Bringing Back the Bauhaus: Rethinking Museum Education and Programs Bauhaus 1919 -1933 •Founded in 1919 by the architect Walter Gropius , Director, 1919 -28. •The two other directors were Hannes Meyer (1928-30) and Mies van der Rohe (1930-33) Weimar, 1919-25 Berlin, 1930-33 The Bauhaus building in Dessau after Dessau, 1925-30 the school’s departure. c. 1932–33. The Bauhaus offered a new approach to studying art. •Removed distinction between fine-arts and applied-arts •The workshops were led by both a master craftsman and a fine artist •Workshops included: sculpture, metalwork, woodworking, wall-painting, weaving Johannes Vermeer, The Allegory of Painting, 1666 Bauhaus metal workshop, 1923 The instructors were drawn from the artistic avant-garde Among the artists were: Paul Klee, 1879-1940 Paul Klee , Contrasts in the evening, 1924 Paul Klee , Analysis of Diverse Perversities, 1922 Paul Klee , Hand puppets created for the artist’s son, Felix Klee. 1916–25 Vasily Kandinsky, 1866-1944 Vasily Kandinsky Designs for wall paintings for the Jury-free art exhibition) Berlin. 1922 Vasily Kandinsky Auf Weiss II (On white II). 1923 László Moholy-Nagy, 1895-1946 László Moholy-Nagy Construction in enamel 2, 1922 László Moholy-Nagy László Moholy-Nagy Untitled (From the Berlin Untitled. 1926 radio tower). 1928 Bauhaus 1919 -1933: Workshops for Modernity , The Museum of Modern Art, November 2009 – January 2010 In this exhibition, the curators approached “the Bauhaus not as an artistic style or a programmatic movement but as a vibrant school.” View of recent exhibition, which includes examples of student exercises Texture study for preliminary course Color analysis of a Madonna painting, for preliminary course, c. 1921 Johannes Itten established the “Preliminary Course” at the Bauhaus in order to teach the basics of material characteristics, composition, and color. Rhythmic study for preliminary Johannes Itten with course. his Color sphere in 7 light values and 12 tones Bauhaus wood carving workshop, 1923 Glass painting workshop in Henry van der Velde’s former School of applied arts, 1923 Bauhaus metal workshop, 1923 Bauhaus Lab, MoMA Bauhaus Lab allowed participants to display the work they created in the hands-on workshops. Bauhaus Lab brochure Johannes Itten: Bauhaus Curricula Meister Francke. Adoration of the Johannes Itten. Analysis of Meister Magi , c. 1424 Francke’s Adoration of the Magi, 1921 JOHANNES ITTEN: Analysis of Old Masters Throughout the history of art, artists trained by imitating and faithfully reproducing the Old Masters. At the Bauhaus, Johannes Itten asked students not to simply copy these paintings, but rather to reduce them to their underlying basic geometric shapes and forms. Try this exercise yourself. Look at Master Francke’s Adoration of the Magi (15 th century) displayed on the table and search for geometric shapes. Draw what you see as the most important lines, curves and shapes within the composition. How does your drawing of geometric shapes compare to the Old Master’s work? Take a look at Johannes Itten’s analysis of the same painting. How is yours different? Johannes Itten: Bauhaus Curricula Participants with their Itten-inspired texture collages in Bauhaus Lab’s “Paul Klee + Johannes Itten: Bauhaus Curricula” Artist unknown. Texture study for preliminary course taught by Johannes Itten. 1919 Joost Schmidt. Cover of a Bauhaus pamphlet with Bauhaus curtain fabrics and wallpaper. Dessau, 1930-31 Hajo Rose. Fabric with printed Gunta Stölzl. Samples of upholstery fabrics. 1928 typewriting pattern. 1932 BAUHAUS BAGS: DESIGN YOUR OWN TOTE http://moma.org/explore/inside_out/category/education/page/4 WALKING TABLES + WRESTLING FOALS: A HANDS-ON WORKSHOP AND PERFORMANCE http://www.moma.org/explore/multimedia/videos/82/495 Instructor and students analyze color relationships in Bauhaus Lab’s Josef Albers Color Workshop Ati Gropius at the Bauhaus Lab: Three-Dimensional Workshop Ati Gropius at the Bauhaus Lab Learning to See: The Dynamics of Color Meister Francke. Adoration of the Magi , c. 1424.