Session 6: The Ulm School of Design

Blog task 6:

• Take one of the artists or designers mentioned in the presentation and research  their life and visual output. Collate a minimum of 10 pieces of their work and write a short biography (300-500 words).​

Max Bill
​(1908–1994)

bauhaus constellations

colour lithograph on paper

Sense títol, 1979 Galeria Eude

pyramide in form einer achtelkugel , 1965

2 Ulm stools. 1954 , 1954

zerstrahlung von grün , ca. 1972–1973

Combillation, 1970

3 : 4, hell, 1985 Galerie Orlando

Halbe Kugel um zwei Achsen / Half Ball Around Two Axes, 1965–1966

Cube , 1966

​

Max Bill was born on the 22nd December, Winterthur, Switzerland 1908. He was a leader for the Concreate Art Movement in 1924. He later on applied in 1924 to study at the Art and Crafts Academy in Zurich but after seeing artwork by Le Corbusier his interest had shifted towards architecture which led him to become a student at the Bauhause in Dessau. This is where he would learn under notable artists – Joseph Albers, Wassily Kandinsky, and Paul Klee. From 1927-1929 Max Bill had become an apprentice as a silversmith. In 1929 he moved to Zurich to peruse his career as an architect, graphic artists, sculptor, industrial designer and painter, He was still very active during this time. His artwork has been inspired by the ideas of Theo Van Doesburg and the concepts of concreate art as he applied geometry and mathematics into his work.
 
During 1936 he started to be more active in public relations. From 1944 he was more active in graphic designs and founded the journal Abstrakt Konkret. In the 1950s the Max Bill started to write monographs, catalogues and journal entries that would explore all the theories that came to mind about Abstract Constructivism.
 
Max Bill, in 1931 became the co-founder and director for the Ulm School of Arts and Crafts (Ulm Hochschule für Gestaltung (College of Design)) along with Otl Aicher and activist Inge Scholl. This lasted until 1956. Max Bill then became the head of architecture and industrial design from 1967 and 1974. He also taught environmental design Hochschule für Bildende Künste (College of Fine Arts) in Hamburg.
 
In 1941 he joined Allianz (Union of Modern Swiss Artists) he founded a publishing company under the same name and became a member of Abstraction-Création artist association, CIAM (Congrès Internationaux d’Architecture Moderne), Academy for the Arts, Berlin. Bauhaus Archival Association of Berlin, I.C.P. (Institut Für Progressive Kultur), U.A.M. (Union des Artistes Modernes). And many more associations and councils of Swiss and German workers.
 
Bill Max was awarded the Grand Prix in Italy and Brazil during his career. In 1968 he achieved the Award for Art in Zurich as well as two honorary degrees.
 
Max Bill died at the age of 86 on December 9, 1994, during a visit to Berlin. 

Biography + Artwork

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SESSION NOTES