Although currently the exhibit at the Bauhaus Archive is really limited due to reconstruction, I had really good time exploring the philosophy of that school. The exhibit still gives a good overview of the main works and thoughts of Gropius, Klee, Kandinsky, Oswald, Brandt, Moholy-Nagy, Itten, Brener and others.

The overall approach was to combine art and technology. The new designed objects had to be defined by their nature. There were two main questions posed to students: What do you want to express? And What would be the best material to do so? A lot of attention was paid to the attributes of the material, finding the balance and saving the material – using what’s at hand to facilitate the inventiveness of students.

What struck me the most was the wholesome approach of the education. For example, Johannes Itten in his preliminary course was working with relaxation, breathing exercises and rythmic exercises – he believed that rythm through the breathing is the basis for all artistic creations. And he worked to develop a whole person to release the creative energy. “Art has to be sensed”.

With my two architect friends we then joined the workshop and created some Bauhaus-inspired hats and other art work.

If you’re interested to learn more – join one of the Creative Rendezvous workshops in Copenhagen during March and April 2017.