Floor plan for the exhibition "Bauhaus 1919-1928," The Museum of Modern Art, New York, December 7, 1938-January 30, 1939
Herbert Bayer
American, born Austria. 1900–1985
1938
A theatrical exhibition floor plan in ink, gouache, and collaged papers in which Herbert Bayer mapped the layout and choreographed visitor movement for MoMA’s 1938–39 “Bauhaus 1919–1928” show.
A bold black outline reads like walls while white biomorphic forms, red accents and tiny footprint motifs convert the technical plan into a lively, directional graphic choreography that feels both schematic and playful.
By turning a utilitarian plan into a visual manifesto, Bayer fused graphic design, architecture, and exhibition-making to introduce Bauhaus principles to American audiences and reshape how museums present modern art.
Medium
Ink, gouache, and cut-and-pasted coated papers
Dimensions
20 3/16 x 17 13/16" (51.3 x 45.2 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
Purchase
Accession
252.1986
Palette
Art Terms
Exhibitions
