SP.05 CONCEPT
On the face of it, it might not be the most obvious connection, with William Morris and his love of nature and history and Walter Gropius’s modern, future facing ideology but Morris’s thinking and intention was a huge influence on Walter Gropius and the philosophy underpinning the Bauhaus as the introductory quote shows, that there are crucial overlapping philosophies. Gropius was always very happy to recognise the debt he owed Morris.
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‘Willow Grundformen’ (Grundformen – basic shapes) stems from a conversation with artist Patrick Thomas, a good friend of SPIN’s. During conversation it became clear that we were, coincidentally, reading books by the wonderful Fiona MacCarthy, Walter Gropius: Visionary Founder of the Bauhaus and William Morris: A Life for Our Time – and discussed the crossover between these two giants of the 19th and 20th century. The idea sprang from our chat.
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It brings together the natural forms of Willow leaves - harvested from a park in Wimbledon, South London - that are famously associated with Morris (check out Patrick Thomas’s lovely prints that reference the iconic Willow pattern) and the geometric forms that Herbert Matter employed to such great effect. The colours are inspired by the natural tones of Morris & co wallpaper and the Johannes Itten Bauhaus colour wheel.
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William Morris Arts and Crafts statement 1896.
‘in order to have a living school of Art, the public in general must be interested in Art; it must part of their lives; something that they can no more do without than water or lighting.’
SP.05 CONCEPT
On the face of it, it might not be the most obvious connection, with William Morris and his love of nature and history and Walter Gropius’s modern, future facing ideology but Morris’s thinking and intention was a huge influence on Walter Gropius and the philosophy underpinning the Bauhaus as the introductory quote shows, that there are crucial overlapping philosophies. Gropius was always very happy to recognise the debt he owed Morris.
Â
‘Willow Grundformen’ (Grundformen – basic shapes) stems from a conversation with artist Patrick Thomas, a good friend of SPIN’s. During conversation it became clear that we were, coincidentally, reading books by the wonderful Fiona MacCarthy, Walter Gropius: Visionary Founder of the Bauhaus and William Morris: A Life for Our Time – and discussed the crossover between these two giants of the 19th and 20th century. The idea sprang from our chat.
Â
It brings together the natural forms of Willow leaves - harvested from a park in Wimbledon, South London - that are famously associated with Morris (check out Patrick Thomas’s lovely prints that reference the iconic Willow pattern) and the geometric forms that Herbert Matter employed to such great effect. The colours are inspired by the natural tones of Morris & co wallpaper and the Johannes Itten Bauhaus colour wheel.
Â
William Morris Arts and Crafts statement 1896.
‘in order to have a living school of Art, the public in general must be interested in Art; it must part of their lives; something that they can no more do without than water or lighting.’
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