Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Summer 2019: Bauhaus and Backbone and Bears, Oh My!

We, Glenn and Deborah Doering, DOEprojekts, were very pleased to have been invited (again) to teach at the Grünewald Guild, near Leavenworth, WA, this summer. Our one-week class focused on the centennial of the German art school known as the Bauhaus (1919 - 1933).  In the early 20th century, the Bauhaus was a radical art & design school that evolved from a philosophy centering on the integration of fine art and craft. Bauhaus students were required to take a year-long "preliminary course" that introduced them to, and required them to experiment with, various art forms and materials: modern shapes and colors applied to furniture design, weaving, pottery, printmaking, photography, and many other types of creative expression -- not unlike the Grünewald Guild!
In the spirit of the Bauhaus' innovative objects, installations, and performances, we brought our unique "Backbone" art work (inspired by many art historical works) to the Guild and encouraged everyone to interact with this 4-pound beaded-mantel made of cow bone and fish vertebrae. "Backbone" is a participatory art work that has been shown at several galleries and community art centers in the US and abroad. (Below: DOEprojekts' photos of "Backbone" and The Bauhaus Archive's photos of costumes & performances.) 

In addition to showing "Backbone" as part of the Bauhaus class at the Guild, we submitted it to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's online 150th Anniversary Celebration Contest. Although we did not make it to the final round, we finished in one of the top-ten spots -- from over 400 entries. We appreciate the support of all of our friends, family, colleagues, and contacts in affirming our work!
Before teaching at the Guild this summer, we taught two-weeks of workshops titled "Socially-Engaged Storytelling and Symbols" at Holden Village. We were continuously amazed and humbled by the stories and symbols created by our workshop participants; below are just a few photos of the many visual stories created during our workshops at the remote and picturesque former copper-mining town at the tip of Lake Chelan in Washington State.

Our weeks at Holden Village were not only eventful because of the great work of our students, but also because we got and up-close-and-personal look at a momma bear and her cub outside of our window early one morning! The nearness of nature at Holden is always awe-inspiring to us.  


We are now back in New York City, preparing to teach and tutor high school students at the Beekman School during the fall semester. We have also begun another "Bauhaus and Beyond" series of workshops at the Lenox Hill Community Center in Midtown Manhattan. And of course, we continue to plan and create our DOEprojekts' art works.

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