Bauhaus, as many of us are familiar with the name, derived from the literal German word “construction house”. It defines the German school of arts in the early 20th century and was founded by Walter Gropius. What makes the school so interesting is the idea of their movement and approach to techniques which makes their students our definition of the “T” person. The school have morphed into an art school infused of aesthetics from architecture as well as design, whilst maintaining its influence on modern and contemporary art.

In 1919, Walter Gropius, regarded as one of the pioneer master of modernist architect, opened up Bauhaus school and brought together a hub for well-known artists like Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, lyonel Feininger, Johannes Iten, Georg Muche, Oskar Schlemmer as well as Josef Albers. As Bauhaus aimed to unify art, handwork and the industry, they provided apprenticeship programmes in applied arts of carpentry, pottery, metalworking, glasswork, stage design, photography and commercial art. 

The foundation course or Vorkurs, directed by Swiss born artist/educator Johannes Itten, was to stimulate students’ in materials, drawing techniques and forms, progressing into their specialization in the Bauhaus workshops (ceramics, glass, painting, mural painting, furniture, metalwork, textiles). Itten had also attempted to draw connections between artistic activity and discovery of unconscious reality, which connected with Kandinsky’s own “Concerning the Spiritual in Art” published in 1911. 

For Itten’s mysticism, he was later in 1923 replaced by Hungarian Constructivist Lazlo Moholy-Nagy. In1923, Josef Albers & Laszlo Moholy-Nagy were appointed to succeed Johannes Itten. Moholy-Nagy introduced industrially functionalist designs in the metal workshops, discouraging traditional materials and handicrafts in favour of technologically produced modern materials: steel tubing, glass, plywood. He began informing Bauhaus of its more industrial focus, committing the school to new material technology and mass production, reducing the importance of craft specialization and traditional workshop training; on the artist-constructor, than the artist-craftsman.

In 1925, as they were pressured by the conservative government, Bauhaus moved to Dessau. The building was designed by Walter Gropius, architectonic sensation with glass-faced workshop reflecting the Bauhaus’ style.

The changes of venue and leadership resulted in a constant shifting of focus, technique, instructors, and politics. For example, the pottery shop was discontinued when the school moved from Weimar to Dessau, even though it had been an important revenue source; Bauhaus commits to Functionalism, with convictions for a better society,

“A thing is defined by its essence. In order to design it so that it functions well – a receptacle, a chair, a house – its essence must first be explored; it should serve its purpose perfectly, that is, fulfil its function practically and be durable, inexpensive and ‘beautiful’.” (Walter Gropius, 1925)

Bauhaus continued in the expression “form follows function’. Aesthetic assessments were made in terms of function, and beauty was defined in terms of utility. This approach was very attractive because it gave designers a strong framework from which they could analyse the built environment. Industrial production and machine aesthetic was then consciously adopted. It was at the Bauhaus that the idea of a designer being both an artist and a craftsman came into being as they embraced industry and its creative possibilities for mass-production. The development of industry presented designers with exciting new opportunities and the relationship between art and industry was re-assessed. 

In 1925, Bauhaus GmbH established, Catalog produced with illustrated Bauhaus products. The next two years, the Architectural Building department established under leadership of Hannes Meyer, who introduced psychology, sociology and economics. In 1930, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe appointed, Bauhaus principles and structure altered. Under political and financial pressures, Bauhaus temporarily moved to Berlin.

1933, closed under unstoppable Nazi regime, having been painted as a centre of communist intellectualism. Although the school was closed, the staff continued to spread its idealistic precepts as they left Germany and emigrated all over the world. However, Bauhaus ideologies continued to spread outside of Germany as Moholy-Nagy founded New Bauhaus in Chicago in 1937.