Bauhaus

The Bauhaus movement is a highly influential movement of modern design which took place in Germany from 1919 till 1933 when the school was closed by the Nazi regime. Greatly impacted by the First World War, the Bauhaus movement presented a new aesthetic in response to social change. The movement encouraged artists to discover and act upon their social responsibility to the community following the devastation of the war, and in return hoped that the community would accept and support the artists.

This new approach incorporated design, craftsmanship and machine technology as means of reaching a pure or simplified form without ornamentation, therefore, artists rejected minor details and decorative elements and placed more importance on the elegance of form. The Bauhaus movement illustrates straight edges, clean lines and slim forms all of which create a fresh style of design. Its influences can be found in a range of design and architecture including typography, graphic design, interior design, and industrial design. It is through the collaboration of artists from a variety of fields that the Bauhaus movement developed such impressive influence.

Pieces of the Bauhaus movement are currently on display at the MoMA in New York. The exhibition, titled, Bauhaus 1919-1933: Workshops for Modernity, is being held November 8, 2009 through January 25, 2010.

This exhibition will have a number of pieces on display which greatly exemplify the movement including, Marcel Breuer’s Wassily Chair. Marcel Breuer, considered one of the masters of modern design, reveals a great interest in modular design and simplified form as exemplified by this piece's clean construction and a strong yet simple use of color and materials.

The works of the Bauhaus movement reflect a simple aesthetic as well as a great sense of social responsibility as designers came to understand their artwork's role in society.