Picked this up at the @fotografiska.newyork last spring during their #moholynagy exhibition. @larsmullerpublishers has reproduced the 1925 #designs but with English translations of the #bauhausbucher series of books. They were initiated by Moholy-Nagy & #waltergropius to promote the #newdesign philosophies coming out of the #bauhaus . While the #book is called #painting #photography #film , it’s very apparent in the essays & the visual content that László was much more interested in the latter two. Fascinating as an #arthistorical record and as documentation of some experimental projects that were never fully realized – there’s a great visual “script” at the very end to a film that never was produced. #artbook #typography #graphicdesign #bookdesign #avantgarde #arthistory #designhistory (at Fotografiska New York) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn-MFajuyrf/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Celebrate the Bauhaus Centennial with Lars Müller's remarkable Bauhausbücher facsimile editions! Today marks the 100th anniversary of the Bauhaus school of art and design, founded by Walter Gropius in Weimar, Germany, in 1919 and forced shut by the Nazis in 1933. Between 1925 and 1930, under the direction of Gropius and László Moholy-Nagy, the school published 14 concise books elucidating its key protagonists' ideas on art, design and architecture. Now, noted Swiss design publisher @larsmullerpublishers is bringing the entire series back as facsimile editions that have gone through the monumental process of being translated into English and reset into the original typography and design. So today, we celebrate not only the centenary of the Bauhaus, but Lars Müller's remarkable ongoing contribution, which begins with these four titles: ‘Walter Gropius: International Architecture,’ ‘Paul Klee: Pedagogical Sketchbook,’ ‘Piet Mondrian: New Design’ and ‘László Moholy-Nagy: Painting, Photography, Film.’ #bauhauscentennial #bauhaus #gropius #paulklee #moholynagy #mondrian #bauhausbucher #bauhausbooks #designbooks @bauhaus100 https://www.instagram.com/p/BwcKZgKnMUk/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=rxc8pjg1uhgg

Untitled Wednesday Library Series, Part 47

Yet again, it has been a hell of a shit of a goddamn of a week. Somehow, in spite of all that and also myself, I managed to wrap up Kazimir Malevich’s The World as Objectlessness as prepared under the Kunstmuseum Basel and published by Hatje Kantz in 2014.

The titular text was (mostly) written in Russian as Мир как беспредметность but was first published in German as Die gegendstandlose Welt in 1927. The story of its preparation and translation is slightly more fraught than I want to talk about here — I can do so separately if anyone is interested — but suffice it to say this is a new and original English version. We have Antonina W. Bouis to thank for that. Also included are two essays by each of Britta Tanja Dümpelmann and Simon Baier. It’s a hard book to summarize, but let’s try.

(As I finished that last sentence, the podcast I’m barely listening to namedropped Malevich. Wild.)

The How

I think — though this could be a false memory — I stumbled across a mention of this reading about a different Bauhausbuch. This is one of those weird complicated acquisitions that you’ve forgotten the details of by the time it finally arrives months later. That I could afford it is down to the fact it was used; I think a new copy would’ve been an order of magnitude more expensive. All of which is to say: eBay.

The Text

I outlined the contents earlier to save time here, but even so this is going to run on.

The Dümpelmann essay handles a basic outline of Malevich’s life, and of The World as Objectlessness as a text and an archival object. A large number of preparatory materials (original illustrations, drafted text, correspondence about the translation and publication) still exist, mostly in the collection of the Kunstmuseum Basel. Some of the middle of essay is a painstaking description of individual items, but the overall trajectory is that of a timeline or a biography.

Baier’s contribution does the theoretical legwork. Malevich’s Suprematism is even headier than the earlier Cubism and Cubo-Futurism/Russian Futurism. Especially in his middle and late career, his writing output was more significant than his painting, so the synthesis here is both helpful and extremely merciful. Malevich’s way with words may in fact be worthwhile, but what it isn’t is straightforward.

The ‘Catalogue’ here comprises excellent scans of entire sheets, with notes from Malevich and collaborators like Moholy-Nagy, used to prepare the original Bauhaus publication. The item descriptions are very extensive and quite delicious.

Now, despite having a section titled ‘Malevich’s Mir kak bezprodmetnost in the new German and English translations’, this volume only has the English. That version and the supporting manuscripts apparently share an introduction across languages (and in any case can’t really be separated from each other as projects), but the choice is very odd; I’m used to books like this being bi- or trilingual and I’m not sure why this one isn’t.

The Object

Despite that damage I’m sure you noticed to the painted section of the cover, this copy is nearly pristine. It was beautifully made from the outset, so that’s not too surprising. Very thick, dense paper; heavy stitched binding; weapons grade boards; large overall size.

The type design is interesting and leaves me feeling conflicted. Introductions are set in columns, essays in sans serif, and Malevich’s writings in a serif that’s pretty unsightly at this scale. Anything written by Malevich has red stripes toward the hinge; newer additions have black.

The image reproduction is gorgeous, but the color quality on the Knife Grinder inset is duller than I’ve seen before. Makes me wonder how the others compare, but admittedly it’s from a different museum and may be photographed differently.

The Why, Though?

Because I want to have my grubby hands on things like Combined Suprematist Composition (Feeling of Metallic Rustling, Dynamic, Pale-metallic Tone) and Suprematist Composition (White on White): Feeling of Fading without flying to Basel of all places.

Also because the cover is a delightfully executed reference to a compositional choice the book doesn’t shut up about. Love a cohesive package.

1925-1930 | Primi 10 numeri del Bauhausbucher

bauhausbucher 7. neue arbeiten der bauhauswerkstatten, 1925

'Walter Gropius: New Works from Bauhaus Workshops' (Bauhausbücher 7, reprinted in its original design and in English translation) is NEW from @larsmullerpublishers⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Edited by Walter Gropius & László Moholy-Nagy.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ The Bauhaus sought to unite life, craftsmanship and art under one coherent ethos and aesthetic. In 'New Works from Bauhaus Workshops'—the seventh of the Bauhaus’ publications—the institute’s founder, Walter Gropius (1888-1969), provides a comprehensive overview of the Bauhaus workshops. He explains the basic principles guiding the teaching, describes contemporary developments in architecture and illuminates the Bauhaus point of view on household utensils, which was geared toward finding the most suitable form for the respective object. Here, Gropius presents the Bauhaus workshops in Weimar devoted to furniture, metals, textiles and ceramics, among other subjects.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Read more via linkinbio.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Check our feed to see all four of the new releases in @larsmullerpublishers Bauhausbücher series.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Please order from your local independent #bookstorehero⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ #bauhausbucher #waltergropius #gropius #bauhaus #MoholyNagy #bauhausworkshops ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ https://www.instagram.com/p/CJKHAX4pedu/?igshid=1iki8frpg1016

'Adolf Meyer, Walter Gropius & Georg Muche: A Bauhaus Experimental House' (Bauhausbücher 3, reprinted in its original design and in English translation) is NEW from @larsmullerpublishers⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Edited by Walter Gropius & László Moholy-Nagy.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Adolf Meyer (1881-1929) was Walter Gropius’ right-hand man, his planner and close confidant. As early as 1910, they jointly created the Fagus Factory, one of the most important modernist buildings. The experimental single-family home, “Haus am Horn,” was built for the first Bauhaus exhibition, in the summer of 1923 in Weimar. The house was designed by Georg Muche and the architectural department at the Bauhaus. Adolf Meyer and Walter March were responsible for construction management.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ The book describing the project was compiled in the summer of 1924 and became the third volume of the Bauhausbücher. Following an essay by Walter Gropius that supplies information on the “Housing Industry,” Georg Muche presents the design of the model building. Adolf Meyer then describes its technical execution, giving details on the companies involved.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ 'A Bauhaus Experimental House' is published in an exacting English edition for the first time.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Read more via linkinbio.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Check back on our feed later today to see all four of the new releases in @larsmullerpublishers Bauhausbücher series.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Please order from your local independent #bookstorehero⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ #bauhausbucher #adolfmeyer #waltergropius #gropius #bauhaus #experimentalhouse #hausamhorn⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ https://www.instagram.com/p/CJJItz1pWdM/?igshid=17k790ouqvxe1

Sunday, March 17 from 4–6 PM! Celebrate Lars Müller's new Bauhaus facsimile publications at the Schindler House, West Hollywood Sunday, March 17 from 4–6 PM, the MAK Center for Art and Architecture presents a panel discussion on 100 years of Bauhaus and the legacy of the institution with Michael Boyd (Furniture and Landscape Designer), Mariestella Casciato (Curator of Architecture, Getty Research Institute), Kurt W. Forster (Visiting Professor, Yale School of Architecture), Lars Müller (Designer and Publisher), and Priscilla Fraser (Executive Director, MAK Center for Art & Architecture). This event is free and open to the public. Books will be available for purchase. @larsmullerpublishers @makcenter @yalearchitecture @p_f_architecture #larsmuller #bauhausbucher #bauhaus #schindlerhouse https://www.instagram.com/p/BvFc0WkH7HZ/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=y6s3qmormrgi