Overview

For our next reading assignment, we will be reading and annotating three texts written by architect-designer-artists affiliated with the Bauhaus.

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.’

Instructions

Following the instructions below, read and annotate the text with your classmates in our Hypothesis group COMD3504_OL08. After reading and annotating the text, create a rough draft of your response in your Research Journal. Your response should be about 200 words and checked for spelling and grammar errors. Lastly, create a new post and publish your response.

1. Open the readings

In a new tab open Walter Gropius; The Theory and Organization of the Bauhaus (1923)

In another tab open the text Armstrong, Helen. Graphic Design Theory: Readings From the Field, Princeton Architectural Press, 2009. Navigate to pages 32-34 and 44-49.

2. Enable Hypothesis

The reading links above will automatically open Hypothesis. Login to your account and select our COMD3504_OL08 group (IMPORTANT!) from the dropdown to make sure your annotations and highlights will be recorded in the group. See Using Hypothesis for details.

3. Consider these questions.

Here are the questions to which you should respond in your reading response:

  • According to these  authors, what is missing from the art of the past?
  • What role should typography, photography, and other media play in shaping a new kind of art? 
  • What role should language play in art and design?
  • What sort of new strategies or ideas will be necessary for future art forms? 
  • What should education or “the academy” teach artists about their field?

4. Read & Annotate.

Consider the questions/prompts listed above. Start to formulate the answers to these prompts while you practice close reading with annotations. This will be part of your grade. Share at least 3 annotations in the Hypothesis group, including your questions, definitions, and ideas with your classmates. Add the tags: Bauhaus and Reading Response 4 to your annotations.

5. Draft your Reading Response.

In your Research Journal, write a draft of your 200-word response. Check for grammar and spelling errors. Use the word count tool. Use the Grammarly app or something similar to improve the clarity of your writing. 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. Post your Reading Response.

When ready, create a new post titled “Reading Response 4 – YourInitials.”

At the top of the post copy and paste the following: Walter Gropius; The Theory and Organization of the Bauhaus (1923), László Moholy-Nagy; Typophoto (1925), On Typography (1967) in Graphic Design Theory: Readings From the Field by Helen Armstrong on pages 32-34 and 44-49.

Copy and paste the questions/prompts listed above. Paste your reading response from your Research Journal. Add links to your annotations in the Hypothesis group at the bottom of your post. Always add links and attribution for any images that you use in your post. Adjust any formatting issues that may have occurred while pasting. Use the Reading Response (Example) as a guide.

Please be sure to add the following title, category, and tags to your posts. For help with adding Categories and Tags, see OpenLab Help.

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

Due Date(s)

  • Your reading response is due the day before the next session Sunday, Sep. 26th by 6pm to allow time for review.

Resources

More info

Texts

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