Gertrud Arndt (née Hantschk; 20 September 1903 – 10 July 2000) was a German photographer and designer associated with the Bauhaus movement.[1] She is remembered for her pioneering series of self-portraits from around 1930.
Born Gertrud Hantschk in Ratibor (then Upper Silesia), in September 1903, Arndt began her artistic studies as a student at the Kunstgewerbeschule in Erfurt.[2] Her interest in photography developed while serving at an architectural office in Erfurt, where she learned darkroom techniques and began taking photographs of local buildings. None of these early photographs exist. Thanks to a scholarship, she was a student at the Bauhaus from 1923 to 1927, where she studied under László Moholy-Nagy, Wassily Kandinsky, and Paul Klee. Arndt had initially hoped to study architecture, however, she felt lost as the only woman in the construction course.[3] She instead enrolled in the weaving workshop, where she studied under the tutelage of Georg Muche and Günta Stölzl.[4][5][6] She believed that studying weaving was the only way she could continue her studies at the Bauhaus as a woman.[3] Her most famous carpet - which has not survived - lay in the office of Walter Gropius from 1924 onwards.[7] She qualified as a journeyman before the Weaver's Guild in Glaucha, Saxony in 1927.[6]
Later that year, she married fellow student, and architect, Alfred Arndt, who was appointed full-time master of the Bauhaus construction workshop in Dessau in 1929. Although no longer a student, Arndt remained active in Bauhaus events and enrolled in Walter Peterhan's newly created photography course.[3] Without full-time work, Arndt embraced photography as a means to stave off her boredom. In the next five years producing a series of 43 self-portraits as well as images of her friend Otti Berger. In 1932, the couple moved to Probstzella in Thuringia, where Alfred worked as a free-lance architect.[3] In 1948 they settled in Soviet-occupied Darmstadt, and by 1950 were again in contact with other former Bauhaus members.[3] In those post war years, interest in the Bauhaus quickly rose again. In 1979 Arndt received international acclaim when her photographs were exhibited at Museum Folkwang.[5] She returned to Dessau in 1994, invited by the Vorwerk company to discuss new line of rugs based on designs exclusively by women.[3] Gertud Arndt died in July 2000 at the age of ninety-six.[4][5] Ever playful, she suggested that her friends and family "celebrate a joyful Bauhaus party" after her death.[3]
Photography
Arndt's photography, forgotten until the 1980s, has been compared to that of her contemporaries Marta Astfalck-Vietz and Claude Cahun.[4] Over the five years when she took an active interest in photography, she captured herself and her friends in various styles, costumes and settings in the series known as Maskenportäts (Masked Portraits). Although at the time Arndt refused to attribute any deep artistic meaning to her photographs, they were imaginative and provocative. Through her costumes, Arndt created playful reinterpretations of such feminine tropes as the widow, socialite, and a little girl.[2] Writing for Berlin Art Link, Angela Connor describes the images as "ranging from severe to absurd to playful."[8] Arndt's photographic style itself was likewise unique, and defied the usual aspects of modernist photography, which often included extreme angles, constructivist mirroring, or geometric simplifications.[3] Instead the viewer is confronted with Arndt head on, unable to ignore the expression communicated by her face and the accessories that framed it. In an interview as a nonagenarian, Arndt told Sabina Leßmann, "I am simply interested in the face, what does one make from a face? There you only need to open your eyes wide and already you are someone else. Isn't that true?"[3] Today Arndt is considered to be a pioneer of female self-portraiture, her work echoing in that of Cindy Sherman and Sophie Calle.[9]
Exhibition
In January 2013, the Bauhaus Museum of Design in Berlin presented an exhibition of Gertrud Arndt's textiles and photographs.[4]
References
^"Gertrud Arndt", Luminous Link. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
^ abWitkovsky, Matthew S., and Peter Demetz. Foto : Modernity In Central Europe, 1918-1945. Washington, DC: National Gallery of Art in association with Thames and Hudson, 2007.
^ abcd"Gertrud Arndt (-Hantschk)" 2013-04-05 at the Wayback Machine, Bauhaus. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
^ abcPress release, 7 February 2013 (downloadable PDF): "Gertrud Arndt (1903–2000): Life and Work" 8 September 2013 at the Wayback Machine, Bauhaus-archiv. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
^ abFiedler, Jeannine (1990). Photography at the Bauhaus. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press. p. 340. ISBN3-88940-045-0.
^Bauhaus Archive in Berlin Exhibits Works by Gertrud Arndt[permanent dead link], germany.info, 1 February 2013. Accessed 13 February 2013.
^Angela Connor, "Before Cindy Sherman came Gertrud Arndt", Berlin Art Link. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
^Nicola Kuhn, "Gattin beim Rollenspiel", Der Tagesspiegel, 3 February 2013. (in German) Retrieved 15 March 2013.
Literature
Arndt, Alfred; Leistner, Gerhard; Arndt, Gertrud (1991). Alfred Arndt, Gertrud Arndt: zwei Künstler aus dem Bauhaus : Museum Ostdeutsche Galerie Regensburg, 8. Juni-14. Juli 1991. Das Museum. ISBN978-3-89188-056-2.
Leßmann, Sabina (1994). Gertrud Arndt: Photographien der Bauhaus-Künstlerin; Das Verborgene Museum, Berlin, 20. Januar bis 13. März 1994. Das Verborgene Museum.
Lessmann, Sabina. "Die Maske der Weiblichket nimmt kuriose formen an... (The Mask of Femininity Takes on Curious Forms). In Eskildsen, Ute. Fotografieren hieß teilnehmen. Richter, 1994.
Ute, Eskildsen (1995). "A Chance to Participate: A Transitional Time for Women Photographer" in Visions of the 'Neue Frau': Women and the Visual Arts in Weimar Germany. Aldershot, England; Brookfield, Vermont: Scolar Press; Ashgate Publishing Company. ISBN978-1-85928-157-4.
External links
A number of her strange self-portraits selected by James Conway
Biography and one or two photographs from Bauhaus
Entry on Gertrud Arndt in the Museum of Modern Art's Object:Photo resource, with a self-portrait and chronology of the artist's life
April 10, 2023
gertrud, arndt, née, hantschk, september, 1903, july, 2000, german, photographer, designer, associated, with, bauhaus, movement, remembered, pioneering, series, self, portraits, from, around, 1930, arndt, 1930, mask, portrait, 13borngertrud, hantschk, 1903, se. Gertrud Arndt nee Hantschk 20 September 1903 10 July 2000 was a German photographer and designer associated with the Bauhaus movement 1 She is remembered for her pioneering series of self portraits from around 1930 Gertrud ArndtArndt in 1930 Mask portrait No 13BornGertrud Hantschk 1903 09 20 20 September 1903Ratibor Upper SilesiaDied10 July 2000 2000 07 10 aged 96 Darmstadt GermanyKnown forPhotographyMovementBauhausSpouseAlfred Arndt m 1927 wbr Contents 1 Biography 2 Photography 3 Exhibition 4 References 5 Literature 6 External linksBiography EditBorn Gertrud Hantschk in Ratibor then Upper Silesia in September 1903 Arndt began her artistic studies as a student at the Kunstgewerbeschule in Erfurt 2 Her interest in photography developed while serving at an architectural office in Erfurt where she learned darkroom techniques and began taking photographs of local buildings None of these early photographs exist Thanks to a scholarship she was a student at the Bauhaus from 1923 to 1927 where she studied under Laszlo Moholy Nagy Wassily Kandinsky and Paul Klee Arndt had initially hoped to study architecture however she felt lost as the only woman in the construction course 3 She instead enrolled in the weaving workshop where she studied under the tutelage of Georg Muche and Gunta Stolzl 4 5 6 She believed that studying weaving was the only way she could continue her studies at the Bauhaus as a woman 3 Her most famous carpet which has not survived lay in the office of Walter Gropius from 1924 onwards 7 She qualified as a journeyman before the Weaver s Guild in Glaucha Saxony in 1927 6 Later that year she married fellow student and architect Alfred Arndt who was appointed full time master of the Bauhaus construction workshop in Dessau in 1929 Although no longer a student Arndt remained active in Bauhaus events and enrolled in Walter Peterhan s newly created photography course 3 Without full time work Arndt embraced photography as a means to stave off her boredom In the next five years producing a series of 43 self portraits as well as images of her friend Otti Berger In 1932 the couple moved to Probstzella in Thuringia where Alfred worked as a free lance architect 3 In 1948 they settled in Soviet occupied Darmstadt and by 1950 were again in contact with other former Bauhaus members 3 In those post war years interest in the Bauhaus quickly rose again In 1979 Arndt received international acclaim when her photographs were exhibited at Museum Folkwang 5 She returned to Dessau in 1994 invited by the Vorwerk company to discuss new line of rugs based on designs exclusively by women 3 Gertud Arndt died in July 2000 at the age of ninety six 4 5 Ever playful she suggested that her friends and family celebrate a joyful Bauhaus party after her death 3 Photography EditArndt s photography forgotten until the 1980s has been compared to that of her contemporaries Marta Astfalck Vietz and Claude Cahun 4 Over the five years when she took an active interest in photography she captured herself and her friends in various styles costumes and settings in the series known as Maskenportats Masked Portraits Although at the time Arndt refused to attribute any deep artistic meaning to her photographs they were imaginative and provocative Through her costumes Arndt created playful reinterpretations of such feminine tropes as the widow socialite and a little girl 2 Writing for Berlin Art Link Angela Connor describes the images as ranging from severe to absurd to playful 8 Arndt s photographic style itself was likewise unique and defied the usual aspects of modernist photography which often included extreme angles constructivist mirroring or geometric simplifications 3 Instead the viewer is confronted with Arndt head on unable to ignore the expression communicated by her face and the accessories that framed it In an interview as a nonagenarian Arndt told Sabina Lessmann I am simply interested in the face what does one make from a face There you only need to open your eyes wide and already you are someone else Isn t that true 3 Today Arndt is considered to be a pioneer of female self portraiture her work echoing in that of Cindy Sherman and Sophie Calle 9 Exhibition EditIn January 2013 the Bauhaus Museum of Design in Berlin presented an exhibition of Gertrud Arndt s textiles and photographs 4 References Edit Gertrud Arndt Luminous Link Retrieved 15 March 2013 a b Witkovsky Matthew S and Peter Demetz Foto Modernity In Central Europe 1918 1945 Washington DC National Gallery of Art in association with Thames and Hudson 2007 a b c d e f g h i Muller Ulrike 2009 Bauhaus Women Art Handicraft Design Paris Flammairon pp 57 61 ISBN 978 2 08 030120 8 a b c d Gertrud Arndt Hantschk Archived 2013 04 05 at the Wayback Machine Bauhaus Retrieved 15 March 2013 a b c Press release 7 February 2013 downloadable PDF Gertrud Arndt 1903 2000 Life and Work Archived 8 September 2013 at the Wayback Machine Bauhaus archiv Retrieved 15 March 2013 a b Fiedler Jeannine 1990 Photography at the Bauhaus Cambridge Massachusetts The MIT Press p 340 ISBN 3 88940 045 0 Bauhaus Archive in Berlin Exhibits Works by Gertrud Arndt permanent dead link germany info 1 February 2013 Accessed 13 February 2013 Angela Connor Before Cindy Sherman came Gertrud Arndt Berlin Art Link Retrieved 15 March 2013 Nicola Kuhn Gattin beim Rollenspiel Der Tagesspiegel 3 February 2013 in German Retrieved 15 March 2013 Literature EditArndt Alfred Leistner Gerhard Arndt Gertrud 1991 Alfred Arndt Gertrud Arndt zwei Kunstler aus dem Bauhaus Museum Ostdeutsche Galerie Regensburg 8 Juni 14 Juli 1991 Das Museum ISBN 978 3 89188 056 2 Lessmann Sabina 1994 Gertrud Arndt Photographien der Bauhaus Kunstlerin Das Verborgene Museum Berlin 20 Januar bis 13 Marz 1994 Das Verborgene Museum Lessmann Sabina Die Maske der Weiblichket nimmt kuriose formen an The Mask of Femininity Takes on Curious Forms In Eskildsen Ute Fotografieren hiess teilnehmen Richter 1994 Ute Eskildsen 1995 A Chance to Participate A Transitional Time for Women Photographer in Visions of the Neue Frau Women and the Visual Arts in Weimar Germany Aldershot England Brookfield Vermont Scolar Press Ashgate Publishing Company ISBN 978 1 85928 157 4 External links EditA number of her strange self portraits selected by James Conway Biography and one or two photographs from Bauhaus Entry on Gertrud Arndt in the Museum of Modern Art s Object Photo resource with a self portrait and chronology of the artist s life Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gertrud Arndt amp oldid 1075304283, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
