Abstraction II 1922

László Moholy-Nagy made this lithograph, Abstraction II, in 1922. Moholy-Nagy taught at the Bauhaus, a German art school that was hugely influential in the development of art and design. This print exemplifies the Bauhaus interest in abstraction. You can see the geometric forms, lines and shapes seemingly floating in space. The artist contrasts black and white to create a dynamic tension in the composition. The image gives an impression of mechanical precision but was in fact made by hand. The Bauhaus sought to integrate art, craft, and technology to create a new kind of functional and socially conscious design. Moholy-Nagy believed that art should be integrated into all aspects of life. To better understand the vision of Moholy-Nagy and his contemporaries, one could study their manifestos and consider the history of art education and the rise of industrialization in Europe. After all, the meaning of this work can be found in its institutional and social context.