Image as investigation: sciences of the otherworldly at the Bauhaus
The Environmentalist September 1, 2012 Elizabeth Otto 12 citations
Modern architecture and design are often viewed as harsh and impersonal, but this essay argues otherwise by examining mysticism and the occult's influence on the Bauhaus, an interwar German reform movement and school. While developing streamlined designs, Bauhaus members also created images rooted in alternative religions, spiritism, and occult practices. These works were part of broader research into the otherworldly and a rediscovery of nature. Reintegrating this history reveals modernism not as cold and soulless but as part of efforts to perceive and shape a rapidly changing world.