Friday, April 25, 2008

Bauhaus Performances





For the animation/illustrated slideshow "50 Years of Performance Art: From Bauhaus to Beuys" written by Allan Kaprow scholar Spencer Thun.
Excerpt from the text:
Proof of the fact that art imitates life, the Bauhaus theater was largely mechanical in nature and mirrored the popular technology of it's time. Mechanical ballets showcased Bauhaus dancers as human machines. The Bauhaus concieved of a new form of grace, one that chose rigid and angular movement over a dance form that appeared smooth and effortless. The Bauhaus manifesto was written by Walter Gropius and called for a unification of the arts. The Bauhaus vision was that of a theater of totality and in the words of Gropius a "cathedral of Socialism". The work of Oskar Schlemmer defined the aesthetic of the Bauhaus. Pieces like "Glass Dance" and "Metal Dance" appeared new, exciting, and most importantly futuristic. The Bauhaus was very much ahead of it's time in it's attempt to fuse art and life seamlessly.

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