Student Exercise from László Moholy Nagy's Bauhaus Preliminary Course (1924) c. 1925 - 1950

Editor: This photogram, dating back to 1924, is titled "Student Exercise from László Moholy-Nagy's Bauhaus Preliminary Course," attributed to Lucia Moholy. It features what looks like a wooden construction. It's stark and highlights the interplay of light and shadow. What does this image evoke for you? Curator: It speaks to the Bauhaus's emphasis on materials and process. Consider the availability, cost, and applications of wood in Weimar Germany. This exercise explores form through material constraints, challenging the traditional separation of art and craft by engaging with accessible industrial resources. Editor: So, it's less about the aesthetic and more about the physical engagement? Curator: Precisely. The value lies in the manipulation of materials and the exploration of their inherent properties, reflecting a society grappling with industrialization and redefining art's role within it. Editor: I see it now! It reveals the social and economic context of art making. Curator: Exactly! A clear reflection of the times.