Bauhaus

1.     Cite some parallels that link Dada and Constructivism in Germany. 

There are several parallels between the Dada and Russian Constructivist thinking in Germany. Both movements embraced the idea of utopian Communism. They believed that geometric abstraction referenced the real world that conveys strong verbal ideas. The groups created photomontages and assemblages using industrial iconography to create posters that were used for social activism. Dadaists and Constructivists criticized Expressionists because of the emotion in their work. Both members rejected taking on the role of the fine artists because they wanted to create a movement that was different aesthetically.

2.     Is an expressionist idiom somehow more appropriate as a vehicle for dark feelings than for other sentiments? Why or why not?

Expressionist idiom is appropriate for feelings in general because in expressionism artists depict non-objective reality. Rather, they depict the subjective emotions and responses, which are aroused from emotions inflicted by objects, events and the world around them. It is a form to express emotional experience rather than impressions of the external world.

3.     Why was architecture so central to the Bauhaus in both a practical and theoretical sense? 

Architecture was practical to the Bauhaus because Bauhaus was the “Construction house”. Walter Gropius was the founder of Bauhaus and he was an architect that rejected the bourgeois. The architectural aesthetic was to be simple, avoid decorative details and wanted to use classical forms. The architecture was a pure form and was functional without ornamentation. It was practical to have flat roofs, smooth surfaces and façades with minimalistic and neutral aesthetics.