Description
Book SynopsisHerbert Bayer was one of the most extraordinary artists associated with the Bauhaus school. A true multimedia artist, he united graphic design, art, and architecture in a unique style that came to represent the bold aesthetic approach of the movement. A teacher with the school until 1928, Bayer went on to become a highly successful graphic designer in Germany, and later one of the most prominent figures in the 20th-century art scene of the United States.This broad biographical account, which presents previously unseen archival photographs and episodes from the life of Bayer and other influential Bauhaus artists such as Walter Gropius, Marcel Breuer and László Moholy-Nagy, follows Bayer through the Weimar Republic, Nazi Germany and finally to his exile in the United States. Specifically, Patrick Rössler reveals for the first time Bayer's unique experience of 1930s Germany, where, with his commercial and artistic life shattered by terror and censorship, he distracted himself with leading
Trade ReviewShining a new light on the life and work of Herbert Bayer, this insightful book makes a vital contribution to our understanding of modernism and the 20th century events that shaped its practitioners, and how this extraordinary designer navigated those complex times. * Robin Schuldenfrei, Reader in 20th Century Modernism, The Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London, UK *
Extensively researched, Rössler’s lively text analyzes Bayer’s artistic, personal, and political journey from the Bauhaus to the US and hits issues head on—addressing difficult questions regarding history, emigration, politics, and biography * Gwen F. Chanzit, Curator Emerita, Denver Art Museum, and Professor Emerita, University of Denver, USA *
Gorgeously illustrated and rigorously researched, this book lays bare the crucial missing decade in the life and work of this innovative, influential, and often misunderstood artist. Patrick Rössler’s engaging and unflinching account is a must read for anyone interested in design history and the contradictions of creative life in Nazi Berlin. * Elizabeth Otto, Professor of Modern & Contemporary Art History, the University at Buffalo (SUNY), USA *
Table of ContentsList of Plates List of Figures Introduction 1. Biographical fragments: Family, friends and companions 2. Commercial artist under National Socialism: “my advertising purgatory” 3. Shifting networks: “I'm here for love” 4. Road to emigration: “when the Nazis came to steal the land” 5. New beginnings among old friends: “i don't risk starting here without any money” 6. Progress in the USA and a look back: “I am personally struck by their success” Conclusion: “a useful and effective member of our society“ Bibliography Index
