Another centenary that will be elaborately celebrated in 2019 (April 25th) is the foundation of the Bauhaus, the most radical and influential art and design school of the 20th century, which was ultimately an immensely successful cultural exporter. The school, founded by Walter Gropius in 1919 in Weimar, and moved to Dessau in 1925 and to Berlin in 1931, was closed down in 1933, when the Nazis came to power, and was constantly subjected to the complex political state of Germany during its lifetime. The centenary will be marked by dozens events in all five continents, including the opening of three museums in the three locations that hosted the short-lived school: Weimar, Dessau, and Berlin. The events will be lead by the Bauhaus Archive in Berlin, which will be expanded into a new museum, housing the world’s largest collection on the history and influence of the school. Its inaugurated exhibition, entitled “Bauhaus: Production – Reproduction” will explore the relationships between one-of-a-kind pieces and mass production, originals and reproductions. 2019 will be a fantastic time to learn about the various aspects that had made the Bauhaus into the laboratory of German Modernism. |I will devote many posts and a part of the upcoming Spring Dialogues to the legacy of the Bauhaus in design, architecture, and education. And, I cannot get over this miniature mobile bus modeled after the famed Bauhaus building in Dessau, and which will embark on a road trip to mark the opening of the celebrations. Photo: Van Bo Le-Mentzel.
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