The Essence of Things: Design and the Art of Reduction

Posted on 26/04/2012 by admin

Six weeks after the opening of “Art Nouveau to Present” the Grassi Museum for Applied Arts Leipzig are presenting a special exhibition that not only perfectly compliments “Art Nouveau to Present” but in many ways provides a deeper background to many of the themes featured in the final part of the museum’s permanent exhibition.

Curated by the Vitra Design Museum”The Essence of Things: Design and the Art of Reduction” premiered in Weil am Rhein in 2010, has since been shown in Hannover and Gent and presents over 160 items from the Vitra Design Museum’s collection.

The principle message is clear enough: Good design needn’t be complicated or pompous.

But what’s really interesting is the underlying message: How does one achieve reduction?

“The Essence of Things: Design and the Art of Reduction” defines 11 possible forms of reduction ranging from construction and logistics over compaction and onto, for example, dissolution and transparency.

And in doing so makes clear that “reduced design” isn’t simply a matter of aesthetics, but also plays an important role in costs, environmental impact, ethics and function of the object.

In addition to being a wonderful exploration of the subject of reduction in design the exhibition, featuring as it does objects and design classics by the likes of Marcel Breuer, Michael Thonet, Charles and Ray Eames or Gerrit Rietveld, “The Essence of Things: Design and the Art of Reduction”  is also a wonderful journey through over a century of design history

The Essence of Things: Design and the Art of Reduction at the Grassi Museum for Applied Arts Leipzig runs until September 16th 2012.

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Korea in Focus: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring

Posted on 30/03/2012 by admin

As part of the fringe programme accompanying the exhibition Korea Rediscovered – Treasures from German Museums the Grassi Leipzig Ethnography Museum will be showing Kim Ki-duk’s 2003 film “Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring” on April 5th.

Superficially the tale of one Buddhist monk’s journey through life, “Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring” is a moving exploration of the human spirit, the challenges we all face and the journey we all undertake.

The innocence of the young child monk in the first spring moving through love, evil and enlightenment before spring returns in the form of rebirth.

In addition to the story the other highlight of the film is without question the scenery surrounding the floating hermitage in which the central scenes are set.

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring, Grassi Leipzig Ethnography Museum 05.04 2012 @ 8pm

Tickets Euro 4,00 (Concessions Euro 2,00)

Korea in Focus Spring Summer Fall Winter and Spring

Korea in Focus: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring

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Bauhaus Berlin Tours 2012

Posted on 27/03/2012 by admin

In a new cooperation for 2012 the Bauhaus Archiv Berlin has teamed up with specialist tour company art:berlin to offer a series of Bauhaus themed tours through Berlin and environs.

The tours are independent of the recently published “Bauhaus Travel Book. Weimar. Dessau. Berlin.” but obviously provide an ideal opportunity to deepen the information in the book relating to the story and relevance of Bauhaus architecture in Berlin.

And, of course, hopefully your own personal understanding of what Bauhaus is and was.

Featuring 6 themed Berlin tours the programme covers not only Bauhaus architecture but also modernism in a more general sense as well as aspects of Berlin’s contemporary design culture. “City of Design: Between Claim and Reality” being the very inviting title of that particular tour.

The tours take place at irregular intervals throughout the spring and early summer. Full details on the tours including dates and prices can be found at www.bauhaus.de

PLEASE NOTE. All tours take place in German only!!

Walter Gropius Grosssiedlung Siemensstadt Berlin

Part of Walter Gropius' contribution to the Grosssiedlung Siemensstadt Berlin

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Hochschule für Musik und Theater “Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy” Leipzig: Ohne das Leben wäre die Musik ein Irrtum

Posted on 25/03/2012 by admin

On the evening of Friday April 13th students from the Hochschule für Musik und Theater “Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy” Department of Popular Music and Jazz will be hosting an evening featuring their own compositions.

At this juncture we’re not sure if the title of the evening – without life music would be an error – is in any way related to the works that will be presented. But we imagine so.

The evening will featured self-penned songs by Alice Wohlust, Arnfried Auge, Katharina Helmke, Fabian Kuss, Laura Hempel, Bianca Böhme, Christin Krause and Laura Wasniewski.

Hochschule für Musik und Theater “Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy” Leipzig: Ohne das Leben wäre die Musik ein Irrtum

13.04. @ 7.30pm Großer Probesaal, Raum -1.33

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Easter in Jägerhof 2012

Posted on 22/03/2012 by admin

As tradition dictates the Museum für Sächsische Volkskunst in Dresden welcomes in the spring with three weeks of events, concerts, readings – and of course brightly decorated Easter eggs.

In addition this year the Museum is presenting a special exhibition dedicated to Dresden’s lace making ladies, which, in addition to historic and contemporary examples of the lace makers art, features live lace making by members of the group “Dresdner Klöppelfrauen”

The Museum für Sächsische Volkskunst, Jägerhof Köpckestraße 1, 01097 Dresden is open Tuesday – Sunday from 10 am to 6pm

Easter in Jägerhof 2012 Programme

Egg based performances, shows and activities: Daily  from 10am until 6pm

24. March @ 3pm:  Madame Rosa und die Märchen des Frühlings

31. March @ 3pm: “Frühlingsgefühle – Eine Zeitreise”.  The Radebeul Chamber Choir sings in the Jägerhof

01. April Palm Sunday, @ 11am: Spring concert with the singers Tanja Höft and Anna Piontkowsky

06. April, Good Friday, @ 3pm: ‚‚Passion Christi‘‘, the 1830 Oberlausitz human puppet theatre  – a talk with Dr. Igor A. Jenzen

07. April

@ 11am: Madame Rosa und die Märchen des Frühlings

@ 4pm: Spring concert with the chamber music collective “Il passatempo” Dresden

08. April, Easter Sunday, @ 3pm: Popular spring songs with Elke Birninger accompanied by Horst Berger (Zither)

09. April, Easter Monday, @ 4pm: Spring songs sung by the Männerchor Dresden-Striesen e.V.

15. April @ 3pm:  Sorbische Easter Traditions – Folklore from the Lausitz read Roza Domascyna

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Guided Tour: I know that! Familiar and unfamiliar 20th century design!

Posted on 17/03/2012 by admin

One of the real joys of the new Grassi Museum for Applied Arts Leipzig permanent exhibition “Art Nouveau to Present” is that many of the exhibits are still in use today – and as such provide the best evidence that the museum isn’t about dusty old objects.

But documenting cultural and social change.

On Thursday March 22nd Sabine Epple, curator of the museum’s modern collection, will lead a themed guided tour through the 20th century section of “Art Nouveau to Present” In addition to introducing generally well known objects such as the Panton Chair, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona Chair or the numerous Bauhaus objects, the tour will also focus on many of the lesser known pieces.

We imagine Ron Arad’s scaffolding bedroom/office installation will feature.

The guided tour “I know that! Familiar and unfamiliar 20th century design!” takes place on Thursday March 22nd at 4pm.

tulip eero saarinen Grassi Museum for Applied Arts Leipzig Art Nouveau to Present

Works by Eero Saarinen in "Art Nouveau to Present" at the Grassi Museum for Applied Arts Leipzig

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Ethnological Museum Berlin: Native American Modernism. Art from North America

Posted on 14/03/2012 by admin

With obvious parallels to the Grassi Leipzig Ethnography Museum’s exhibition “The divine colours of Hell. New painting from Haiti – Préféte Duffaut & Frantz Zéphirin” the Ethnological Museum Berlin is currently showing an exhibition of contemporary Native North American Indian Art.

Featuring some 160 works produced since 1970 “Native American Modernism. Art from North America” is not just an artistic exploration but also promises a journey through the the story of the Native North American Indians over the last five decades.

Native American Modernism. Art from North America at the Ethnological Museum Berlin runs until October 28th 2012.

Full details can be found at: www.smb.museum

Norval Morrisseau Ojibwa Donnervogel Schamane und Erdmutter Acryl auf Leinwand ca 1985 Ethnologisches Museum SMB Foto Claudia Obrocki

Norval Morrisseau, Ojibwa "Donnervogel, Schamane und Erdmutter" Acryl auf Leinwand, ca. 1985 (© Ethnologisches Museum SMB. Foto: Claudia Obrocki)

Jaune Quick To See Smith Flathead Cree Shoshone Big Green Mischtechnik und Collage auf Papier 1992 Ethnologisches Museum SMB Foto Claudia Obrocki

Jaune Quick-To-See Smith, Flathead/Cree/Shoshone "Big Green" Mischtechnik und Collage auf Papier, 1992 (© Ethnologisches Museum SMB. Foto: Claudia Obrocki)

David Bradley Chippewa Pueblo Feast Day 2005 Acryl auf Leinwand 2005 Ethnologisches Museum SMB Foto Claudia Obrocki

David Bradley, Chippewa "Pueblo Feast Day 2005" Acryl auf Leinwand, 2005 ( © Ethnologisches Museum SMB. Foto: Claudia Obrocki)

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Grassi Museum for Musical Instruments Concert: Wenn Engel musizieren

Posted on 12/03/2012 by admin

In 2012 the Freiberger Dom celebrates 475 years as a protestant church – and as part of the festivities the Grassi Museum for Musical Instruments is hosting a concert on Saturday March 31st featuring 16th and 17th century music from Freiberg.

The title of the concert “Wenn Engel musizieren” plays on the 30 musical instrument carrying angels that sit high above the crypt of Freiberger Dom. In 2007 a team from Leipzig University led Veit Heller not only restored the original instruments, but also re-created 1:1 copies using original tools and techniques.

On March 31st members of the chordae freybergensis will play these instruments.

Grassi Museum for Musical Instruments: Wenn Engel musizieren

31.03.2012 @ 7.30 pm

Tickets Euro 15,00 (Concessions 12,00)

chordae freybergensis

chordae freybergensis

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Grassi Museum for Applied Arts Leipzig: “Art Nouveau to Present” Open!

Posted on 01/03/2012 by admin

The years of planning and organising are finally over.
On March 4th the Grassi Museum for Applied Arts Leipzig finally opens the final section of its permanent exhibition:  “Art Nouveau to Present”

Over the coming weeks we’ll look in more detail at some of the sections and individual exhibits.

But for now, a small photo gallery.

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Grassi Liest 2011: The Leipzig Buchmesse in the Grassimuseum

Posted on 29/02/2012 by admin

No sooner has the first frost of winter thawed. Up pops the Leipzig Buchmesse 2012.

And as every year the three Leipzig Grassi Museums have put together a varied, challenging and entertaining programme of readings.

Obviously amongst such a wide programme, favourites are a subjective matter. And so rather than discuss those that appeal to us; but may not appeal to yourselves. Here is the full list.

We’ll bring you more details on the individual works in the coming weeks.

Thursday March 15th

6:00 pm Reading with music “Liber amicorum: Gedanken über Musik, Literatur und Kunst” (Hochschule für Musik und Theater “Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy)

6:00 pm Rudy Wiebe “Big Bear” (GRASSI Museum für Völkerkunde zu Leipzig)

7:30 pm Robert Löhr “Krieg der Sänger”  (GRASSI, Museum für Musikinstrumente der Universität Leipzig, Zimeliensaal )

8:00 pm Andreas Kieling “Durchs wilde Deutschland. Von den Alpen bis zum Wattenmeer”  (GRASSI Museum für Völkerkunde zu Leipzig)

9:00 pm Ingo Cesaro “Schatten der Engel”  Reading with organ music (GRASSI, Museum für Musikinstrumente der Universität Leipzig, Zimeliensaal)

Friday March 16th

10:00 am Brigitte Jünger “Käfersommer” (GRASSI Museum für Völkerkunde zu Leipzig )

12:00 Noon Marcel Feige  “I don’t have a gun – Die Lebensgeschichte des Kurt Cobain”  (GRASSI, Museum für Musikinstrumente der Universität Leipzig, Zimeliensaal)

4:00 pm Regine Kölpin “Die Lebenspflückerin” (GRASSI Museum für Angewandte Kunst)

4:30 pm Heiko Postma “In Radebeul auf fremden Pfaden” (GRASSI Museum für Völkerkunde zu Leipzig)

6:00 pm Hadschi Halef Omar im Wilden Westen (GRASSI Museum für Völkerkunde zu Leipzig)

7:30 pm Barbara Rütting “Was mir immer wieder auf die Beine hilft” (GRASSI Museum für Angewandte Kunst)

8:00 pm Birgit Lutz “Unterwegs mit wilden Kerlen. Eine Frau erobert die Arktis” (GRASSI Museum für Völkerkunde zu Leipzig )

Saturday March 17th

7:30 pm Hellmuth Karasek “Soll das ein Witz sein?” (GRASSI Museum für Angewandte Kunst)

8:00 pm Konzert “New Zealand String Quartet mit Sopran Madeleine Pierard” (GRASSI, Museum für Musikinstrumente der Universität Leipzig, Zimeliensaal)

Sunday March 18th

3:00 pm Christian Moser “Karl May – Die ganze Wahrheit” (GRASSI Museum für Völkerkunde zu Leipzig)

grassi liest 2012

Grassi Liest 2012

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