THE HAGUE.- This autumn Kunstmuseum Den Haag presents the first exhibition ever in the Netherlands to examine the life and work of Anni and Josef Albers. The art and inspiring teaching of this famous artist couple had an inestimable impact on the development of modern art.

Featuring over 200 works, including textiles, paintings, graphic art, photographs, furniture and drawings, the exhibition shows how Anni Albers (1899 -1994) evolved into a true pioneer of modern textile art and highlight the process of artistic development Josef Albers (1888-1976) underwent which culminated in his internationally renowned Homage to the Square series comprising innumerable colour studies in a square format.

These two European artists, who were born in Germany just before the turn of the 20th century, discovered in the USA the richness of South America’s ancient cultures. They tried as teachers to convey to their students the cultural importance of the utilitarian objects and art treasures produced by the cultures they revered. At the same time, those cultures profoundly influenced their own art. The rich textile tradition deepened Anni’s knowledge and ideas, while Josef’s compositions were inspired by the architecture of Mexico and Peru.

Josef and Anni met at the acclaimed Bauhaus in 1922. It was there that they developed a lifelong personal and professional relationship. The couple soon married, and as the Nazis rose to power, they decided to flee Germany and continue their lives as artists and teachers in the United States.

Anni Albers: founder of modern textile art 

At the start of her training, like most women at the Bauhaus Anni Albers was forced to focus on weaving. She reluctantly complied, but once she found herself in the textile workshop her disappointment quickly transformed into great enthusiasm for the versatility of the medium. She experimented with various techniques, introducing weaving patterns as an explicit element of her compositions, and combining jute and cotton yarn with metal thread or synthetic material like cellophane. With her unconventional use of materials, her innovative style and her efforts to achieve recognition of weaving as a visual art Anni Albers became one of the founders of modern textile art.

Josef Albers: the impact of colour 

Josef Albers devoted his working life to studying the physical and emotional impact of colour, initially producing geometric compositions in sandblasted glass. In his paintings he developed a unique abstract idiom that is all about the visual interaction of colours. These experiments eventually led to his now-famous series of paintings and graphic works entitled Homage to the Square, a seemingly endless serious of harmonious colour combinations.




Teaching

Josef and Anni Albers continued teaching to an advanced age at various educational establishments. Josef described their main ambition as teachers as ‘to open eyes’. They encouraged new generations to open their eyes to the wonders around them: from nature to culture, form to colour. Their former students, fellow teachers and other close contacts include famous names like sculptor Ruth Asawa, dancer Merce Cunningham, composer John Cage and painter Robert Rauschenberg. 

Exhibition

In order to illustrate the versatility of the work of Anni and Josef Albers Kunstmuseum Den Haag will be showing a collection of some 200 works. The selection will feature some of the finest work by both artists, displayed chronologically and thematically, starting with their own training at the Bauhaus, their departure for the revolutionary Black Mountain College in the United States, the inspiration they drew from pre-Columbian culture and their own enduring impact on modern art.

The exhibition will also show how the life and work of this artist couple are closely interwoven. Although they both worked with different materials, they shared the same attitude to life, plus the same artistic vision, curiosity about the unknown and sources of inspiration. They both focused on experimentation, and the challenge of creating the most innovative compositions on the basis of self-imposed restrictions in terms of colour, form or use of materials. 

Inspired by pre-Columbian culture

The museum will also focus considerable attention on the influence of pre-Columbian culture on the work of both Anni and Josef Albers. On trips to countries like Mexico, Chile and Peru they discovered the beauty and quality of the culture of long-gone civilisations that existed before European colonisation. Besides showcasing the clear influence on their work, the museum will also display several examples of ancient pre-Columbian sculptures and textile fragments from the Albers’ personal collection.

Catalogue

A catalogue will be published to accompany the exhibition. Published by WBOOKS, numbering over 200 pages, including contributions from Frouke van Dijke, Willem van Roij, Nicholas Fox Weber and Caro Verbeek, and designed by Typography Interiority and Other Serious Matters, the catalogue will be available from October, price EUR 34.95.