The Lonely Palette Ep. 38 - Wassily Kandinsky's "Untitled" (1922)
Mar 29, 2019
Discover the chaotic yet cohesive beauty of Kandinsky's Untitled (1922) as shapes and colors blend in mesmerizing harmony. Explore the surprising connection between IKEA and Bauhaus efficiency. Delve into how Kandinsky’s expressive abstraction fit within Bauhaus ideals and his artistic evolution after World War I. Learn about his Little Worlds lithographs, merging symbolism and functionality, and how they reflect the spirit of the Bauhaus. Finally, trace the impact of political upheaval on Kandinsky and the Bauhaus legacy.
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IKEA Names Spark A Bauhaus Comparison
- Tamar Avishai recounts a playful phone call with her mother inventing fake IKEA product names.
- The story illustrates how simple, descriptive names delight and match the Bauhaus ethos of functional clarity.
Bauhaus As Total Design
- The Bauhaus prioritized efficient, streamlined design that merges art and industry into everyday objects.
- Gesamtkunstwerk means a total work of art where furniture, typography, and architecture form a unified aesthetic.
Efficiency Over Uniform Style
- The Bauhaus aesthetic is not a single style but an ethos of efficiency tailored to each object's function.
- This focus on usefulness produces designs like Helvetica that are intentionally personality-free.
