The 100th Anniversary of the Bauhaus – Interpretations by Berliner Designers

The Bauhaus moved to Berlin as a private institution one year before Nazi repression forced its closure in 1933. Berlin is also the home of the Bauhaus archive, which is now undergoing renovations, including the addition of a new building, to prepare for the 100thanniversary in 2019. The Bauhaus’ strong influence on contemporary jewelry and applied arts is exemplarily shown in an exhibition entitled “100 Jahre Bauhaus – Interpretationen Berliner Gestalter” [The 100thAnniversary of the Bauhaus – Interpretations by Berliner Designers] and staged by the “noon. schmuck und produkt” [noon: jewelry and product] studio community and producer gallery.

Guest of the Bauhaus exhibition at Gallery noon: Antje Stutz, chain Skizze im Raum. Silver oxidized, lacquered.

noon was established on Dresdener Strasse in Berlin’s Kreuzberg neighborhood in 2009. Its five designers are well known for their wholly individualistic styles. Ursula Bonderer makes jewelry from rubber, relying on its inherent elasticity to imaginatively transform two-dimensional shapes into sculptural objects. Elgin Fischer works playfully with colored enamel. Monika Glöss stands for clear forms with refined details. Ulrike Poelk’s jewelry can be worn in numerous and unexpected ways. And Julia Reymann creates multilayered forms from filigreed wire bodies and Japan paper. Unconventional materials, shapes or ways of wearing repeatedly invite people to see jewelry in a new light.

Another guest in the exhibition of the Bauhaus year at noon: Mia Kwon, brooch Klarheit02 [clarity02]. Mont Blanc porcelain, pigment, steel, silk, glass.

Alongside the five noon designers, the exhibit also presents work by 23 other designers who live in Berlin. Six of them came from the disciplines of glass, ceramic, interior design and accessories. Most of the participants’ collections already contained pieces influenced by the aesthetics and ideas of the Bauhaus. Several exhibitors use the exhibit’s theme as an opportunity to explore the Bauhaus again and thus to develop something new. Their working title for the show in Kreuzberg is “no bullshit – Bauhaus.” The noon designers believe this name is fitting because “it clearly states what mattered at the Bauhaus: namely, to get out of uselessness, without frills.”