Bauhaus Body and Movement: Exploring the Triadic Ballet

by Kathryn Ann Scheuring

B.A. in History of Art and Architecture, May 2013, University of Pittsburgh

A Thesis submitted to

The Faculty of The Columbian College of Arts and Sciences of The George Washington University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts

May 21, 2017

Thesis directed by

Clare Brown Program Head, Master of Arts in Exhibition Design Assistant Professor Abstract of Thesis

Bauhaus Body and Movement

Oskar Schlemmer’s dance production Triadic Ballet is, within the context of

Bauhaus design history, relatively unknown. Despite Triadic Ballet being odd, over-the- top, or seemingly self-indulgent, it is actually a perfect case study of the core principles and exploratory goals of the Bauhaus school. Looking closely at Triadic Ballet and Oskar

Schlemmer’s dance classroom can move us past the mainstream concept of “Bauhaus aesthetics” - primary colors, simple shapes, diagonals, and san-serif lowercase type. It can reveal a deeper level of the Bauhaus’ history - a look into student life and its informal, experimental, and free-flowing creativity. Bauhaus fundamentals can be found in Triadic Ballet as much as in any examples of graphic design, product design, and fine art created at the school. Emphasis on human studies is especially important in Oskar

Schlemmer’s dance productions, as they are in the well-known products and legacies of the Bauhaus.

Bauhaus Body and Movement will explore the theater workshop at the Bauhaus school, specifically as it existed under the leadership of Oskar Schlemmer from around

1922-1925. This exploration will demonstrate the early human studies that continue to influence the way we view forms, figures, and movement in today’s design world. It will show the relationship between the Bauhaus’ experimental theater workshop and especially Triadic Ballet - a relatively unknown topic - to what we view as core Bauhaus design principles. Implementing both demonstrations and opportunities for interaction,

!ii the visitor will experience the experimental and informal culture of the original Bauhaus

Theater as they discover how human-centered design principles found in the dance performances can be experienced in their own bodies’ movement. After exploring a unique, vibrant design movement that was ahead of its time, visitors will leave with a basic understanding of Bauhaus principles and culture in the context of a memorable case study.

!iii Table of Contents

Abstract of Thesis…………………………………………………………………………ii

Mission/Message………………………………………………………………….……….1

Relevance………………………………………………………………………………….3

Research……………………………………………………………………………….…..5

Experience…….…………………………………………………………..……………….7

Site…….…………………………………………………………………………………..8

Audience…….….………………………………………………………………………..10

Interpretive Strategy………….…………………………………………………………..12

Content Narrative………….……………………………………………………………..13

Design Strategy………….…………………………………………………..…….……..15

Bibliography……………………………………………………………………………..20

Appendix I: Precedents………….…………….……………………………………..…..21

Appendix II: Site Exploration………………………………………………………..…..23

!iv Mission/Message

For those who know little about the Bauhaus, it tends to spark interest - “Where did this thing come from?!” and as for those familiar with what are considered

Bauhausian aesthetics, they are often surprised at the source. Triadic Ballet is unique not only in the context of the Bauhaus school, but unique for its time period, and perhaps most amazingly, unique across all modern art and design. Triadic Ballet could have been created in the 1930’s, the 60’s, the 90’s, or last month, and would have the same effect — an experimental, one of a kind performance with more theory behind it than meets the eye.

The design of Bauhaus Body and Movement will show the depth of Oskar

Schlemmer’s theater creations, past their entertainment value. Though at first it is seemingly vastly different from what the Bauhaus is typically remembered for — clean, minimal architecture, monochromatic poster artwork, and functionally-centered housewares — the exhibition’s message will show that it is more closely tied to the

Bauhaus’ design principles than at first meets the eye. The content will prove, in fact, that

— more than many of the well known products of the Bauhaus — Triadic Ballet presents a full case study of the Bauhaus’ most important and fundamental principles. Theories and goals that the founders and first professors at the German art school can be found clearly in the performance itself, as well as its choreography, costume design, music, and the thorough documentation Oskar Schlemmer and others produced on the subject. This

!1 exhibition will express the relevance of the Triadic Ballet - showcasing how it demonstrates and even adds depth and richness to the Bauhaus’ design legacy.

Close attention to human factors is an especially important part of the Bauhaus principles exemplified in Triadic Ballet. Ergonomics and early universal design principles can easily be found in some of the Bauhaus’ most famous lasting products — Marcel

Breuer’s chair designs, emphasizing comfort, ease of use, and efficient manufacturing ability; Adolf Meyer’s comfortable, easy to use door handles; and Anni Albers’ textiles made usable in any home. These are the innovations that make the Bauhaus school so important in design history, and its products so ubiquitous to our everyday lives. Though at first (or even second) glance Triadic Ballet is vastly different from furniture and textile design from the Bauhaus, on closer inspection one can find evidence of serious consideration of human factors in its design. Oskar Schlemmer and his students spent time carefully studying the mechanics of body movement and the ways a dance performance could harness its full expressive capabilities. The dance theater classroom at the Bauhaus took ergonomic principles to their next level — from purely functional applications to beautiful expressions of the human body’s mechanics and movement.

The teachers and students of the theater classroom demonstrate clearly the creative enthusiasm that was central to Bauhaus culture and its student life. Behind the functional, aesthetically pure industrial and fine art products of the school was a vibrant, fun-loving student and faculty body. The Bauhaus’ mission, more than creating new combinations of art and functional forms, was to create an informal environment for bright young minds to thrive and create in a difficult period of German history. The

!2 freedom and fun of Bauhaus culture can be seen immediately in students snapshots and diary entries. It succeeded in more than its design legacy — it opened a door for creativity that may not have been otherwise possible in 1920’s Germany. Triadic Ballet provides a clear example of not only design fundamentals important to the Bauhaus, but of the vibrancy and creative freedom of the school and students.

The mission, therefore, is to show Triadic Ballet’s multi-faceted value within the

Bauhaus’ design legacy. Demonstrating its connection to Bauhaus design fundamentals as well as to the school’s priority of human studies will reveal its importance beyond surface-level entertainment value. By showing well-known Bauhaus design principles through this exuberant, colorful, and quirky performance, the content will also highlight the creatively free and enthusiastic student life at the famous art school.

Relevance

Whether or not they have previous knowledge of Bauhaus design, those who view

Triadic Ballet are captivated by its bizarre costumes and strangely calculated choreography. Beyond face value, it is key to this exhibition to convey the performance’s importance to the design world, as well as the theories and principles it can teach.

Viewers might be surprised and interested to find a depth to this strange dance performance. Weird things are always fascinating, as is discovering at first unseen depths to works of art. In particular, human studies will always present a relatable level to a

!3 piece of art, no matter the form. Human factors and ergonomics affect virtually everyone.

Every movement we make and everything that we create is influenced by an understanding of the human body and its potential. Human centered design determines the usability, accessibility, and success of products and experiences in daily life. In nearly every profession or activity, awareness of human factors will play an integral role.

Experiencing Oskar Schlemmer’s Bauhaus theater workshop will call attention to the essentials that make up human centered design, and how results of these studies influence everyone in the modern world.

Triadic Ballet is especially surprising and impressive in its relevance when considering the year it debuted: 1923. Nearly one hundred years old, Triadic Ballet presents the epitome of a timeless performance piece. Upcoming 2023 will mark the

100th anniversary of Oskar Schlemmer’s creation, providing an excellent opportunity to expose new viewers to Triadic Ballet and to explore the complexities and themes that make it so compelling. Bauhaus Body and Movement intends to be not only an exploration of the Bauhaus theater workshop and its productions, but as a celebration of the creativity and energetic student life. A 100th anniversary provides the perfect setting for this celebration.

The site of this exhibition, which will be detailed further in this paper, provides a setting to demonstrate the Triadic Ballet’s relevance to design history to an audience already interested and immersed in culture, especially the performing arts. Pittsburgh,

Pennsylvania is home to a blossoming arts and theater scene, due in part to the growing number of residents in the downtown area. The cultural district there has become a

!4 hotbed for design firms, tech startups, trendy restaurants, and experimental theaters. The residents and visitors that this environment attracts fit perfectly into the target audience demographic, presenting an opportunity to expand the growing interest and appreciation for the arts in this city. Pittsburgh has a rich arts and architectural history, and a population that has proven to be passionate about their roots. This exhibition will target an area that welcomes history, culture, and engagement.

Research

Oskar Schlemmer’s dance productions, specifically Triadic Ballet and the Gesture series, will serve as primary resources for this exhibition’s design. The content itself, along with Schlemmer’s detailed annotations and sketches, provides what will be the most visually stimulating, interactive aspects of the exhibition. Oskar Schlemmer and his students and fellow teachers produced hundreds of sketches, photographs, diary entries, and drawings of the Triadic Ballet, from its early concept designs to final performances.

All of these have provided information key to the development and design of Bauhaus

Body and Movement, and will provide much of the content used to showcase and teach the specifics of the Triadic Ballet. Photographs as well as video footage exists of various reenactments of Triadic Ballet over the past century, and these provide invaluable research material and content for this exhibition. Photographs and brief clips of footage exist for the original Bauhaus performances, and full video documentation of Triadic

!5 Ballet can be found from productions in the 1960’s and 1990’s. Triadic Ballet is still being performed in today’s theater world, both in its original form as well as in alternative spaces with contemporary takes on costumes and choreography. All of these have been essential to dissecting the Triadic Ballet’s legacy since 1923.

For more in-depth analysis of the study of human factors and ergonomics that can be found in these pieces, the design will rely on a few descriptive articles by Oskar

Schlemmer himself. “Theater at the Bauhaus”, transcribed from a 1927 lecture given by

Schlemmer, outlines the inspiration, process, and goals of the Triadic Ballet. Schlemmer describes how architecture, music, and human behavior all influenced the designs for his creation. The lecture also communicates his passion for the school’s student body community and the importance of the interpersonal relationships key to the creation and content of Triadic Ballet.

An essay written by Juliet Koss entitled: “Bauhaus Theater of Human Dolls” will provide a secondary source of research to guide this exhibition’s content and design. This article provides an analysis of the complex messages in Triadic Ballet, giving insight to what inspired and drove this production. Koss introduces topics and motivations unique to Triadic Ballet as well as themes familiar to the Bauhaus design legacy and its principles. This source provides fascinating, provocative content for the exhibition that shows the richness and complexities of Triadic Ballet.

Further content may include the 1927 silent film Metropolis which was created five years after Triadic Ballet and greatly influenced by Schlemmer’s visuals and artistic

!6 concepts. This film will help to demonstrate the application of the Bauhaus’ more obscure experiments to the mainstream modern world.

Experience

In order to stay true to a key part of the mission — namely, that the Bauhaus was more than a factory for functional product design, but a free, experimental space for creative student expression — the design should evoke a spirit of light-hearted play and discovery. Though it is an exhibition on design principles and a Bauhaus production, the atmosphere should be free-flowing and informal, and capture the unique culture of the

Bauhaus school — serious consideration of art theory and human factors, but open and experimental, and most importantly, fun.

Specifically this exhibition will use the backstage spaces of a working theater.

This is for two purposes: firstly, the backstage environment will create an experience that is reminiscent of the original Bauhaus school. It should have the flexible, informal feeling of a studio workshop, and the audience should feel engaged and involved, just like the students of the dance theater. Secondly, the target audience is already accustomed to seeing the traditional presentation of dance performances, and by having the exhibition backstage, the theater will be offering an exciting alternative experience for seasoned theater-goers. The somewhat maze-like flow of these spaces will be maintained to give visitors the feeling of being in a working production space. The atmosphere of a rough,

!7 unfinished and somewhat darkened space should let the visitor experience a different side of a theater performance. The exhibition’s design will embrace the raw, rough material elements of the backstage spaces to like brick, wood, and particle board along with plain track lighting. With that as the basis, a punch of Bauhaus color and style will be present throughout, focusing on bright colors from the Triadic Ballet and the more unstructured student life found in the dance studio.

Site

Bauhaus Body and Movement will be located at Pittsburgh’s Byham Theater. The

Byham is a landmark building at 101 Sixth Street in the Cultural District of Downtown

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally built in 1903 as The Gayety Theater, the former vaudeville house was renovated and reopened as The Byham Theater in 1990.

The Byham is a large space with a diverse audience and hosts major productions and events. It would enable the exhibition to make a splash, be well advertised, and viewed by many types of people, not just Pittsburgh locals. The Byham is located in a vibrant cultural district in downtown Pittsburgh, that attracts of a lot of regular theater-goers from the area as well as tourists interested in the performing arts. The exhibition will target both of these groups, encouraging those already interested in dance and theater to learn about something new.

!8 Many factors make the Byham Theater an appropriate site for this exhibition.

While the other venues explored (see Appendix II) offer interesting spaces in unique neighborhoods with diverse audiences, the Byham will best suit the kinds of design choices included in Bauhaus Body and Movement. The design will use large spaces for dance performance and audience participation. It will accurately display the scope and scale of Triadic Ballet, which has large sweeping stage spaces and broad choreography. In addition, despite the large commercial scale of the Byham Theater compared to other options, it maintains a close relationship with the community and strives to keep a diverse audience. It reaches locals as well as visitors, and hosts large scale traveling shows as well as lesser known and local productions. The combination of a spacious interior for design and an outreach philosophy that attracts the target audience makes the Byham the ideal choice for this exhibition.

The backstage spaces of the Byham Theater will serve as the primary setting for

Bauhaus Body and Movement. The experience will evoke the culture of classroom and student life that was found at the Bauhaus school. Taking the existing backstage spaces of a theater — and transforming it into what the dance workshop at the Bauhaus may have felt like — will transport the audience into an experimental environment that can help communicate both the design and creative context in which Triadic Ballet was created, rehearsed, and performed.

The exhibition would take the place of one show season at the Byham. It would be a ticketed event like their traditional performances, but it would appeal to a broader audience interested in design and interactive experiences. It would encourage the

!9 Byham’s regular patrons to enrich their theater experience. In this way, Bauhaus Body and Movement would be beneficial to the theater, its existing clientele, and new-comers.

Audience

This exhibition’s target audience will include adults, students, and professionals.

Specifically it will be targeted towards those with an existing interest in the arts and design, or those who are looking to learn more about fundamentals in design or design movements. No previous knowledge of theater or the Bauhaus dance theater are required to understand this exhibition - its main intent is to guide the visitor through the basics of

Bauhaus principles of human studies and to introduce them to an art form they may know little about. The target audience can be broken down into three main demographic categories:

Regular Theater Patrons

These are visitors who are familiar with theater, and familiar with the experience as an audience member; this includes local regulars to this particular exhibition site (the

Byham Theater) as well as patrons of other theaters. This demographic is attracted to the exhibit’s context, and by a desire to learn more about the backstage elements of theater.

Bauhaus Body and Movement will serve as a celebration of an important performance to

!10 this audience, and as a history of the Bauhaus’s theater department, which will be of particular interest to this target audience group.

Design Professionals

This demographic is made up of adult/student-age visitors who are familiar with design or design principles, but are less familiar with the theater. They do not regularly attend the theater; they are attracted to this show because of its design relevance as an art/ art history exhibition. By visiting an exhibition that focuses on existing interests or knowledge, including design principles, Bauhaus history, and human factors, this target demographic will be exposed to a potentially new subject and be able to explore how

Triadic Ballet relates to the design profession. “Classic” Bauhaus aesthetics, as well as a focus on Bauhaus principles and theory, and hands-on exploration will encourage this audience group to attend, and will engage and teach both familiar and unfamiliar topics.

Pittsburgh Locals

Pittsburgh is a culturally blossoming city with an especially vibrant performing arts scene. This ranges from major touring musicals at the Byham and Benedum Centers to student productions at universities like Carnegie Mellon. Many people who are not necessarily familiar with either the theater or design principles may still be compelled to visit this exhibition because of growing popularity of cultural events downtown and the venues’ easy accessibility to locals.

!11 Interpretive Strategy

At this exhibition, visitors should feel as if they are at the original Bauhaus

Theater workshop. This includes a physical aesthetic setting reminiscent of the Bauhaus studio spaces, as well as an atmosphere that suggests the creative energy that was found there. Bauhaus inspired graphics and build-outs will work together with an existing

“studio” atmosphere to communicate the setting for Triadic Ballet. Bold color and graphic choices associated with Bauhaus aesthetic will not only make a historic connection but express the vibrancy of the school as it existed in the 1920’s and 30’s.

Visitors who normally act as audience members will now take an active role by “touring” the backstage spaces.

The exhibition will encourage hands on exploration, interaction, and opportunities to personally explore Bauhaus design principles. Demonstrations of the Bauhaus dances and ballets will be prominent, both live and on film. Up close and personal experiences with dancers and performers will be encouraged, as will audience participation.

Recreations of stage elements and costumes will be prioritized to create an environment like the original Bauhaus dance workshop - informal and experimental.

Throughout the exhibition, Triadic Ballet will be used as a case study to present the design legacy of the Bauhaus. Using this specific dance performance, instead of more broadly known Bauhaus products, the exhibition will showcase aspects of the school and its student body and faculty that made it truly special. This will include both technical aspects like color theory and human-centered design, as well as insights into the student

!12 body community and everyday life at the Bauhaus. Audiences will immerse themselves in a unique piece of performance art while learning the foundations of the Bauhaus legacy.

Content/Narrative

The exhibition will take the visitor through the conceptualization, creation, development, and production of Triadic Ballet and all of its elements. The design will use this performance piece as a case study of Bauhaus design principles as well as Bauhaus student culture, and so each portion of the exhibition will reflect an aspect of Triadic

Ballet, and relate it back to the basics of the Bauhaus and the aspects of student life that drove and surrounded its creation and performance.

The audience will enter the exhibition from the back of the Byham Theater building, through an existing loading dock that will be transformed into a welcoming entrance. The first gallery space the visitor will experience will introduce the Bauhaus and the Triadic Ballet, setting the background for the deeper content they will encounter throughout the exhibition. This section will immediately impress upon the audience the vibrancy and liveliness not only of the colorful Triadic Ballet, but the Bauhaus school in general. Videos, bright imagery, and a lighthearted atmosphere will set the scene for the visitor experience.

!13 The two content-based galleries that follow the introductory section will focus on choreography, costume, and dance studio student life. These features will work together as the visitor explores various displays and activities that will teach about the Triadic

Ballet’s conception, development, performance, and influence. Mechanics of the choreography will be explained, demonstrated, and made interactive for the visitor.

Bauhaus principles like color theory and human-centered design will be explored and linked back to the Triadic Ballet, all while maintaining an open, free-flowing space (both physically and experientially).

As the visitor moves from these content-based galleries onto the main stage space, they will encounter a large, open, and flexible space full of high-energy activity. This section of the exhibition will center around interactivity and demonstrations. While the audience will experience a performance in this space, it will be very different from what a seasoned theater-goer comes to expect from the performing arts. They will enter from backstage, which will change their perception of the performances immediately. Dancers will be present throughout the space, informally performing sections of the Triadic Ballet in such a way that breaks down invisible barriers between them and their audience.

Visitors will find they can approach the dancers, interact with them, and work one-on-one with them to learn more about the Triadic Ballet and its mechanics. The dancers will engage with the audience and encourage fun, experimentation, and interactivity.

Other sections in this space will feature augmented reality experiences to further engage the visitors with Triadic Ballet in a light-hearted, informal way. Interactive stations will allow visitors to dance and move in front of a screen that traces their

!14 movements and enhances them to show mechanics of their choreography. This will connect the the specifics of the Triadic Ballet that the audience learned about to their own bodily experience. Along with engaging the visitor through this experience, this feature will help to solidify the educational content of the exhibition.

Finally, the audience will conclude their exhibition experience in a concluding gallery space preceding the exit. This section will wrap up the experience with final imagery and footage, and will focus on celebrating the legacy of the Triadic Ballet and the Bauhaus. Visitors should walk away from the exhibition aware of the important influence these designs have on the world today as well as their everyday life. They should also leave having had an engaging, fun experience that leaves them feeling more creatively free to express themselves.

Design Strategy

The overall aesthetic and design strategy is made up of two parts which work together to reach two major target audience groups. Both of these facets of the design strategy are focused around an experience reflecting the original Bauhaus dance workshop. The backstage elements - showing behind the scenes aspects of the theater itself and of theater production, will appeal to the regular theater-goers. The overarching interior architecture inspired by the Bauhaus school and its design principles will be a draw for another target audience - design students and professionals.

!15 The “Backstage Experience”

Appealing to the audience of regular theater-goers, the design will offer a look into the backstage elements of a theater production, which many have not experienced.

The backstage will be designed to resemble the workshops at the Bauhaus, particularly

Oskar Schlemmer’s relaxed, informal and experimental dance workshop. It will attempt to recreate the stages of costume and choreographic design that would have existed in the context of this workshop.

Bauhaus-Inspired Interior Design/Architecture

In order to communicate the rich history of the Bauhaus and its fundamental design principles, the overarching visual theme of the exhibition will reflect the look and feel created by the original Bauhaus designers and artists. Spacial, graphic, architectural, and furniture design elements will look back to the influential designs that began at the

Bauhaus school.

Within these two over-arching design themes, the exhibition will feature five core design elements, all directed towards teaching visitors about the Triadic Ballet in fun, engaging ways. Each of these design elements will balance content delivery and visitor enjoyment by providing interesting information that is experienced, not taught.

The first of these design elements is the choreography exhibit. This includes video footage, graphic panels, and wall and floor graphic treatments that explore the fascinating

!16 movements and choreography of Triadic Ballet. The artist behind the big ideas of Triadic

Ballet, Oskar Schlemmer, will be introduced along with his dynamic sketches, paintings, and photographs that all helped to shape the production. Details of the dancers’ movements and the organization of the performance will be showcased in bold, bright screens and panels that create an immersive environment for visitors.

Photography by Bauhaus students will be the focus of the second design element.

Hundreds of photographs taken by students, both for class projects and informal personal use, have been archived from the Bauhaus. So many of these capture the fun-loving spirit of the student body and the vibrancy of life at the famous art school. Large, geometric light boxes will display some of these photographs, focusing specifically on life in the

Bauhaus’ dance studio and shots taken by creators and performers of Triadic Ballet. The goal of this design feature is to create an emotional connection to students at the Bauhaus, linking the audience to a passionate, fun-loving community. The Bauhaus and its design legacy will become more familiar and accessible to audiences when they are able to connect with the people who were involved there.

The third design element will display the elaborate costumes designed for Triadic

Ballet. In previous exhibitions about the Bauhaus that included these costumes, they were displayed on traditional dress forms. But historically it has come across as outdated and can be perceived as “creepy” by viewers unfamiliar with the Bauhaus. So instead of trying to find a way to display stationary costumes, the exhibition will use live models to showcase them. The costumes are nothing without the movement that brings them to life, and live models will allow the costumes to be viewed as intended.

!17 The next design feature is the augmented reality screen. This will allow visitors to move and dance in front of the screen, and try out some of the choreography from Triadic

Ballet. The screen will trace the geometry of the movements and link it back to the drawings and theories they’ve experienced in the exhibition. It will also superimpose the costumes from Triadic Ballet onto the reflections on the screen. Visitors will get to see themselves in the crazy costumes they’ve seen on the dancers, and will be a fun way to get more familiar with the elaborate nature of their designs.

The fifth and final design element in Bauhaus Body and Movement is the live performances of Triadic Ballet. In keeping with the engaging, interactive nature of this exhibition, and in order to offer a truly unique approach to the performing arts, the audience will experience the Triadic Ballet in much different way than they are used to.

The target audience will be used to watching dance productions from the seats of an auditorium, facing the stage. This exhibition will bring visitors to the stage from the back, allowing them to walk directly into the action. The demonstration will be acted out by various performers who will showcase parts of the Triadic Ballet informally. They will be approachable, and will encourage visitors to interact with them. The audience will have the chance to get up close and personal with the dancers, an experience that is impossible in most traditional ballet performances. Not only will this be conducive to learning about the dance itself, but it will encourage the audience to enjoy the free and open nature of the exhibition and become involved and engaged. The target audience should come away from this exhibition with an understanding of the Triadic Ballet, and with an appreciation of how it fits into the Bauhaus design legacy. Most of all, though, the audience should

!18 leave having had an engaging, fun experience that helps them connect with the vibrant creative minds at the Bauhaus.

!19 Bibliography

Eva Forgacs, The Bauhaus Idea and Bauhaus Politics (Budapest: Central European

University Press 1995)

Farkas Molnar, “Oskar Schlemmer’s Bauhaus Costume Parties”, in Between Two Worlds:

A Sourcebook of Central European Avant-Garde, 1910-1930 (Cambridge: The MIT Press

2002)

Frank Whitford, Bauhaus, (London: Thames and Hudson 1988)

Juliet Koss, “Bauhaus Theater of Human Dolls” in Bauhaus Culture: From Weimar to the

Cold War, ed Kathleen James-Chakraborty et al. (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota

Press 2006), 90-114

!20 Appendix I: Precedents

Bauhaus: Workshops for Modernity at MoMA

This was a multi-faceted exhibition, which included workshops, labs, symposium, and events. It included a large photography collection focusing on daily life at the

Bauhaus. Along with the school’s culture, this exhibition’s focus was on the school’s design and teaching legacy. Finally, it featured contemporary performance pieces inspired by Bauhaus productions.

Curtain Up: Celebrating 40 Years of Theater in London and New York at the Victoria and

Albert Museum

Part of the 40th anniversary of the Olivier Awards, this was a large scale multi- media exhibition intended to celebrate all aspects of theater production. “Curtain Up invites you to glimpse behind the scenes and immerse yourself into the world of artistic collaboration to discover how all aspects of a production come together in great theater.”

Set models, costumes, scripts, photos, footage, and more were featured in this exhibition.

Theater and performance tours were also offered.

Bauhaus: Art as Life at the Barbican Art Gallery

The most striking aspect of this exhibition was the interior architecture and graphic design that was informed by Bauhaus design principles. Without copying existing

Bauhaus designs, it evoked the spirit of the principles at work at the school. The

!21 exhibition focused on life at the school, rather than just its output and products. This was an art-based exhibit, and demonstrated a harmony of an art gallery setting and structural and visual principles from the Bauhaus.

Ergonomics: Real Design at the Design Museum

Ergonomics: Real design was a comprehensive display of the applications of ergonomic studies on design. Featured objects ranged from household items, to transit design, to safety systems. The exhibition covered physical, cognitive, and organizational ergonomics. It delved into the history of ergonomic theory, practice and understanding — primarily using a timeline of events and chronologically organized examples. “Often descibed as the science of everyday life, ergonomics combines scientific knowledge of human performance with design and engineering to create systems, products and services which are safe, efficient and enjoyable to use.”

!22 Appendix II: Site Exploration

The potential site search began with three possible sites for further examination

— the City Theater, the Byham Theater, and the Kelly Strayhorn Theater. All are located in Pittsburgh, a city with a love of culture and the performing arts — and also a leader in both. The sites are quite different in size and clientele, but all offer significant benefits within their physical spaces, their audience, and their content. City Theater was the first to be assessed:

“City Theatre is a professional theatre company located in Pittsburgh’s South Side. It specializes in productions of new plays and has commissioned new works by playwrights on the national theatre scene. In addition to its main stage season, City Theatre offers educational outreach programs such as the Young Playwrights Festival, in which selected submitted plays by students in middle school and high school are given professional productions, and City Theatre Playmakers, which provides opportunities for Pittsburgh youth to write radio dramas that are fully produced and broadcast.”

Kelly Strayhorn Theater is a non-profit community performing arts center in East

Liberty, producing live art through strategic vision and community collaboration. Kelly

Strayhorn is a smaller space that reaches a less diverse audience, but has a dedicated cult following and strives to be a space for community engagement and experimental arts.

This atmosphere may encourage the exhibition to change this neighborhood’s theater experience and allow me to use the spaces more creatively.

Ultimately Byham Theater was chosen for the site of this exhibition. This location offered not only the size and accomodations that the project would require physically, but

!23 is located in an area that attracts locals as well as tourists. The exhibition will therefore reach a broader audience, but one that is still within the target demographic.

!24