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NikolaisandtheBauhaus

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TheTheaterofAlwinNikolaisNDT1963SouvenirBooklet(foreword)NikolaisandtheBauhausLightingandDanceChoroscriptOnMurrayLouis

Nikolais and the Bauhaus

ByRuthE.Grauert

HETHEATEROFALWINNIKOLAISarrivedontheAmericandancescenewithaperformanceofhis
Kaleidoscopein1956attheAmericanDanceFestivalatNewLondon,Connecticut.Itwasintroducedtothe
EuropeantheaterwithaperformanceofImagoinParisin1963,eventuallyreachingaroundtheworld,openingthe
newWacoalArtCenterinTokyowiththepremierofhismultimediaballetIllusiveVisionsin1985.
WhenrecentlyIrereadthesignatureBauhausessaysofSchlemmer,
MoholyNagyandMolnr,Icouldnotavoidtheparallelimagesfromtheworks
ofNikolaiscomingtomind.AsIdetailthoseimageshere,itshouldbe
understoodthatNikolaiswasadamantthathewasnotaBauhausproduct.Of
course,hewasnt.Thetime/placelinewaswrong.TheBauhaushaditsearliest
rootsinFrancewiththearchitectHenryVandeVelde,whobroughthisesthetic
toGermanyin1902,wherehisbuildingeventuallyhousedtheBauhaus.The
estheticidealsoftheBauhausembracedandinfluencedallvisualarts,theater
design,andperformancesfromca.1910untilthemidthirtieswhentotalitarian
dogmaledtheBauhausprincipalsfigurestodisburse.
However,historyteachesthatthereissomethinginmanthatgravitates
towardsimilarideasandimagesthepyramidalstructuresofAfrica,Central
America,andSouthAsia,thecirclesofStonehengeandPapua,theradio
conceivedcontemporaneouslyinItalyandtheUSA.Nikolaisspenthisearly
yearsasayoungmaninHartford,Connecticut,inthe1930swhenthissmall
citywasahotbedoftheartsavantgarde,andyoungNikolaismusthave
encounteredtheBauhausideas.WhileIwishtomakeitclearthatIdonotfeel
thatBauhauswastheconscioussourceofNiksestheticphilosophy,thereare
undeniableparallels.TheBauhausstandsasahallmarkestheticintheartof
the20thcenturyjustasNikolaisisahallmarkinDanceTheater.
IparaphraseNikolaisoutofdeepmemory:Somestimuluscomingfromsomewheretriggersamotionalschemata.
Youjuststartworkingandthingshappen.Youdontknowwhyyoudowhatyoudountilsuddenlyyouseeit.Of
course,NikknewoftheBauhaus.AndwhoknowshowdeeplytheimagesofBauhaussankintohiscreative
preconsciousfromwhencethemotionalschematasprang?
Thisallsoundssoveryhappenstance,whereasinactuality,ashisartmatured,Nikolaisworkedfrequentlyfrom
carefulmockups,althoughhefeltnocompunctiontoadheretohisschematashoulditproveintractableashiswork
proceeded.
AllBauhausquotationsandreproductionshereinrefertoTheTheaterofBauhaus(theessaysofOskar
Schlemmer,LaszloMoholyNagy,andFarkasMolnr),WalterGropiusandArthurS.Wensinger(eds.),Arthur.S.
Wensinger(translator),JohnsHopkinsUniversityPress,1996(originallypublishedinGermanyin1925).
p.21.Formismanifestinextensionsofheight,breadthanddepthasline,asplane,andassolidorvolume.

Beginningintechniqueclasses,Nikolaismadehisstudentsawareoftheseaspectsofform,whichhedesignatedas
elementsofspace.Forexample,thelinewasmademanifestevenintheplibytheverticalreach,bytheridingof
theverticallineintheexecution.However,therewasneveranegationofotherdimensions.Forexample,
inattentiontothefrontsurfacesofthebody,whichnegateddepthwhilethestudentconcentratedonwidthinsecond
positionwasimmediatelyspottedandcorrected.Thestudentwasconstantlyaskedtomaintainastateoftotal
awarenessofthevolumeofthemovingbody.
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Intheoryclass,wewhowerehisstudentsrecallthemanyexplorationsintoone,two,andthreedimensions,where
ourthreedimensionalbodiestriedtoevaporatewhilewedelineatedasingledimensionaldiagonalline,orwe
squeezedourselvesintotwodimensionalslots.Andhowwetriedtoshakeoffdeadareassothatwecouldtruly
projectthevolumeofthreedimensions!
Timeandagain,Nikwouldbringspatial
explorationintohisproductions.Allegory(1959)used
linearstructurestomakehisaestheticstatement.InA
TimetoDance(also1959)intheFordFoundation
FilmSeriesproducedbyWGBHBoston,heplaced
eachdancerinafoursidedstructureofwideelastic,
whichthedancerscouldmanipulatetomakevisiblehis
conceptofspace/volume.Heusedthesesame
structuresagainin1964inhisproductionSanctum,
demonstratinganestheticuseofwhatcouldhave
remainedadry,scholasticideal.
p.25.Thelawsoforganicman...resideinthe
invisiblefunctionsofhisinnerself:heartbeat,
circulation,respiration,theactivitiesofthebrainand
nervoussystem.Ifthesebethedeterminingfactors,
thentheircenteristhehumanbeing,whose
movementsandemanationscreateanimaginary
space.

Nikinsistedthathisdancersproject,i.e.,that
theysendtheshapeofmotionbeyondthemselves.If
themotionwasdirectedinward,itwastobeintentionallyso,andnotahappenstance.Eventhatinternalstuffmust
resoundtotheuniverse.Isthiscreatingimaginaryspace?Again,Iamremindedoftheuniversalityofidea:Every
bodyplacedinluminousairradiatesitslikenessthroughoutthenumberlesspartsoftheairitiswhollyand
everywhereinallitsparts.(LeonardoDaVinci,ca.1500,CodexAtlanticus,AmbrosianaLibrary,Milanquotedin
LeonardoDaVinci,APhilosophicalDiary,WadeBaskin,NewYorkPhilosophicalLibrary,1959,p.38).DaVincis
statementisafairdefinitionofNiksprojection.
p.25....Thesemovementsaredeterminedorganicallyandemotionally.

Organiccreationofmotion,theorganicevolutionandprogressofthedance,wasstressedineverycomposition
classIcanrecall.Imighttakeexceptiontoemotionallyunlessthiswordcanbefurtherdefined.Nikfrequentlyused
emotiontomeandefiningconditions,suchassloworfast,nearorfar,heavyorlight.Thisseemsnottobetheintent
ofBauhausandmaysignaltouswhyNikwishednottobeidentifiedwithBauhaus.Ifoneviewsdanceacademically,
onecanseehowinitialshapes,positions,andmotionsleadfromonetotheothertotheendofthedance.Ithinkthat
scholarlyscrutinyofanyofNiksdanceswillrevealsuchorganicgrowth.
p.25...ManasDancer...obeysthelawofthebodyaswellasthelawofspacehefollowshissenseofhimselfas
wellashissenseofembracingspace.

Nikencouragedtheuniqueindividual,andheencouragedthatindividualtobetotallysentienttotheforces
impinginguponhim.Irecallanearlycompanyconcertinwhichmemberspresentedtheirownchoreography.One
dancerstoodonaneighteeninchriserinapeakedhatandscratchedherribsanothersatonateninchstool,draped
inblack,anddiddledherfeettoahonkytonkrecordinganotherdressedineveningclotheswithbarefeetand
thumpedhisdiaphragmandbelched.Strippedofallartistry,theseimagessoundprettyabysmal.Butpresentthese
piecesperformedbydancerswhoproject,fromtheirbonesouttoinfinity,thetime/space/motionmeaningofthese
actionsthenonedoesntseescratchingribs,diddlingfeet,orbelching,butrathertheircontributiontothesenseof
theseactions.
p.25....themetamorphosisofthehumanfigureanditsabstraction...ismadepossiblebythecostume,the
disguise.Costumeandmaskemphasizethebodysidentityortheychangeittheystressitsconformitytoorganicor
mechanicallawsortheyinvalidatethisconformity.

ItisinthismetamorphosisofthebodythatNiksrelationtotheBauhausaestheticbecomessignal.AlthoughNik
firsttransformedhisdancersinLobsterQuadrillein1949andinensuingballetsforchildren,thefirstserious,non
literalworkinwhichheusedthetransformationofthedancingfigurewasNoumenoninMasks,PropsandMobiles
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(1953).Fromthenon,Nikworkedtotransformthedancing
figurewithvariousdevices:masksandfacepaint(used
oftenthroughouthiswork),strangehatsinKaleidoscope
(1956),pingpongballeyeglassesinTheBewitched(1957),
fullbodyencasementsthatnolongerresembledbody
shapesinAllegory(1959),costumesoffeltinTotem(1960)
orCelasticinGalaxy(1965),stripedgownsandbagsof
drapingcloththattransformedthebodysshapeinImago
(1963),andfinallyassourcesoflightinSomniloguy(1967).
SuchtransformationsallowedNiktopursuemotional
statementsthatwereimpossiblewithouttheextrapalletthe
transformedfiguresprovided.Theyfurtheredhisintention
tocreateadanceofmotion,ratherthanadanceof
psychologicaldramaorofepicstory,aswasprevalentinthe
early50s.Theanonymityofmasksandfacepaintledthe
viewertoseekmeaninginthebodysnuanceratherthaninfacialexpression.Acompletelyencasedbodysupplied
Nikolaisacompletelynewinstrumentofplanesandvolumeswithwhichtochoreograph.
p.28.Yetthereisnocostumewhichcansuspendtheprimarylimitationofthehumanform:thelawofgravity....
Acrobaticsmakeitpossibletopartiallyovercomephysicallimitations.

Nikolaissoughttoescapethedominanceofgravity.Heoftencitedthetoeshoesandliftsofballetasmansattempt
todojustthisandclaimedthatreachingforheavenwasaWesternideal.Inonesegmentofhisfirsteveninglong
work,Kaleidoscope(1956),heputadiscononefootof
eachdancer,usingthisbroadenedbasetoenablethe
dancerstoleanandmoveatseeminglyimpossible
angles,andinanothersegment,dancerssupported
themselveswithlongstrapsaffixedoffstageadevice
thatalsopermitteddancerstodefygravity.Hehas
useddancerssuspendedonropesfromtheflygallery,
andonpolescarriedbyotherdancers.Itwasinthe
opera,Schema(1980),commissionedbytheParis
Operathathereallytookoff.Dancerssharedequal
timewithacrobatstomakehismotionstatement.In
LhommeOisseau(1985),asitespecificworkinAix
enProvence,heemployedmanyacrobatsperforming
onropesstrungfromtreesalongtheavenue.
Intechniqueandtheoryclasses,gravitywastreated
asacompanion.Thepresentationsseemedtosay,Gravityis,souseit,rideit,understandit.Aswingwastobe
sensedfromgravitysdeceleratingpullonascendingtomaximumheight,toitsaccelerationinthedownwardpath.
Andinperformingcurvesthatwereatanangletothevertical,thecentrifugalandcentripetalpulloneveryhorizontal
anddiagonalthatNikcouldcongerallmustbeperformedwhiletastinggravityinallitsglory.Allelevationswereto
behandledbythedancerswiththesamesentiencetowardgravityridingup,glidingdown.
p.32.It[theaterart]dependsaswellupontheinnertransformationofthespectatorManasalphaandomegaof
everycreationwhich,eveninitsrealization,isdoomedtoremainUtopiasolongasitdoesnotfindintellectualand
spiritualreceptivityandresponse.

Nikwasahumanist.Alwaysatthecenterofactivitythereisthedancer.Itisthehumanbeingthatdrivesthe
motion.InTensileInvolvement(1955)thedancerspulltheshimmeringlinesandweavetheirintricacies.In
Noumenon(1953)theymovethesculpturingcloth.InTent(1968)theyparadethefabricandhangitup(although
eventuallythedeusexmachinatakesovermancantalwayshavehisway).WhileinGignol(1977)thecomplex
relationshipbetweenmananddummyistheplay,manmaniacallytriumphs.AndinCrucible(1985)theemergenceof
manfromtheeverevolvingbeingsismadeveryplain.
CertainlyNiksufferedmuchmisreadingfromthosewhosawwithdeadsouls.BythatImeanthosewhoseeyes
saw,butwhoseperceptionstoppedatthebrain.Artisnotarithmetictobeunderstoodbythateducatedbrain.Itisto
befeltasheatofsunorcoldofice,tastedsourorsweet,moved,pushed,shovedandliftedupbeyondstars.It'sto
swingonSaturn'sringswhileonesitsinone'stheaterseatit'snoononacountryroadit'smidnightinTimesSquare
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it'sfirstlove.HowNikwouldhavehatedtheseanalogies
ofmine!HowelsecanIsay
artisnotinthebrainbutin
thetotalityofbeing?
Whetheroneisspectatoror
creator,onemustcometoart
ininnocence.Nikcontinued
tomakelightandsound,
structureandmotionserve
histheater,despitethefact
thatmanyviewerspersisted
inseeinghisworkwiththeir
brainsratherthanwiththeir
senses.Asonereadsonward
inthedescriptionof"The
FiguralCabinet,"onehas
thatmysteryofGallery
explained.
p.40.Halfshooting
gallery,halfmetaphysicum
abstractum.Medley,i.e.,
varietyofsenseand
nonsense,methodizedby
Color,Form,Natureand
ArtManandMachine,
AcousticsandMechanics.

ThisisalmostGallery.In
thefinaldestructionthat
Nikolaissballetportrays,
therehasgottobesomething
metaphysical.Howeverthe
TheTriadicBallet
magicoftheballetisthatthe
(Stuttgart1915)
machinesarerunbydancers,
orarethedancers.Theuseofblacklight,whichproducesmanyoftheillusions,themovingproperties,themasks,
andthecostumesallconformtoaBauhausideal.
p.49.Thetheater[isdistinguished]throughitsownsynthesisoftheelementsofpresentation:SOUND,COLOR
(LIGHT),MOTION,SPACE,FORM(OBJECTSANDPERSONS).

Inthe50s,NikdesignatedhisworkasTheTheaterofSound,LightandMotion,whichgavelicensetosome
superficialcriticstosaythiswasnotdance.ThenNikchangedthedesignationtoTotalTheater.Onpage54wefind
thesewordsinasectionheading:THECOMINGTHEATERTHEATEROFTOTALITY.Thecoincidenceoflabelsis
perhapsjustthatbecausebothMoholyNagyandNikolaisweredescribingsimilarprocesses.
NikscompanywasfinallydesignatedTheNikolaisDanceTheater.Iamnotsureoftheexactdatethatthis
metamorphosistookplace,butIfeelthatitrepresentsNikssecuritywithhismultidisciplineesthetic.Henolonger
neededtopointtohisuseofsound,light,andmotiontocreatetheater.Hefinallyfeltfreetousewhateverwasathand
tocreatehisimages.
p.50,Footnote2:GestaltungwasamongthemostfundamentaltermsinthelanguageoftheBauhaus....Inits
fullestphilosophicalmeaningitexpressesthePlatoniceidolon...

Nikfrequentlyusedthewordgestalt.InoneofNiksmanuscripts,hedefinesGestaltasthatparticularassembly
ofshape,time,space,andmotionwhichbringsaboutacoherenceintoanidentifiableexperienceorthing,orareaof
experienceorthings.
Mostofhisstudentscanrecall,nothisexactwordsbecausetheyweretoodevastating,butthespiritofthewords.
Hedsay,YouvelosttheGestalt.Wewere,beingyoung,pronetobecomesoengrossedintheprowessofourfacility
thatweabandonedthesenseofthematterathand.Weknewthejumps,orrolls,orwigglesweputintoourdance
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weretherebecausewelikedtoshowthemandthattheyhadnotevolvedfromouroriginalmotionalpremiseandNik
knewit,too.
MerriamWebstersCollegiateDictionary,TenthEditiondefinesgestalt:Astructure,configuration,orpatternof
physical,biological,orpsychologicalphenomenonsointegratedastoconstituteafunctionalunitwithpropertiesnot
derivablebysummationofitsparts.
Iftheprogressionofthedanceproceedsorganically,willitnotremainwithintheparametersofthefounding
gesture?
p.57...manhimselfinhistotalityasaformativemediumforthestage...istobeemployedonanequalfooting
withotherformativemedia...withhistotalityofaction,speechandthought.

PerhapsItakethispassageoutofcontext.No,not
perhapsbutabsolutely,foritbroughttomindthe
manytheoryclassesinwhichoralsounds,producedby
thedancers,provokedorcoincidedwithmotional
exploration.Earlyon,anentireballetVillageof
Whispers(1955)wasaccompaniedbydancervoices.
InScenario(1971)vocalsounds,screamsandgrunts,
hystericallaughter,deepsobbingforthemostpart
realhumanutterancesthatthedancersmakeduring
performanceareanintegralpartofthestatement.
AndintherecordedscoresthatNikcomposed,he
frequentlyusedvocalsounds,andevenwordstogether
withtonalsound,asintheoverturetoGallery.
p.58....fromhisowninitiativesubmittotheoverall
actionprocess.

IsthisnotthereleaseofNiksvocabularyalthoughIknowNikwouldbalkatthewordsubmit.Releaseisreally
somekindofZenthing,agivingofpermissionbythedancermindtohistotalbodytoproducethemotionthatthe
stimuluscallsfor.
p.58ItisthetaskoftheFUTUREACTOR[readdancer]todiscoverandactivatethatwhichisCOMMONtoall
men.

Nikhadtheideathatdirect,unclutteredmotionalexpression(dance)transcendedculturalartificessuchasnative
country,language,formalizedgestureindeedalllearnedtastes.HisoverwhelmingacceptanceinFrance,wherehe
felttheaudiencessawhisworkplain,thatis,withoutpreconception,madehimanxioustoexplorethisbelief.He
eagerlyacceptedtheFrenchgovernmentsoffertoheadaschoolofmoderndanceinFrance.Thereweremanythings
abouttheactualizationofLeCentreNationaldeDanseContemporainedAngersthatdidnotpleasehimforone
thing,thelocation.Hebelievedthathumanpopulationdensitysparkscreativity,thattheebbandflowofimagesthat
areinevitableinthatpopulationdensityarenecessarytothecreationofart.However,theschooldidprovidehimwith
theopportunitytotesthisbasichumantheories.Inthetwoeveninglongworksthatthestagieres(asthe
professionalstudentsofC.N.D.C.Companywerecalled)produced,Passerelle(1980)andRectoVerso(1981),Isaw
Nikstheoreticalpremisesputtogooduse,butwithadefiniteFrenchaccent.IdontfeelthatthismeansthatNiks
universalityofarttheoryisfaultedsinceIcouldreachoutinmyZenwayandfeelthesedancesinmybones.I
thinkitmerelyconfirmsthatmanisnotsimplyabiologicalorganismbutalsoathingshapedbytimeandplace,and
thatwedotranscendtoreachothertimesandotherplaces.IhavenoideaifNikanalyzedthisasIhave,butIofferit
forwhatitisworth.
p.60....fromtheunanalyzableintangiblesofcreativeintuition...theTheaterofTotality...oflight,space,
plane,form,motion,sound,man...mustbeanorganism.

ThispassagebringstotheforefronttheideaofTotalTheater,thetermNikusedtodesignatehiscompanyfora
time.HewasbringingintoplayalltheelementsthatMoholyNagyenumerates.Iexhaustivelydetailedhisworkin
thisprocessin1978forDanceDimensions(WisconsinDanceCouncil,Inc.,UniversityofWisconsinGreenBay,Green
Bay,WI),soIneednotgointothathere.ButIcitethewordorganism.Nikdidstressinhiscompositionclassesand
inhisownworksthatfromtheseedofthefirstmotiontheentiredancemustgrow.Theinitialgesturemustcome
fromapurerelease,andthenthedancebepermittedtobecome.
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p.64.THEMEANSandfollowingtop.67.Thissectionisdevotedtothepredictionoftheuseofallkindsofsound
producingandrecordingequipment,muchasNikusedtimeandagain,evenafterheobtainedhissynthesizer.It
foreseestheuseofallkindsofinstrumentsfortransformingandprojectinglight,fromkaleidoscopestoLinnebach,
motionpictureandslideprojectors,tohandheldbatteryoperateddevices.Itadvocatestheuseofmuch
mechanicalapparatus,includingmirrorsandtrapezes.Alloftheseadvancesintechnology,andsome
transformedoldstuff,wereconstantinNikswork.
p.92.[thehumanfigure]becomesapartofthestage...aspacebewitchedcreature...eachgestureormotionis
translated[bytheviewer]inmeaningfultermsintoauniquesphereofactivity.

Ofcourse,thisstatementpresumesasentientaudience,unprejudiced,withoutpreconceptions,perhapsuntutored.
However,thenecessityofspatialprojectionandimpactinperformanceisindicatedhere.Thoseofuswhohave
watchedreconstructionssinceNiksdeathhavebeendisconcertedbytheperformersconcentrationonthemuscular
actwithoutconsideringitsprojectionandimpactoutwardtoinfinity.Thisisnotbecausetheyoungdancersare
unconcernedwithperformance.ForthemostparttheycareaboutpresentingNiksworksasauthenticallyasthey
can.ButtheyhavesimplynotbeenschooledinNikstheoryclasses.Theirenviabletechniquedoesnothavethe
practiceoftotalityandprojection,thecompleteimmersionofperformerinmotion/idea(notetheslash)andin
releasingtheactionofsuchtoprojecttoinfinity.
p.95.Theactor[dancer,performer]...isaltered,transformed,orentrancedbytheadditionofsomeapplied
objectmask,costume,propthathishabitualbehaviorandhisphysicalandpsychicstructureareeitherupsetor
elseputintoanewandaltogetherdifferentbalance.

Thatmasks,costumes,andhandpropertiesweremajortoolsinNikscreativelifeisconstantlyobviousandcanbe
tracedfromhisuseofoffertoryswagsinExtrados(1949)tothelightwandsinAurora(1992).Hisoriginalcompany
hadmuchtutoringintheuseofmasks,properties,andexoticcostumes.Inhisplaysforchildren,fromFableofthe
Donkey(1949)throughLegendoftheWinds(1954),herequiredhisdancerstotransformthemselvesforchildren(the
toughestofaudiences)intoanimalsandfishes,windsandDresdenchinapieces,merrygoroundhorsesandexotic
humansfromEgyptianstoAmerindians.Childrencannotbeenchantedbyfaketransformations,andNiksdancers
hadtobeforreal.Intheoryclasses,hisstudentsexploredthetransformingenergiesofallkindsofartifactscloth
andropes,tubesandpoles,boxesandwigs,anyandallofwhichhelpperformersbecomeotherthanwhattheyare.
Mostofhisballetscontainsomeelementoftransformation,ifnotwithcostume,mask,orhandprop,thenwiththe
spatialtransformationoflight.
However,InoteinthispassagefromSchlemmerthewordentranced.Itisdelineatedbyquotationmarksinthe
Bauhaustext,whichseemstoindicateanoutofmindexperience,somekindofmesmerizing.Nikwouldhavenone
ofthis.
p.96.Wedonotwanttoimitatesunlightandmoonlight,morning,noon,evening,andnightwithourlighting.
Ratherweletthelightfunctionbyitself,forwhatitis...Letus...openoureyesandexposeourmindstothepure
powerofcolorandlight.

InthesewordswehavebothNiksprogressinturninghisbackontraditionallightingpracticesandaclearsignal
astoapossiblereasonwhyhedisclaimedtheBauhausasaforerunner.
Niksavoidanceofboygirlinvolvement,ofstorytelling,ofpsychodrama,andhispursuitofthedanceoftime
spacemotionledinevitablytohisfindingtraditionaltheaterlightingunsuitable.Hisartclearlydemandedachangein
thewayhisstagewasilluminated.Themovingthreedimensionalfigureneededthreedimensionallighting.Lightjust
couldnolongercomefromabovealone.Hesoughttohavelightstrikethefigureinmotionfromeveryangle,toliftit
fromthefloor,tomolditintoathreedimensionalmobile.Changesweregradual.Hestartedwiththethenstandard
nineactingareas,withfootlightsandborderlightsforfill,
andscoopsforlightingthebackground.(AttheHenryStreet
Playhousehehadagloriousplastercycloramaforthe
background.)Inonetentativestepafteranother,headded
lightstohitthedancingfigurefromangleafterangleuntil
thepathsofthelightresembledtheBauhausillustration
(right)ofthelawsofcubicalspace.
Astechnologyofferedfurtheroptions,Nikexploredthemandusedthem.Ofcourse,heusedstrobelightsand
blacklights.HemechanizedkaleidoscopesmountedonthelensofLekos(ellipsoidalreflectorspotlights).Heused
gobos(patternsprojectedbyLekos).HeusedLinnebachprojectors.Hetriedmotionpictureprojections.Heusedall
kindsofflashlights,smokepots,andflashpots.Andfinallyslideprojectors,whichwereretrofittedforhispurposes,as
hadtheflashlights,blacklights,strobes,kaleidoscopes,flashpots,andstandardstagelightinginstruments.
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IsenseintheBauhausaremotenessaremovalofman
tobereplacedbymachine.Thereisamathematicallyclear
organizationintheBauhaus,whichNikcertainlyhad
somewhereinthedepthsofhisvastpersona.However,itwas
nottheorganizationbutrathertheproductionofartthatwas
hisgoal.Irecallwhenatonerehearsalthesoundmanasked
forthesoundtape,Nikhandedhimashoeboxfromwhich
protrudedmanytailsoftape,eachmarkedwithanumber
indicatingtheorderinwhichthestripwastobeheard.He
hadcomposedthescore,bitbybit.Hejusthadntsplicedit
together.Ofcourse,hehadthesoundscore,anditwas
organized.Wasitreadyforrehearsal?WasthisBauhaus?
AnInterestingAfternote:
InChicagosPhotographersandtheirAbstractWorld,
NewYorkTimes,05/08/02,SarahBoxerwrites,MoholyNagy(atChicagoArtInstitutefrom1937tohisdeathin
1946)wasinterestedinseeinglightseffectonsurfaces.ThepointofphotographyattheNewBauhauswastohelp
peopleseeinextraordinarywaysquickly,slowly,closely,abstractly.CertainlythiswashowNikusedlight.
2000RuthE.Grauert

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