Area of Activity II: Innovation and Technology

BauNow – Bauhaus Today in Germany and Israel

Bauhaus is emblematic for innovative methods of multi-disciplinary collaboration which unite both art and the work of skilled trades as well as the exchange of ideas and experimental approaches as a means of fulfilling social needs. The pioneers of the classic Modern era had a profound influence on art and architecture in Germany and Israel at the start of the 20th century.

To coincide with the centenary of the founding of the Staatliches Bauhaus in Weimar, this project brings together design researchers from Jerusalem and Dessau to shine a light on the thoughts at the heart of the Bauhaus movement from a contemporary perspective and create a joint exhibition.

Participants
10 design students from Jerusalem
10 design students from Dessau
4 academic mentors

Project Content
The project is meant to examine the role of design under contemporary social and economic conditions by initiating a creative, intercultural dialogue between Israel and Germany. The locations of the two design schools taking part provide important impulses here: Dessau as the influential “Bauhaus capital” where new ideas were created, and Israel, where these ideas were developed further and combined with local innovations. Fertile ground is thus found to explore which shared and different values emerged from the Bauhaus ideas and what connections might exist to the work of modern designers.

Project Working Methods
Two workshops form the basis of the project, where the students will work in bilateral groups to look at Bauhaus ideas in relation to three thematic areas: aesthetics, technology, and social questions. In addition to the workshops in Israel and Germany, the participants also work together virtually. A special focus is placed on the relevance of the values examined here for current challenges. Together, the participants create concepts, objects, and texts that will be combined into an exhibition to be presented in both countries.

Project Goals
The exhibition, which will also be available online, is supposed to trigger a debate illuminating the importance and relevance of the Bauhaus approach in both societies. It reveals how objects and spaces can be designed by fusing technological, aesthetic, and social perspectives. As Bauhaus is a concept that has had a lasting effect on both countries, the project aims to employ the concept as a shared language between the two cultures.
Collaborating Partners
Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, Jerusalem
Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Dessau