Bauhaus Influences on Photography and Architecture free essay sample

History of Photography Final Research Project Bauhaus: Influences on Photography and Architecture After the defeat in the First World War and the fall of the German monarchy, Germany faced darkness and lost hope in the future. Walter Gropius, a German architect, who served in the war, saw the need of re-orienting the art world for the better (Westphal, 7). One year after the First World War, 1919, Gropius opened a school in Weimar, Germany called the Bauhaus school. His intention for this school was to create a total work of art in which all arts would be brought together (Bayer, 12).He also wanted to create a â€Å"consulting art center for industry and the trades† (Bayer, 13). In his Bauhaus Manifesto, Gropius mentions that â€Å"old art schools were unable to create unity. They must once more become part of the workshop: the world of drawing and painting, of designers and handicraft-artists must at last become a building world again† (Westphal, 6). We will write a custom essay sample on Bauhaus: Influences on Photography and Architecture or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He also envisioned conceiving and creating a â€Å"new building of the future† by combining architecture, painting, and sculpture (Westphal, 7). Never done before, Gropius thought it was appropriate to combine architecture with art, which would help the future of our world (Westphal, 11). Although Gropius wanted to combine architecture with art, architecture was not in the curriculum during the first couple years. The teaching method at Bauhaus was to have two teachers; an artist and a master craftsman, in each subject (Bayer, 15), which helped students gain the most experience. Most people mistaken that Bauhaus is part of the â€Å"ism†, but the truth is that different â€Å"ism† are part of the Bauhaus school. Many of the teachers at Bauhaus grew up with expressionism, cubism, surrealism, and Dadaism; therefore, the designs were influenced by these isms (Bayer, 16).Due to its highly sophisticated teachers and curriculum, the school soon raised modern artists that were familiar with science and economics, uniting creative imagination with a practical knowledge of craftsmanship (Bayer, 13). The school was moved from Weimer to Dessau, Germany in 1925 with a new director, Hannes Meyer. By this time, new generations of teachers had been trained with creativ e art, craftsmanship, and industrial design, that the dual teacher system could be abandoned (Bayer, 13). New curriculums were also put in: steel furniture, modern textiles, dishes, lamps, modern typography, layout, architecture, city and regional planning (Bayer, 16). Bauhaus style, or free style, was becoming more prominent in the art world. The school was moved once more from Dessau to Berlin, Germany in 1930, with another new director, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (Westphal, 11). When students first started at the Bauhaus school, they would go through a series of preliminary courses followed by workshop training courses until they received their Bauhaus diploma (Westphal, 40).The preliminary course teachers included Johannes Itten, Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, Josef Albers, Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, and Oskar Schlemmer. Itten taught artistic form, handicrafts and technical skills, and in social and human concerns (Westphal, 40). He also wanted to help students free their creative powers, by giving them experience and knowledge (Westphal, 41). Maholy-Nagy taught the structure of objects and the identification of their basic characteristics: geometric forms, ratios and measurements, structure, texture, light, contrasts, and variations (Westphal, 46).Moholy-Nagy emphasized on the relationship between form and function, which he believed it will help the students’ distinguish between objects (Westphal, 47). Specifically, his course taught the study and construction of designs, experimenting with light, blueprints for typography, and experiments in film and photography (Westphal, 49). His experimental photography led to producing one of the first photograms, film exposure without a camera. His work influenced the school broad range of experimental art photography (Westphal, 49).Josef Albers taught the studies of materials in the form of positive-negative representations. Some of his assignments were to create an impression of three-dimensionality in a two-dimensional drawing, and figurative studies drawing from nature (Westphal, 51). Wassily Kandinsky taught analytical thought process to help students understand the basic concepts of design in painting. His class included learning color, shapes, lines, composition, and characteristics (Westphal, 54). Paul Klee taught the analysis of sensory perception, picture construction, and color theory on a more intense level (Westphal, 59).He mentions that Expressionism, the strength to discover the inner strength, and science played a huge role in his curriculum (Westphal, 59). Oskar Schlemmer taught stage and costume design (Westphal, 60). After the preliminary courses, students would have the opportunity to eight workshops: furniture, metal, print and advertizing, photography, theatre, wall painting, ceramics, and weaving (Westphal, 73). These courses prepared students to acquire solid craft skills. Also, just like the preliminary courses, the workshop would be an in-depth learning and experience of each subject.The photography department was under Walter Peterhans in 1929. Photography was initially only used for catalogue illustrations for advertising (Moholy-Nagy, 134). With Moholy-Nagy’s enthusiasm in photography, he was able to bring respect to the Bauhaus school. Moholy-Nagy also suggested the term â€Å"language of light†, which is still used today. Bauhaus supported students to be experimental and pushed students to interpret their inner feeling. The department also offered a comprehensive program that gave students every opportunity to learn their profession as photographers. The department educated many photographers including Herbert Bayer, Lucia Moholy, Otto Umbehr, Florence Henri, Erich Consemueller, and Lux Feininger (Westphal, 111). On the other hand, the architecture department did not bloom until 10 years after the opening of the Bauhaus school. This was due to the lack of knowledge in architecture in society; architects back then were simply technical drafters. The different architectural visions of the three directors did not help the unity of the architecture department either. Gropius wanted unity with architecture and art.Meyer wanted functionality, and Mies wanted aesthetics (Kentgens-Craig, 108). But once the department started, it caught up with the other department quickly. The department’s aim is similar to what Gropius wrote in his Bauhaus Manifesto; to create a building in which the various arts and handicrafts would unite to produce a Gasamtkunstwerk: total work of art (Kentgens-Craig 145). In 1933, the Bauhaus school was forced to close by the Nazi regime. After the school closed down, Moholy-Nagy immigrated to the United States to continue the Bauhaus school (Kentgens-Craig, 163).In 1937, after an invitation to Chicago’s Association of Art and Industry, he decided to open his school, New Bauhaus, in Chicago (Institute). After a brief closure due to financial problems, Moholy-Nagy reopened the school as the Chicago School of Design (Moholy-Nagy, 170). In 1944, the school became the Institute of Design, and in 1949, it became part of Illinois Institute of Technology (Institute). Although there were some struggles, the Bauhaus school and New Bauhaus succeeded in producing many famous photographers and architects. Faculty of the New Bauhaus included Harry Callahan, Gyorgy Kepes, Arthur Siegel, Aaron Siskind, Ralph Rapson, Konrad Wachsmann, and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (Kentgens-Craig, 138). Alumni include Richard Nickel, Louis Sauer, Alfred Arndt, and Fred Forbat (Institute). It is apparent that both of the Bauhaus schools were very influential to today’s photography and architecture world. Although different forms of visual subject, one thing that is similar between photography and architecture is that they are both questioned if they are art.Critics have written numerous articles debating if these two accepted as art, or if they are simply a mechanical way of documenting and producing. Also, they think that camera will do all the work and the photographer is there to do some manipulation. For example, WWII photographers took images in the battlefield, sent them to the studio, and the labs developed the film and printed the photos. Also in architecture, critics have always questioned if architecture is art or solely an engineering mechanism.To defend, the Bauhaus school exemplifies that photography and architecture are indeed art. As stated before, the preliminary courses that students go through are artists process such as painting, color study, space, rhythm, etc, which are highly connected to art. Learning the basic art expanded the students’ horizon in art, which they were able to use the knowledge in their photography and architecture. The Bauhaus school’s methods were interesting in fostering traditional modes of art making. Learning the basics of design created a strong foundation for designers.This method applies to architects and photographers, both groups struggle with issues of rhythm, color, or viewpoint. This learning process heavily influenced the architects and photographers work since importance was placed on treating their work as art. For architects this meant a rethinking of materials and form, which caused the iconic image of Bauhaus buildings. And for photography it meant that photographs were no longer purely documentary but instead could produce artwork. The Bauhaus intended to make architecture that was art.Yet even today the definition of art and the classification of architecture are still unclear. In an interview with architect, Renzo Piano, he was asked a question of â€Å"Is architecture ‘art’? † His answer was, â€Å"Yes, architecture is art. It is the most contaminated art. If youre a bad writer, people wont read your book. If youre a bad musician, they will ignore your music. If youre a bad architect, the city has to live with your work for a very long time (Friend). Bibliography Westphal, Uwe. The Bauhaus. New York: Gallery Books. 1991. Print Bayer, Herbert Gropius, Walter, and Gropius, Ise.