MonicaArts Design launches the Bauhaus Design Series for 2021 — The first two designs in the series, entitled ‘Bauhaus Botanical’ & ‘Bauhaus Circle-Square’, are signed Limited Edition prints of original designs created by MonicaArts Design, and masterfully printed by Neu Haus Press, in Portland, Oregon. This is the first collaboration for MonicaArts Design with Neu Haus Press. Stay tuned for more from the Bauhaus Design Series throughout 2021.
Historical Significance & Inspiration
The Bauhaus was founded in 1919, in the city of Weimar by German architect Walter Gropius (1883–1969). Its core objective was a radical concept: to reimagine the material world to reflect the unity of all the arts. The school moved to Dessau in 1925 and then to Berlin in 1932, after which Bauhaus—under constant harassment by the Nazis—finally closed in 1933
Bauhaus design was revolutionary for its day. It transformed the way the world looked at design. Bauhaus sought to combine the fine arts with crafts by closing the schism between art and industry. Before this school of design and its design philosophy came into being, things termed “fine arts”—such as design and architecture—were routinely held in higher regard than craftsmanship. Craftsmanship included disciplines like painting, printing or woodworking. Consequently, a broad variety of visual arts were encompassed in Bauhaus design, and were merged with workmanship to create a utopian design philosophy based on celebrating the aesthetic with the practical. Approximately 100 years after its inception, Bauhaus still remains a highly influential force in design and beyond. It demonstrates what’s possible when designers combine minimalism and mass production.
Characteristics of Bauhaus Design which resonate with MonicaArts’ process & aesthetic:
- Refined simplicity
- Modernity & minimalism
- Streamlined aesthetics
- Conducive to mass production
- Form Follows Function
- Retains integrity of materials
Print Collaboration with Neu Haus Press
About Neu Haus Press
Neu Haus Press was founded in 1996 by Chris Chandler when he acquired his first Vandercook Press in Venice Beach, CA. Through the years his love, talent, knowledge and collection of this vintage craft has grown.
From 30 years working as a tour manager and sound engineer for bands he has had the privilege of sharing his passion of letterpress with musicians in collaborations with their art work.
Residing in Portland, OR with his wife and two children, Chris is able to expand his printing portfolio and create letterpress art.
About Print Collaboration
Print collaboration flourishes when a skilled artist works with a skilled printer to create a print that neither could make on his or her own. The artist has their own concepts and style of working, that is uniquely theirs, but their grasp of the technical aspects of printmaking don’t rival those of the experienced printer; who has all the technical skills under their roller yet not the same artistic foundation of the experienced artist. The two collaborators are experts in their respective fields and come together at the press to make something that is greater than the two halves,. Collaboration allows the artist to focus on the image and allow their full expression with print, while the printer makes sure that it is all technically possible and beautiful.
The MonicaArts Bauhaus Design Series is available at the MonicaArts Design Store. For inquiries or further information, please contact MonicaArtsDesign.com
Two recommended Bauhaus References:
- Droste, Magdelena. The Bauhaus: 1919-1933: Reform & Avante Garde, Taschen 2006
- Naylor, Gillian. Bauhaus Reassessed, Sources & Design Theory, E.P. Dutton 1982
