Bauhaus: Art as Life
04.05.2012
Posted by:
Camilla James
I arrived at the Barbican centre last night to see the Bauhaus
exhibition. I used to work near the Barbican - about ten years ago
and I had forgotten the sheer scale and imposing structure of the
place. I don't know this post-modern movement of Brutalism, but the
starkness and fortress-like monstrosity of the Barbican cannot be
ignored, especially on a cold wet London night.
Inside the place is equally imposing, with block-like, maze-like
spaces devoted to a library, communal areas, quite a funky
'canteen' space and the exhibition area hosting the Bauhaus
exhibition, which, in its strange way, is probably the best place
for a Bauhaus exhibition to sit. These contrasting, yet very
powerful movements complement each other both in form and
function.
I studied the Bauhaus a good many years ago, so I enjoyed
wondering through the exhibition as names and works were
remembered. It is always far more rewarding seeing art for real -
rather than in a text book. Names such as the founder Walter
Gropius, the expressionist Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, László
Moholy-Nagy, Herbert Bayer et al all came flooding back as I paused
to examine examples of their work. The arts and crafts, the graphic
design and fonts, the photography and the architecture.
Actually - all quite inspiring for an ex-graphic designer. Even
from a top-level 'shallow' perspective, without going into the
whole psychology and analysis of the movement…
What I never learnt back at school, and what struck us at the
exhibition was the community spirit these creative personalities
and artists had. What fun they had designing invitations for events
and parties. The home-made gifts they made for each other on their
birthdays, and the fun that came through in their work and
photography. The joyful, playful approach and the passion in their
approach - to enjoy and relish in their creativity and friendships.
Just being silly. Maybe we've lost a bit of that as we all strive
to pave a path for ourselves in today's competitive world.
It struck me that maybe the hippies of the sixties and the
revolution of Woodstock, was not the first modern break from
society. Maybe these conservatively dressed artists of Weimar,
Germany were the real ones to start a revolution. Maybe. But then,
in the late 1930s, times changed. Radically. So I guess we'll never
know.
Photo: Iwao Yamawaki Bauhaus Building, Dessau, 1930-32
Vintage print 37.8 x 28 cm Galerie Berinson, Berlin © Makoto
Yamawaki
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