#totalworkofart

Why is the Bauhaus a symbol of Gesamtkunstwerk?

In this blog post, I'll be exploring the concept of Gesamtkunstwerk and how it applies to the project, and mainly the aesthetic aspect, of the Bauhaus Institute. From my past studies, one of the things that I remember more clearly is the concept behind the Bauhaus Institute. I am not too certain about why I have it so vivid in my mind; maybe because of its revolutionary soul, maybe for the historical times in which it was developed and in which it ended, or maybe because of the values held in the creation of the original project.

Higher art education was first established in 1919 in Weimar (Figure 1), Germany, by the architect Walter Adolph Gropius. When it was first created, it was meant to be a space that could host and promote a new educational method, and include different artistic practices in the service of the concept of the “total work of art”. In this, the director got help from the artist Wassily Kandinsky who was a big promoter of the concept regarding Gesamtkunstwerk, even before World War I. The Russian painter took the definition created by Wagner and revolutionized it by rethinking the idea of the "total work of art" as an abstract intermedia experience, both multisensory and immersive Munch, A.V. (2021). The first Academy of Fine Arts was a result of merging and combining together mediums such as sculpture and paint, industrial and graphic design, interior and architectural design, etc…(Hartley, 2024); (The Art Story, 2020).

Figure 1

Figure 2

One of the first unprecedented innovations of the school was its pedagogic approach, which was based on the pursuit of a personal style, encouraging the creation of a non-competitive environment and instead on a common collaboration between students and teachers. Students were taught to forget the differentiation between artists and craftsmen and were instead pushed through workshops and labs to experiment with the creation of objects that would represent the soul of the work of art (Bergdoll and Dickerman, 2009).

Especially the second school relocated in Dessau in 1925 (Figure 3), is a perfect example of the embracement of the concept of Gesamtkunstwerk. As a matter of fact, if we take a look at the formal definition of the term, we discover that Wagner was not only describing the external factors that should be present in a "total work of art", but even more he was putting emphasis on the inner purpose of the artwork, which must create a new reality. In surpassing the arts, the work should also surpass itself and open up to a new reality, delivering the reader or the public to a different dimension (ArtChist, 2015); (Hartley, 2024).

However, when Walter Gropius took the leadership of the establishment, he was keen on redefining the idea of “total work of art” into “Total design”, as he referred to it. Incorporating both technology and industrialization, with its specific color scheme and a steel grid, the iconic and geometric building embodies the movement’s values (ArtChist, 2015); (Hartley, 2024).

Figure 3

His manifesto that came out in 1919 stated: "universally great, enduring spiritual-religious idea..., which must find its crystalline expression in a great Gesamtkunstwerk." (Wagner, Richard, The Artwork of the Future, 1849).

Believing that the form should convey the function, he thought that the concept applied to all aspects of modern life, from planning the appearance of the outside of a building to organizing every single object inside of the structure. For example, the students were called to plan and design various attachments and accessories that would be displayed on the inside of the building, like it has been done on the facade of the school with the use of Herbert Bayer’s font, which was invented there (The Art Story, 2020).

To this day, the building planned by Gropius is one of the most outstanding architectural works of the 20th century. When the Bauhaus moved from Weimar to Dessau, the architect took inspiration from the design of the Fagus Factory (Figure 4) and created a campus that would reflect the needs of the school. Not so much for its implementation of glass walls that allowed full vision of everything happening on the inside of the structure, but more for the relationship that the developer wanted people to establish with the place. The space was divided into three equal but separate wings, none of which would dominate the others, according to the idea that the design of the complex had to work with the environment surrounding it and also satisfy some practical needs (Hartley, 2024). 

Not only was the architecture based on the embodiment of the “total work of art”, but also the activities taking part inside of the building. As a matter of fact, the main idea behind the school was to specialize in artists with very different creative backgrounds who would be able to conceive a new Gesamtkunstwerk, of which architecture would be the “complete construction, the final goal of the visual arts.” (Munch, A.V., 2021).

Figure 4

As a visual artist, that focuses on both still images (illustration) and moving shots (animation), this topic really speaks to me since I think it brings together many elements that as artists take into consideration before creating something. During the planning of the artwork and before the actual production of an image, short film, or general project, the first step is actually researching more on the topic that has to be represented. Subsequently, every element that is going to be present on the scene needs to be connected to the others. Everything needs to have a reason to be where it is and everything has a specific functionality.

I will show a few examples that I think show how a thoughtful design and integration of elements can enhance storytelling and functionality in art projects across various disciplines.

"Fallingwater" is a house designed by the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright and built-in 1935. Wright had a groundbreaking idea for Fallingwater. His goal was to build buildings that incorporated nature, and Fallingwater is a prime example of this. Its design integrates seamlessly with its natural surroundings, using local materials and aligning with the waterfall. Each architectural element has a purpose, from the cantilevered terraces that provide views of nature, to the use of natural light. Glass, reinforced concrete, and local sandstone are used to create a structure that both blends in and stands out from the surroundings. The design feels like an extension of nature because of the horizontal lines and wide overhangs that mirror the nearby trees, water, and rock formations. The interior rooms are filled with the sound of cascading water, which establishes a sensory connection to the outside world (Interio, D.S.-A., n.d.).

I know that this prototype doesn't really align with the typical examples of a "total work of art", but I believe that in a way it still reflects some values of the movement. Every aspect of the structure, from the custom-built furniture to the artful use of materials, shows the real connection between the space inside and outside the house. With this project, so well connected with its surroundings, the architect created a holistic experience, as the one that was meant to be created with the building of the Bauhaus (Interio, D.S.-A., n.d.).

I believe also the movie Avatar can be a great case study with regards to world-building. Perhaps the greatest example of James Cameron's remarkable world-building, inventive storytelling, and astonishingly lifelike computer graphics in the Avatar films is the vast array of animals and other creatures that are presented on Pandora. In concept art for films like this one, the flora and the fauna are designed to complement the Na'vi culture (Milling, R., 2022).

Right after the release of the second Avatar movie, the Art Director Dylan Cole and the Concept Art Director Ben Procter were interviewed by Below The Line. At the question "What were the inspirations for the fish and fauna in the ocean?", Cole responded: " We had to think of the whole ecosystem. It’s not just, “Hey, design a few fish.” There are many different environments within the ocean, of course, from the sea floor up to — what is sand? What is a rock? We tried to think of it like when we were doing the forests. In [the first] Avatar, there are the very obvious exotic alien plants, but there are also a lot of things like ferns and stuff that are just kind of like touchstones so that you get what type of forest this is. We did the same in the ocean, so we had tons of big, crazy exotic coral, but we also had some more recognizable bits because you want it to feel how it feels to us to be in those types of environments. " (Dylan Cole, Below The Line, 2022)

Reference list:

ArtChist (2015). Edificio De La Bauhaus En Dessau | Walter Gropius | Clásicos De La Arquitectura. [online] Blogspot.com. Available at: https://artchist.blogspot.com/2015/09/edificio-de-la-bauhaus-walter-gropius.html [Accessed 12 Oct. 2024].

Bergdoll, B. and Dickerman, L. (2009). Bauhaus 1919-1933 : workshops for modernity. New York: Museum Of Modern Art.

Finestresullarte.info. (2023). Bauhaus. Origins, Development and Main Exponents of the School. [online] Available at: https://www.finestresullarte.info/en/ab-art-base/bauhaus-origins-development-and-main-exponents-of-the-school [Accessed 12 Oct. 2024].

Hartley, J. (2024). Gesamtkunstwerk - The Total Work of Art  - Liaison Gallery. [online] Liaison Gallery. Available at: https://liaisongallery.com/gesamtkunstwerk-the-total-work-of-art/ [Accessed 12 Oct. 2024].

Interio, D.S.-A. (n.d.). Fallingwater: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Nature-Integrated Masterpiece | Archiinterio Magazine - Archi Interio. [online] www.archiinterio.com. Available at: https://www.archiinterio.com/magazine/fallingwater--1935---a-masterpiece-of-nature-integrated-architecture-by-frank-lloyd-wright.

Milling, R. (2022). Avatar: The Way of Water Production Designers Ben Procter and Dylan Cole on Expanding the World of Pandora With Oceanic Landscapes & New Weapons | Below the Line. [online] Btlnews.com. Available at: https://www.btlnews.com/awards/avatar-2-production-designers-dylan-cole-ben-procter-interview/ [Accessed 19 Oct. 2024].

Munch, A.V. (2021). The Gesamtkunstwerk in Design and Architecture. Aarhus Universitetsforlag.

The Art Story (2020). Gesamtkunstwerk - Modern Art Terms and Concepts. [online] The Art Story. Available at: https://www.theartstory.org/definition/gesamtkunstwerk/ [Accessed 10 Oct. 2024].

Wilder, C. (2016). On the Bauhaus Trail in Germany. The New York Times. [online] 10 Aug. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/14/travel/bauhaus-germany-art-design.html.

www.youtube.com. (n.d.). A walking tour of Fallingwater - An architectural masterpiece by Frank Lloyd Wright. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENtku3xe_c0 [Accessed 17 May 2023].

www.youtube.com. (n.d.). Avatar: The Way of Water | Official Trailer. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9MyW72ELq0.

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Image References:

ArtChist (2015). Edificio De La Bauhaus En Dessau | Walter Gropius | Clásicos De La Arquitectura. [online] Blogspot.com. Available at: https://artchist.blogspot.com/2015/09/edificio-de-la-bauhaus-walter-gropius.html [Accessed 12 Oct. 2024].