HAUS WERK: THE BAUHAUS IN CONTEMPORARY ART

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is hauswerkbauhausmcclellend-janeoneill.jpg — *Haus Werk: The Bauhaus in contemporary art* exhibition, installation view. McClelland Gallery. Photo: Jane O’Neill.

Group exhibition at McClelland Sculpture Park and Gallery, VIC, 24 Nov 2019 – 15 Mar 2020.
Curated by Jane O’Neill, with Lisa Byrne and Simon Lawrie.
Artists: Peter Atkins (AUS); Anael Berkovitz (USA/ISR); Katja Brinkmann (DEU); Danica Chappell (AUS); Sarah crowEST (AUS); Elizabeth Day (AUS); Stephan Ehrenhofer (AUT); Assaf Evron (ISR/USA); Anna Farago (AUS); Robert Jacks (AUS); Paul Knight (AUS); Eva-Fiore Kovacovsky (CZE); Paul Klee (CZE); Mafalda Millies and Roya Sachs (USA/DEU); John Nixon (AUS); Laresa Kosloff (AUS); Jordan Marani (AUS); Sam Martin (AUS); Bernd Ribbeck (DEU); Jacqueline Stojanović (AUS); Esther Stewart (AUS) and Pallavi Sen (IND); Sebastian Stadler (CZE); Tim Tetzner (DEU); Claudia Wieser (DEU)

The exhibition Haus Werk: The Bauhaus in contemporary art forms part of the official 100jahrebauhaus program of events that celebrates the centenary of the Bauhaus in 2019. Including Australian and international contemporary artists and performers, Haus Werk affirms the relevance of methods first grounded in the Bauhaus, and explores the way these concepts have new applications across different locations and times. Echoing the expansive educational agenda of the Bauhaus, the project incorporates exhibitions, architecture, a library resource, an education program and a catalogue.

The title refers to the way our understanding of the Bauhaus has become entwined with domestic space, with particular emphasis on the influence of the female artists who were relegated to the weaving workshop. Acknowledging the production of artwork as both a form of labour and a kind of play, the project encourages a fluid understanding of these states of production, as outlined by Bauhaus master Johannes Itten in 1919: ‘Play becomes celebration; celebration becomes work; work becomes play. Our play should become work; our work, a celebration; and our celebration, play. I regard this as the supreme excellence of the human tasks .’ [‘our play, our party, our work’ was the title given by Johannes Itten to his lecture of 1919].

Catalogue designed by Roland Brauchli with a specially commissioned dust jacket cover by Sebastian Stadler (cover photography by Stephan Ehrenhofer).

HausWerkCatalogue_DesignedByRolandBrauchli Download

Elizabeth Day, *Invisible Words Invisible Worlds*, 2017-2019, from the *Working in the Trouble* series. Top row, left to right: 1. *There was a reason beyond the reason beyond the reason beyond that reason* (53 x 72 cm); 2. *Having a family member in prison is worse than leprosy* (53 x 122 cm); 3. *The just are not always just* (53 x 72 cm). 4. *Whatever you do don’t talk about it* (53 x 72 cm). Bottom row, left to right: 5. *Did anyone ask her why she was angry?* (53 x 72 cm) 6. *He knew that abuse was going on but wasn’t that interested* (53 x 130 cm); 7. It was passed on from generation to generation (53 x 130 cm). Installation view at McClelland Sculpture Park + Gallery, VIC. Framed digital print (top left) and unravelled wool, felt, muslin, glue, framed (rest). Photo: Jane O’Neill.

Top row, left to right: 1. There was a reason beyond the reason beyond the reason beyond that reason (53 x 72 cm); 2. Having a family member in prison is worse than leprosy (53 x 122 cm); 3. The just are not always just (53 x 72 cm). 4. Whatever you do don’t talk about it (53 x 72 cm). Bottom row, left to right: 5. Did anyone ask her why she was angry? (53 x 72 cm) 6. He knew that abuse was going on but wasn’t that interested (53 x 130 cm); 7. It was passed on from generation to generation (53 x 130 cm).