Visual Art
'BREUER TOOK THE INTERNATIONAL STYLE ON TO THE NEXT GENERATION'
The ‘Wassily' chair
The original mod
Alexander Kennedy ooks at the designs and maquettes of one of the Bauhaus’ most succesful architects.
I the ‘house is a maehine tor |i\ing in'. then. to paraphrase I.e (‘orhusieiz a ehair must he a maehine l‘or sitting in. It‘s a slightl) hilarious idea. hut one \xhieh points to the \\a_\ man} Modernist arehiteels used the ehair as a dainl) launeh pad l‘or neu theories the) then e\plored and applied to their arehiteelure. 'l’he e\hihilion ol‘ I)esigns and .-\rehiteeture h} .\lareel Breuer demonstrates that this \xas indeed the ease. and that lessons learned in the furniture making classes at the Bauhaus \xenl he}ond upholstering and do\elail joints. Alter .stud}ing as a student in the \Veimar Bauhaus.
Breuer then \xenl on to he a master in eharge ol'
eahinet-making in the later I)essau Bauhaus. Iixen though he \\ as in\ol\ed in making adxaneements in hon \t'ood \\ as used tspeeilieall} hon pl}\\ootl opened up ne\\ l'ormal possilwilitiesl. the eonstruetions he did make on ed most to his e\amination ol‘ metal. eloth and leather. Ilis use ol' tubular steel. e\ ideneed in man} of the ehairs on displa) in the e\hihition. \\ as original and extremel} inlluential r eopies ol' his ehairs eould he tound around e\er_\ dining room table in the earl} 30s t‘(‘hair 832'. \sith its eunilinear steal l‘rame and eane \xork' seat) and e\er_\ hairdresser's in the late Xlls tthe ‘\\'a.s'.s’il}' Chair"). Ile “as no Riet\eld. I.e (‘orhusier or .\Iie.s. but he did learn a lot lrom these masters. and took the International St} le on to the nut generation.
It's difficult to giVe marks out ol~ ten for the models of his most famous. buildings in the e\hihition spaee on level the. t\\'hat ean one sa_\ - theyre loxelyh The} do let the Viewer see the eonslruetions in the round.
88 THE LIST .f . .. .4
nhile the supporting photographs and doeumentation allo\\ us to imagine heing in li'ont ol. or exen in. the huildings. Some ol' the buildings are grotesque. demonstrating the l’ormal e\eesses ol the International Sole Ills ‘St Johns Althe} ('hureh'. ('ollege\ille. Minnesota. IUSX (il. l‘or e\ample. This “as his lirst major saered huilding. \thieh demonstrates hon strangel} ornamental. ridieuloUs and grotesque many ol the Internatioinil St}le ehurehes and eathedrals aetuall} are. In this ease. the hell'r} has become an o\ersi/ed leeturn \\ ith hells on. The he\agonal shaped \\llltIti\\s resemble the eells in a line. \xith priests as se\|ess \xorker drones leeding the eelhrants (iod— hone}. Repulsix e. The haek ele\ation ol the Parish (‘hureh ol‘ St I-‘raneis de Sales. .\Iuskegan. Michigan resemhles an armed angel ol the .-\poeal_\pse. nith a haptismal ehapel that eould he a set from ('umm the liur/mrhm. [Mull/l 's Run or .S'lr/tt'rmun.
'l‘he \Vhitne} .\luseum. \Y. steals the shim. Its imerted p_\ramidal strueture seems to del‘y graVit)‘. merhanging and eoneealing the entanee. The bridge in er the l‘oreeourt seulpture garden adds grandeur \xithout intimidating the \isitor. Breuer's other modest puhlie buildings. sueh as the '(‘entral Public Library. (ieot'gia. NIH-Ml. on es mueh to his earl} days. and his lo\ e ol Rietxeld's \\ol'k'. 'l‘he l.ihrar_\ resembles RIL‘I\CILI.\ St‘lll'tit‘tlcr IIUlI\C. \\IIII tlII IIIC I)e Slljl inllueneed eolour seruhhed oil. and the plaster emered hriek \KLIIIs heeoming pristine planes of stone.
Marcel Breuer - Designs and Architecture, The Lighthouse, Glasgow until Sun 27 Aug .0000
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THE BEST EXHIBITIONS
* Marcle Breuer - Deslgn and Architecture
An excellent display of work by the Bauhaus graduate and lecturer. The chairs on Show demonstrate enormous originality and staying power — with various designs utilising bicycle metal tubing. It would have been too difficult for the curators at the Lighthouse to bring Breuer's Whitney Museum from New York. so they're showing one they made earlier. See review, left. The Lighthouse, Glasgow, until Sun 27 Aug.
2|: Elshelmer In Rome
lf God's in the detail then be ready to meet your maker. This exhibition of painted miniatures demonstrates the talent of a fairly unknown artist. with highly ornate works painted on small plates of copper. Magnifying glasses are on hand for you to get right in to every brushstroke. so no pushing at the back, you'll all get a go. See review, page 89. Weston Link, Hawthron Lecture Theatre, National Gallery, Edinburgh, until Tue 78 Jul.
3|: Susan Derges - Azure An exhibition of large-scale photograms that envelop the viewer and confuse our sense of spatial positioning and direction. The abstract images take on the qualities of landscapes and seascapes. so wear a good pair of walking boots and pack a picnic. No food in the gallery, please. Ing/eby Gallery, until Sat 22 Jul. 3|! Test Transmlsslon
A small retrospective of some of the most interesting and significant video work by artists and collectives who have used video, critiqued the power of television, and reflected on the qualities and aesthetic options that these media make available. A rare chance to sit very close to the telly without being shouted at. CCA, Glasgow, until Sat 22 Jul.