guilds that combined painting, sculpture, and
architecture into one single creative expression (Met.). Thus, the Bauhaus
curriculum consisted of courses ranging from color theory, materials study, and
prep courses for specialized studies (Met.). More interestingly, a system
similar to a medieval guild was adapted where apprentices, journeymen, and
masters collaborated in the pursuit of creative knowledge and experimentation.
Specialized workshops included pottery, metalworking, woodworking, weaving,
painting, and typography (Met.).
However, Gropius felt that there was too much focus in ideas and
concepts rather than practical application of these ideas. He then hired
artists Paul Klee, Wassily Kandinsky and Laszlo Moholy-Nagy (ApT.) to
incorporate their Modernist sensibilities with his new aim of creating an easily
produced yet aesthetically pleasing product for the market. Thus, the artists
of the Bauhaus school began creating works intended for mass production that
incorporated Modernist influence: primary colors and geometric shapes (Apt.).
It was during this time that the school adopted the slogan "Art into Industry"
(Met.). This new focus on technology also brought pressure from Weimar's
government. Gropius then decide to move the school to Dessau in 1925 (Apt.)
It was here that Gropius designed the famous Bauhaus building reflecting his new
industrial aesthetic utilizing concrete and steel and walls of glass(Apt.).
This design paved the way in influencing modern industrial architecture.
However,in 1928, Gropius stepped down as director of the Bauhaus school and was
succeeded by the architect Hannes Mayer (Met.). Mayer continued the focus on
mass producible goods but removed parts of the curriculum he felt were to formal
(Met.). In 1930, Meyer resigned due to government pressure and was succeeded by
another architect named Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (Met.). Mies moved the focus
of the curriculum on architecture. However, due to political instability during
the time, the school was forced to move to Berlin where it stood for three years
until 1933 when it ultimately shut down. Many key figures of the Bauhaus school
thus emigrated to the United States and brought their ideas and teaching
philosophies with them.
Although Bauhaus as an institution formally ceased to exist, its obvious
influence was not forgotten. The internationalist and minimalist philosophies
it taught were very relevant and applicable to the rapidly industrializing
world. With an increase in urbanization and economic wealth, the appeal of
"less is more" and accessibility of mass produced "works of art" were highly
coveted. With the rise in population density came less space. Thus art that
reflected a conservative use of space and simple yet aesthetically pleasing
design became more popular. It has become one of the most influencial art
movements because of this practical applicability and merging of art and design.
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This piece called "Essay Table" created by Cecilie Manz is very Bauhaus. It epitomizes the sensibilities of Bauhaus "form and function." Its usage of geometric shapes (squares and rectangles) is captivating to the eye yet is also very functional. The table has all that it needs: a flat surface, and supporting structures. The structures themselves have been reduced to what is necessary: an outline of squares without the extra inner bulk. Overall an exquisite piece.
In this rapidly modernizing world we live in, practicality and space are growing issues. This is why Bauhaus style is still pretty relevant in this age. However, technology is also vastly improving and will no doubt affect future architecture and goods. Perhaps tables and chairs will be replaced by floating boards.
References
The Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET.) http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/bauh/hd_bauh.htm
Quick History: The Bauhaus and its Influence (ApT.)
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/post-241-93344
Essay Table : https://www.fritzhansen.com/en/essay-cm22-table-solid-wood
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