The Bauhaus produced influential design movements of the 20 th century. The development took place in spite of the short physical existence of the Bauhaus in Weimar and Dessau, Germany. The weaving workshop of the Bauhaus fundamentally influenced textile design in the 20 th and the 21 st centuries. The influence is primarily derived from the provision that the weaving workshop was one of the most successful workshops of the Bauhaus. Women, who experimented on the traditional as well as industrialized weaving methods, fundamentally attended the weaving workshop. Georg Muche led this workshop for six years, between the year 1921 and 1927. 1 Muche emphasized on the bulk production, a decision that increased the profitability of the workshop.
Most of the individuals that went to study at the Weimar Bauhaus did not have anything in common. However, a majority of the women desired to take up weaving. For this reason, Gropius thought that it would be wise to restrict the number of women admitted through raising the competence standards required for the position. 2 On the other hand, the women applying to become students had to give samples of their work, a statement stipulating their financial position, details of any apprentice work they might have done, a medical certificate, and their resume. 3 Those fortunate to secure a position as students were taken through a trial period, after which they would only be confirmed based on their performance in the preliminary course. In line with the reasoning presented is the idea that Gropius was responsible for tightening the regulations of the students, consequently improving the creativity of the students since they had to deliver high quality and unique product designs.
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Some students grew to become heads in the weaving workshop. One such student was Gunta Stölzl, who taught herself a considerable number of technical as well as practical skills such as dyeing. Concerning the form of the teaching, the female students oriented themselves to different lessons that replicated the work done by Paul Klee, Wassily Kandinsky, and Johannes Itten. 4 This orientation provided the students with the opportunity to transfer different concepts such as color and form to the weaving workshop. The identified developments provided ground for the contemporary interior designs used for wall coverings as well as upholstery fabrics. An example of the prototypes produced in the weaving workshop include the Haus am Hon, and the designs used in Sommerfeld House. 5
In Dessau, director Hannes Meyer emphasized on the development of fabrics that could be produced economically. Conversely, the director emphasized on the production of fabrics made of synthetic fibers. The emphasis on the identified types of production ensured that the weaving workshop would remain as one of the successful and productive workshop of all other workshops in Bauhaus. As identified earlier, the students that were picked for the weaving workshop had to complete an introductory course that focused on different provisions such as color and design theories. Conversely, the students had to experiment with different materials, which could be indicative of the notion that the curriculum of the weaving workshop was an extension of the introductory course. Even though most of the students had extensive education in art, the introductory course paved way for the students to learn about the avant-garde principles that formed the foundation of the design and philosophy of Bauhaus.
Dessau changed the conception of the weaving workshop. In this case, when Bauhaus was moved to Dessau, the director emphasized on ensuring that the students would design contemporary fabrics, including those that could be used in industrial production. 6 However, the director did not stop the students from producing their one-of-a-kind art pieces. Instead, they were encouraged to do so. Dessau popularized multi-layered weaving as one of the most suitable ways to combine color in the producing of designs for the industrial environment. The developments led to the creation of crisp geometric designs that characterize the Bauhaus style. The style was an adoption of the different student creations, since the students continued experimenting with innovative materials they used in fabrics. Anni Albers and Otti Berger were regarded as the pioneers of using cellophane in the produced fabrics. 7
One of the admired and presumably the most respected teacher at the Bauhaus, Paul Klee, enhanced the curriculum in the weaving workshop, consequently developing a specific course that could only be applied by the weavers. The new curriculum was used to teach the weavers for a couple of years since it was more structured and rigorous than the course that was being applied in Weimar. Apart from emphasizing on the design of the production, Klee’s curriculum contained additional provisions that emphasized on the use of material and equipment, novel finishing techniques, dyeing, as well as industrial production. 8 For this reason, the industry started recognizing the need to collaborate with the Bauhaus designers, which is a factor that led to the culmination of contracts between the weaving workshop and external entities.
Hannes Meyer was regarded as an avowed Marxist that considered arts in terms of the social benefits that it could derive. For this reason, Meyer introduced petty regulations that the students had to follow. The regulations were borrowed from Marxist political theory. The petty regulations testified to the precarious state on Bauhaus after the departure of Meyers. The regulations provoked enmity between Meyers and other colleagues. The provocation was primarily a derivative of the idea that Meyers was a left wing and an anti-art person. 9 However, the school was of a different opinion, consequently regarding Meyers as a splendid individual. Regardless of the position taken by the two entities, the students were expected to follow the set rules, regardless of their beliefs in relation to political theory.
There is a possibility of arguing that Bauhaus was regarded as one of the most influential schools in modernist art. The approach used in the institution to teach students and to establish the relationship between provisions such as technology, society, and art had significant effects in regions such as the United States and England. 10 The approach was consequently implemented long after Bauhaus’ closure due to the Nazi pressure. Some of the artist schools that borrowed information from Bauhaus included Art Nouveau, as well as Arts and Crafts. 11 The Bauhaus school influenced the related Art Nouveau styles such as Vienna Secession and the Jugendstil. The movements focused on the development of a distinctive relationship between fine and applied art, consequently leading to the reuniting of creativity as well as manufacturing.
One of the legacies of Bauhaus art is a reflection of the romantic medievalism of the ethos followed by Bauhaus. In this light, the institution fashioned itself as s of artisans' guild, which is a vision that could be recognized after the school united art with industrial design. 12 This unification underpinned vital and original achievements. The extraordinary faculty of the school was responsible for institution measures that led to art development as well as the modern thought on art throughout the United States and Europe. In spite of the identified influential elements, the school was anxious because of the fears about the notion that the soullessness of contemporary manufacturing could create losses related to the social relevance of art. For this reason, the school focused more on reuniting fine art with its functional design, consequently creating practical objects that reveal the soul of the particular artistic design.
In conclusion, the assessment of Bauhaus provides important insight on the achievements made by Bauhaus. Bauhaus' approach focused on experimentation as well as problem-solving, which was also characteristics of the designs developed at the weaving workshop. The approach to teaching cannot only be regarded as a factor that has contributed to contemporary art education, but also the rethinking of concepts such as fine art and visual arts. These concepts influenced the reconceptualization of the artistic process. In this case, the approach considered the artistic process as akin to humanities, historical literature, and research science. Influential artists of Bauhaus, such as Paul Klee, were instrumental to the development of formal innovation. The developed ideas were evolving even after the closure of Bauhaus since the students could use the knowledge gained from the institution to implement new approaches to making art.
Bibliography
Droste, Magdalena. Bauhaus, 1919-1933 . Köln: Taschen, 2002.
Office of the Bauhaus Association. "Weaving: Bauhaus100". Cms.Bauhaus100.De , November 27, 2018, http://cms.bauhaus100.de/en/past/teaching/workshops/weaving/.
Whitford, Frank. Bauhaus . New York: Thames and Hudson Inc., 1984.
