Assignment: 4B, due 3/8

Please note: your first 2-3 page paper is due on March 15.
Start thinking about this assignment.

Texts from architects, designers & artists affiliated with the Bauhaus.

Instructions

    1. Open the reading with Hypothesis
    2. Be sure that you post in our group
    3. Consider the questions below
    4. Read and Annotate
    5. Draft your response in your Research Journal
      • 200-word response, use the word count tool.
      • Use visual examples to supplement your reading response.
      • Consider looking back at the Learning Graphic Design History videos or the AIGA Archive to see if there are historical examples that will help support your ideas.
    6. Check for spelling, grammar, and sentence clarity
      Use Grammarly, Pro Writing Aid, or other similar tool
    7. Post your reading response on OpenLab with a link to your hypothesis annotations
    8. Include the following

TITLE: Reading Response 4B– Your Initials
CATEGORY: Reading Responses
TAG: Reading Response #4B
TAG: Your Name

 

Texts from architects, designers & artists affiliated with the Bauhaus.

Some ideas and questions you might consider:

    • According to these  authors, what was lacking in art and education from the past?
    • What role should typography and photography play in shaping a new art?
    • What role does language or communication play in art and design?
    • How should artists approach the creation of future art forms?
    • What should education or “the academy” teach artists about their field?
    • How might Bauhaus ideas be updated to remain relevant in the 21st century?

Key Themes and Takeaways

Walter Gropius; The Theory and Organization of the Bauhaus (1923)

The architect Walter Gropius, founder and first Director of the Bauhaus composed this text to articulate the ideals of the institution.

    • Individuals must orient their attitude to the spirit of the times to create solutions for bettering society
    • The traditional art ‘academy’ fails by isolating artists, detaching skill from reality and ignoring traditional folk arts.
    • Creative work should ‘give form to space’ meaning artists should be able to express inner visions through their materials
    • The goal of the Bauhaus is to unify training in fields of art and design
    • Preliminary training should ‘break down conventional patterns of thought.’ As students progress they should take on more advanced form problems and incorporate theory, eventually understanding ‘all processes of creation.’

László Moholy-Nagy; Typophoto (1925)

The artist and Bauhaus instructor articulated his vision for a new form of art that would incorporate a range of media.

    • Artists must participate in society’s ‘collectivity of interacting events.’
    • Printers, Photographers, and all artists must consider ways that art can connect people
    • ‘Typophoto’ is a new form of making, combining typography and photography for ‘the most exact rendering of communication.’
    • The combination of these printing technologies will create new possibilities for visual expression, thereby creating a ‘new visual literature.’

Herbert Bayer; On Typography (1967)

Bayer was first a student then an instructor at the Bauhaus before emigrating to the U.S. This text, written later in his career, is a reflection on the ambitions and ideals that Bayer held for a new form of typographic expression; one that would simplify language and create new possibilities for improved communication.

    • Typography is a ‘service art’ that provides the means for expressing ideas through mechanical techniques
    • Traditional book forms and writing techniques lack principle and structure, thereby limiting the expressive power of type.
    • A typographic revolution will come from (a) increased demand on perception, (b) a new alphabet, and (c) physical forms for typography
    • Universal Communication might come about from improved typographic form and ‘true text-picture integration.’

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First Paper – Due March 15

Question and requirements:

Select a design or design object created after 1972 in which the influence of the theories considered thus far can be seen.

Begin with a brief description of the object, the designer who created it, and the historical circumstances under which it was made.

Considering these factors: examine the ways in which the creator was responding, directly or indirectly, to theories related to linguistics or semiology, avant-garde art movements or the psychological perception of forms (ie. any of the ideas that we’ve covered).

Discuss the manner in which the design you’ve chosen embodies these theories. Provide direct references to relevant passages from our readings. Locate additional writings using library resources to substantiate your comparisons.

Your goal is ultimately to provide a critical examination, not an account of historical details.

Criteria:

Submit a 750-1000 word typewritten paper, double-spaced in 12 pt. Times New Roman.

Include images of the work under consideration and any other relevant illustrations.

Cite all materials researched for historical context, any related writings, and image sources.
See resources below on citation

All sources, references and quotations should be cited in MLA format.
See resources below on MLA format

Upload your paper as a PDF, attached to a new OpenLab Post.

Add the following title, category, and tags to your posts. 

        • TITLE: Research Paper 1 – Your Initials
        • CATEGORY: Research Paper
        • TAG: Research Paper 1
        • TAG: Your Name

Preparation

Research Paper 1 Prep

    1. Select a design or design object created after 1971 in which the influence of the theories we’ve studied so far can be seen.
      See the resources listed below for inspiration
    2. In your Research Journal, add an image and begin with a brief description of the work, the designer who created it, and the historical circumstances under which it was made.
    3. Considering these factors, examine the ways in which the creator was responding, directly or indirectly, to theories related to:
      • semiotics & signs, ways of meaning, models of communication, avant-garde art movements (ie. any of the ideas that we’ve covered).
      • Discuss how the design you’ve chosen embodies these ideas.
      • Provide direct references to relevant passages from our readings and locate additional writings using library resources and other sources to support your comparisons.
    4. Provide a critical examination of the object and its relationship to the theories we’ve discussed, not an account of historical details.
      These should be your observations, your ideas supported by published sources.
    5. Use the links provided under Help > Course Resources  to find your design source (advertising, graphic design, industrial design objects, motion graphics, etc.) for your paper.
    6.  

 

Research Project Prep

The first paper is a jumping-off point for your research project. You don’t have to lock yourself into a topic yet, but your should by now have started to define your aesthetic and theoretical interests based on the ideas we discussed so far. If nothing has piqued your interest yet, ask you self “What do I feel passionate about?” “What do I love to talk about?” “What makes me feel angry, sad, depressed?” “If I could be doing anything right now that would make an impact on the world, what would it be?” “How could I use my skills as a designer to change the world?” “What graphic style, design movement, decade, or typeface is my favorite?”

Visit the Grading Policy page for an overview of the Research Project.

 

Inspiration: explore the following sites . . .

https://openlab.citytech.cuny.edu/comdtheoryoer/bibliography/#additional_theory_history

https://arthistoryproject.com/essays/

Cooper Hewitt Design’s Museum’s Blog …you can also just browse their collection.

AIGA Eye on Design

Filter by Graphic Design or Design in MoMA Collection

or browse the MoMA Design Store

Exhibitions and the Collection at Museum of Art and Design

Designboom for a wide variety of design

Design Observer also features conversations and articles

Print Magazine

 

Resources

 

 

 

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