“An exhibition … on display at the Bauhaus in Dessau presents one of the lesser-known chapters of the institution’s history, in which it functioned as ‘the meeting point of the cosmopolitan avant-gardes.’ As early as 1922, not so long after Bauhaus’ founding, Johannes Itten was asked to send some of his own work and that of other Bauhaus masters and students to Calcutta, the location of an exhibition planned by the ‘Indian Society of Oriental Art.’ Austrian art historian Stella Kramrisch had brokered the contact between India and Germany, having previously met Itten in Vienna. Bauhaus was still in its infancy at the time, still finding its feet, and thus open to spiritual and esoteric influences. As such, Indian architecture, craftsmanship and philosophy were all valid sources of inspiration for the Bauhaus masters and served as key role models. Even Gropius was inspired by Gothic and Indian architecture during this particular period. He didn’t view them as buildings designed by individual specialists but as a paragon for the future communal projects to be undertaken at Bauhaus.”
—Ralf Wollheim, Stylepark: Bauhaus in Calcutta
And in Pasadena, Fine Art students at ArtCenter College of Design have crafted a show in response to the Dessau exhibition – Das Bauhaus in Kalkutta – which happened in 2013.
Student work focusing on form, color, composition. An ode to BAU.
Bauhaus in Kolkata runs thru 6 February 2019
Spotlight Gallery 870 S Raymond Avenue
ArtCenter South Campus in Pasadena
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—julia allegretti
Flommist Julia Allegretti is trash. Copyright © 2019 Julia Allegretti.
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