University of Arizona Museum of Art

A University of Arizona Museum of Art exhibition, A New Unity: The Life and Afterlife of Bauhaus, evokes the true spirit of Bauhaus by bringing together multiple departments across campus. 

One century ago, renowned architect Walter Gropius realized his vision of opening a school that would bring craftsmen, artists and designers together in unity. The Bauhaus school opened in 1919 in Weimar, Germany and forever changed the arts in disciplines as diverse as typography, dance, furniture design and photography.

A New Unity: The Life and Afterlife of Bauhaus evokes the true spirit of Bauhaus by bringing together multiple departments and facilities at the University of Arizona: the German Studies Department; the Letterpress Lab; the Schools of Art, Music, Theatre and Poetry; and the College of Architecture. Collaborations like these fueled the innovation that led to Bauhaus’ global and lasting reputation.

Victor Vasarely, Hommage à l’Hexagone, 1969, screenprint, Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Stanley Glickman

This exhibition is curated by Morah Riedl, MA graduate in Art History and the Marti and Ed Slowik Curatorial Intern.

“We really wanted to feature the afterlife as much as the life of the Bauhaus because of the amazing collection we have at the UAMA,” said Riedl.

This exhibition features works by Bauhaus masters including Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee and Josef Albers, as well as examples of mid-century art movements that surfaced out of Bauhaus aesthetics, including Op Art, Constructivism and Minimalism. A New Unity reflects how the school of Bauhaus forged a relationship between art and craft then art and science, transforming modern aesthetics and influencing the art world for the last century.