Bauhaus twenty-21An Ongoing LegacyPhotographs by Gordon Watkinson

Foto+Synthesis organizes traveling exhibitions, accompanying publications and educational programming encompassing a wide array of topics, bringing together different ideas and influences through the unique perspective of the photographic image.

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Bauhaus twenty-21: An Ongoing Legacy2

Table of Contents

The Project .................................................................................................................1

Exhibition Description .................................................................................................2

Gordon Watkinson / Curatorial Advisors .....................................................................4

Specifications / Schedule / Publication .......................................................................5

Educational Program ..................................................................................................6

Reviews .......................................................................................................................7

Partners / Contact .......................................................................................................8

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The Project

Although the name Bauhaus is well known internationally, few people are truly aware both of the complexity of its history and the diversity of its architectural legacy. Bauhaus is a German expression meaning “house for building”. Evolving out of the “Arts and Crafts” movement, the Bauhaus school was founded by Walter Gropius in 1919, bringing with him lessons learned under Peter Behrens, a highly influential German architect whose studio helped to develop Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (head of the Bauhaus School, 1930-1933), and Le Corbusier. Walter Gropius and the two subsequent heads of the school, the architects Hannes Meyer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, introduced principles that shaped the foundation of modern architecture. The Bauhaus masters emphasized the creation of classical forms without extraneous ornamentation; embracing technology, their philosophy stressed the search for solutions to contemporary design problems in urban planning, housing and utilitarian mass-production.

April 1st, 1919 – April 1st, 2009: 90th Anniversary of the Bauhaus

Commemorating the 90th Anniversary of the founding of the Bauhaus in Weimar Bauhaus twenty-21 illustrates the enduring philosophies of the Bauhaus in 21st century architecture. The exhibition, by creating a visual as well as theoretical dialogue between the timeless modernism of Bauhaus architecture and the visions of contemporary practitioners, offers a unique perspective on Bauhaus design philosophy as it relates to architecture and its relevance in today’s society – from the use of prefabricated housing technique to create affordable housing, to early ideas in what is today sustainable (‘green’) architecture.

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Exhibition Description

Conceived as a multidisciplinary project encompassing architecture, design, and photography Bauhaus twenty-21 illustrates the ongoing legacy of Bauhaus principles and forms in early 21st century architecture.

The exhibition showcases twelve of the most iconic achievements of Bauhaus architecture built before 1933. Each of the buildings is featured in conjunction with a project built in this century by a group of up-and-coming as well as internationally prominent practitioners: House am Horn, Weimar (Georg Muche/Adolf Meyer, 1923)House of the Present, Munich (Allmann Sattler Wappner Architects, 2005 / Germany)

Director’s Office, Weimar (Walter Gropius, 1923–31) Law Office, Düsseldorf (Architect Thomas Pink | Petzinka Pink Architects, 2004 / Germany)

Bauhaus Building, Dessau (Walter Gropius, 1925–26) Federal Environmental Agency, Dessau (Sauerbruch Hutton Architects, 2003 / Germany)

Masters’ Houses, Dessau (Walter Gropius, 1925–26)Villa Roser, Skara (Wingårdhs, 2005 / Sweden)

Dessau-Törten Estate, Dessau (Walter Gropius, 1926–28)Solar Estate, Freiburg (Rolf Disch, 2002 / Germany)

Balcony Access Houses, Dessau (Hannes Meyer, 1929–30) Student Housing, Garching/Munich (Fink+Jocher, 2005 / Germany)

Employment Office, Dessau (Walter Gropius, 1927–29)Employment Office, Reutte (Hanno Vogl-Fernheim, 2006 / Austria)

Steel House, Dessau (Georg Muche/Richard Paulick, 1926–27) M-Lidia House, Montagut/Girona (RCR Architects, 2003 / Spain)

German Trade Union School, Bernau (Hannes Meyer, 1928–30)Zurich International School, Wädenswil/Zurich (Galli & Rudolf, 2002 / Switzerland)

Apartment House Weissenhof Settlement, Stuttgart (Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, 1927)Housing Guldbergsgade, Copenhagen (Ingvartsen Architects, 2002 / Denmark)

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German Pavilion, Barcelona (Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, 1929)Skywood House, Denham (Graham Phillips, 2000 / UK)

Villa Tugendhat, Brno/Czech Republic (Ludwig Mies van der Rohe 1930)House R 128, Stuttgart (Werner Sobek, 2001 / Germany)

Reproductions of the plans presented with short texts based on interviews with Michael Siebenbrodt, highlight each of the twelve Bauhaus buildings’ most significant architectural characteristics, while demonstrating their innovative design. Gordon Watkinson’s interpretative images illustrate each of the buildings as they stand today, offering an up-to-date perspective and demonstrating the timelessness of these architectural landmarks.

Each of the contemporary buildings is featured through a set of plans and a short text by its respective architect(s), exploring its formal as well as theoretical relationship to the Bauhaus. Gordon Watkinson’s photographs for each of the contemporary buildings provide a unique visual unity to the exhibition.

In addition to the sections dedicated to the twenty-four architectural projects, the exhibition presents a contemporary setting showcasing re-editions of Bauhaus furniture and objects designed before 1933 and still manufactured today by companies such as Knoll, Tecnolumen, and Thonet. These installations invite the visitors to interact and consciously experience a unique environment specifically conceived for the exhibition, capturing the timeless character of these early 20th century designs in a contemporary context.

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Gordon Watkinson

Gordon Watkinson borrowed a camera for a photography class he took at the age of 24 while attending Virginia Commonwealth University. Although he had never thought of photography in a serious way, after completing the course his professor saw enough in his work that he encouraged Watkinson to reconsider his career choice and arranged for him to begin working as a photographic assistant. Watkinson has spent the past 16 years working as a commercial photographer for a broad range of clients from the fields of advertising, architecture, design, and fashion. In conjunction with his photographic work he has directed commercials, made industrial videos, and worked directly with major corporations as well as specialized brands, helping them to develop visual strategies for targeted markets. Over the years he developed a strong sensitivity for both forms and materials, which has shaped his visual approach and strengthened his fascination for timeless and minimalist design.

Watkinson shares his time between New York and Paris. The exhibition Bauhaus twenty-21: An Ongoing Legacy has been traveling throughout Europe since its opening in March 2009; the companion publication to the exhibition was published in English, German, Polish and will soon be available in a Chinese edition.

Curatorial Advisors

The exhibition has been developed with the curatorial advice of:

Michael Siebenbrodt, Director of the Bauhaus-Museum in Weimar. Mr. Siebenbrodt is the co-author of The Bauhaus-Museum: The Kunstsammlungen in Weimar (1996), a chronological survey of art and art schools in Weimar between 1900 and 1930, and an overview of the prominent teachers and their work and theories. From 1985 to 1988 he was the head of both the museum and the experimental theater at the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation/Design Center.

Prof. Dr. Falk Jaeger, free lance critic, editor and curator in Berlin. Mr. Jaeger worked 1983-88 for the Institute of History of Architecture at the Technical University of Berlin. 1993 to 2000 he was appointed Chair of Theory of Architecture at the Technical University of Dresden. 2001 until 2002, he was editor in chief of the German architecture magazine Bauzeitung. Today he is working on architecture theory and history of architecture for major newspapers and architecture magazines, radio and tv stations.

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Specifications

Photographs by Gordon Watkinson(archival pigment prints mounted on aluminum): 77 65 x 85 cm / 26 x 34 inches: 37 85 x 115 cm / 34 x 46 inches: 16 104 x 145 cm / 42 x 58 inches: 24

Set of plans: 24 30 x 30 cm / 12 x 12 inches: 3 45 x 45 cm / 18 x 18 inches: 9 60 x 60 cm / 24 x 24 inches: 12

Schedule

Please contact us for available time slots.

Publication

In conjunction with the exhibition, Foto+Synthesis produced an illustrated book that offers a visual as well as a theoretical exploration of Bauhaus design philosophy as it relates to architecture and its relevance to today’s society.

Presenting Bauhaus ideas on architecture and design in a contemporary context, the book is comprised of historical texts based on interviews with Michael Siebenbrodt, director of the Bauhaus-Museum in Weimar, as well as contributions from an international group of prominent architects, accompanied by Gordon Watkinson’s photographs.

Gordon Watkinson Bauhaus twenty-21: An Ongoing Legacy With texts by Falk Jaeger and Peter Cachola Schmal, as well as contributions by Michael Siebenbrodt and twelve prominent architects 140 duotone photographs and 60 line drawings 240 x 290 mm, 232 pages, hardback

English Edition ISBN 978-3-0346-0054-5German Edition ISBN 978-3-0346-0055-2Polish Edition ISBN 978-83-89273-63-5 (out of print)Chinese Edition - Upcoming

Furniture & objects (re-editions): 17 Chairs and side tables: 14 Lamps: 3

Space Requirements: 400 square meters - 4,300 square feet 150 running meters - 500 running feet

Security: LimitedParticipation fee: Upon request

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Educational Program

Foto+Synthesis offers the following educational opportunities with the photographer Gordon Watkinson:

Telling a Story: Photography & Architecture • 2 day-workshop for middle and high school students Participants learn how to use a series of photographs to illustrate a personal vision while developing an awareness of the local built environment as well as the architectural heritage of their surroundings.

Anatomy of a Photo Project• 1 day-seminar for university photography & art students, or/and general audience Participants learn how to develop a photographic project, from conception through planning for its realization in book or/and exhibition form.

Guided tours of the exhibition with Gordon Watkinson• Guided tours of the exhibition with photographer Gordon Watkinson for targeted audiences (general, children, high school students, art/photography/architecture/design students, architects, etc.)

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Reviews

“The most original exhibition and publication on the topic of the Bauhaus came 2009 from New York photographer Gordon Watkinson: [...] a project at the intersection between conceptual art and architecture theory, that one can only recommend.”

Hans-Michael Koetzle, PHOTO International (Germany)

“It is not raw functionalism that inspire the photographs of Gordon Watkinson. Using light and shadow, the photographer represents the beauty of the geometrical forms, thus underlining the abstract roots of the aesthetic we know from the work of both Kandinsky and Mondrian.”

Maja Mozga-Gorecka, Rzeczpospolita (Poland)

“Watkinson succeeds not only in unveiling traces of the Bauhaus in contemporary architecture; his photographs bring buildings to life as real tangible experiences, wondrously tinged in grey and blue.”

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (Germany)

“In recent months a number of exhibitions have shown that the Bauhaus was not a doctrine but a cradle for different ideas and concepts. Just how vibrant and fundamental these concepts still are for contemporary architectural projects can be seen in a magnificent solo exhibition by the New York and Paris based photographer Gordon Watkinson. [...] Watkinson has skillfully chosen aesthetically timeless motifs that portray the living environments of the past as a model for a way of life today”.

Sandra Hofmeister, Baumeister (Germany)

“A true revelation.”

Nice Matin (France)

“For the American photographer Gordon Watkinson, the architecture of the Bauhaus masters Walter Gropius, Mies van der Rohe, Hannes Meyer, Georg Muche and Richard Paulick are works of art, which he has portrayed with discerning reverence. […] In the DAM in Frankfurt, this photographic dialogue is played out in a landscape of room-high planes that evoke the modernist ideal of flowing space. The exhibition illustrates just how much the appearance and inventiveness of architecture is linked to developments in society.”

Radio Bayern 2 (Germany)

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Partners

Contact

Alexandra Le Faou

Foto+Synthesis

P +1 646 233 3621F +1 212 202 4845alexandra@fotosynthesis.com

www.fotosynthesis.com

All photographs © Gordon Watkinson

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