Josef Albers Minimal Means, Maximum Effect/極簡 大用 包浩斯巨匠亞伯斯
Josef Albers
Minimal Means, Maximum Effect
◎Text by Lin Fang-ju
◎Photos Courtesy of The Josef and Anni Albers Foundation/ARS, New York
This exciting exhibition "Josef Albers: Minimal Means, Maximum Effect", now on display at the Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, will be on display from April 3rd to August 1st. The exhibition is held by the KMFA and Josef and Anni Albers Foundation. It is the first of its kind in Asia. Featuring one of the great masters of minimalism and modern art history, it is the most comprehensive exhibition of its kind since "Josef Albers: In Retrospect" (1988) presented by the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.
Josef Albers is an extraordinary artist, educator and graduate of the Bauhaus Institute. He is particularly famous for popularizing Bauhaus in the United States. His "avant-garde" concept had a great influence on art history.
The exhibition features Albers' major works and research during the various stages of his career. This includes his early paintings, glass art, photographs, furniture, typeface designs from the Bauhaus period, prints, formal studies, color research and his famous "Homage to the Square" painting from the U.S. collection. Apart from the Josef and Anni Albers Foundation exhibition, it also includes works of Albers' students on loan from the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation from Germany. A total of 250 pieces are on display at the Kaohsiung exhibition.
The History of Bauhaus
Bauhaus was an art movement that was prevalent from 1919 to 1931. Originating in Weimar Germany it was founded in response to the political climate of the times, Bauhaus combine's architecture, craft and fine art. Founder, Walter Gropius, was an architect. The Bauhaus faculty includes famous artists Paul Klee, Wassily Kandinsky and Josef Albers (Director of the Glass Workshop).
Bauhaus closed under Nazi pressure in 1933. Gropius and Albers subsequently immigrated to the United States and were responsible for popularizing Bauhaus in the United States. Bauhaus had a major impact on modern architecture. The objective was to integrate architectural design and practical function. Today, Bauhaus is no longer only a famous art institution but also an international historical art genre. Besides architecture, it had a great influence on design, modern art and education.
極簡 大用
包浩斯巨匠亞伯斯
◎文／王大衛
◎圖片提供／高雄市立美術館
高雄市立美術館4月3日起至8月1日推出《極簡．大用：包浩斯巨匠亞伯斯》特展，這次展覽由高雄市立美術館與約瑟夫與安妮．亞伯斯基金會(The Josef and Anni Albers Foundation)共同合作，此展為亞伯斯這位以極簡風格著稱的現代藝術巨匠於亞洲的首次個展、也是繼1988年紐約古根漢美術館(Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum)「亞伯斯百歲冥誕紀念展」之後，最完整的一次回顧展。
約瑟夫‧亞柏斯是包浩斯所培育，繼而將包浩斯理念在美國發揚光大的非凡藝術家與教育家，當時前衛思想深刻影響了20世紀以來「現代」世界的形成。
此次展品包含由亞伯斯基金會所典藏、完整涵蓋其創作生涯各階段重要創作與研究成果之作品，從早期畫作到包浩斯(Bauhaus)時期的玻璃創作、攝影、家具設計與印刷字體設計，至移居美國後之版畫、形式結構研究、色彩研究與最具代表性的《向方形致敬》(Homage to the Square)系列畫作等；同時，展覽亦包含向德國德紹包浩斯基金會借展之約瑟夫．亞伯斯教學的學生作品，共計近250件作品。
什麼是「包浩斯」？
包浩斯(Bauhaus)成立於德國威瑪1919～1931年間，為因應新的時代趨勢所創立的藝術與設計學院。學校當初成立目的，是希望成為結合建築、工藝與藝術的學校。創辦人沃爾特．葛羅佩斯本身就是一位建築師，在此任課的老師包括大名鼎鼎的保羅．克利、康丁斯基等人，而約瑟夫．亞伯斯則主要負責玻璃藝術工坊。
包浩斯學校1933年在納粹壓迫下，被迫關閉學校。創辦人葛羅佩司和亞伯斯等人躲避到美國，包浩斯的設計和教育理念因而在美國發揚光大。
包浩斯對現代建築的影響深遠，主張建築造型和實用機能合一，時至今日「包浩斯」已不單指學校，而是一門風格流派的統稱。除了建築，包浩斯對藝術、設計、現代美術和教育等各方面都有深刻的影響。