The Masters' Houses in Dessau became in the twenties in the epitome of a community of artists of the twentieth century. Walter Gropius, Oskar Schlemmer, Georg Muche, László Moholy-Nagy, Lyonel Feininger, Wassily Kandinsky and Paul Klee with their families, lived during various years in this houses. In these spaces, friends and visitors gathered, finding groups of artists, artist couples and friends of artists working together in this open structure of houses located in a park. However, in 1933 when the Bauhauslers left, the area was abandoned leaving behind the work created as a result of artistic endeavor.
Since February 2016, the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation has begun to allow young international artists to re-inhabit and work in Schlemmer's house, even though it is under strict restrictions attached to the perseverance of the cultural heritage as it is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With this change of direction, the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation wishes to focus the attention on the heritage of the Bauhaus, revitalize the Masters’ Houses and, at the same time, promote the artistic and creative work of international significance created during the period of residence, exhibiting it in the Gropius House until the Bauhaus anniversary in 2019.
Participation conditions
The programme is catering to artists with an overall interest in all those areas that are historically being represented by Bauhaus and that have developed from it until today: painting, design, textile, architecture, sculpture, photography, film.
Please appreciate the fact that the Open Call is not open to students. Teams are welcome.
Application (German or English):
Please apply using the application online form
They require the following information from you:
- Your career development
- A list of your previous exhibitions
- The actual project that you will be working on during your stay at Bauhaus. This should be related to Bauhaus (approx. 2 pages). The project should also be tied to the Foundation’s annual topic in 2018 “Standards”. (Here we are looking at a survey of standards existing in building, living, life and works of art. How do we deal with measurability, rules and standards? How can we get off the beaten track of standards in the field of art? What influence does art have today on how we perceive standards?)
- A motivation
- An artist’s portfolio
Applications in paper or other formats will not be accepted and will therefore disqualify the applicant.
Closing date for applications: 6 September 2017, 00 h (CET)
Announcement of the winners
In the autumn of 2017 two artists will be selected for the year 2018 by a jury. The winners will be announced through a press release at the end of October 2017.
Jury
The jury consists of Dr Claudia Perren, director of the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation; Melanie Roumiguière, curator Hamburger Bahnhof Berlin (requested); Daniel Herrmann, director of the Werkleitz Gesellschaft e.V.; Markus Hoffmann, guest artist 2017, and Dr Alexia Pooth, research associate of the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation.
The Foundation’s performances
The Bauhaus Dessau Foundation will provide the selected artists with the
following for three months:
- Living and work space in the Schlemmer House
- A monthly expense allowance of 1,200 Euros
- Opportunities for giving presentations and performances and engaging in discussions during their stay
- Support in their research work, in organising events along with technical assistance and public relations activities
- Public presentations of their work in the Gropius House at the end of their stay where the work will remain until 2019
The artists‘ obligations
- Purchase of the material required for their work
- Medical and indemnity insurance
- Visa
- Living expenses, provisions
With the assistance of the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation, the artists are free to apply for additional external funding for their stay.
Artists-in-Residence time period
The three-monthly Artist-in-Residence stays will take place between April and October 2018 in consultation with the Foundation. You are expected to be present in Dessau.
