During the twenties, Moholy-Nagy propagated the concept of ‘using contemporary materials to design ones own time.’ This is equally relevant today. In his role at the Bauhaus, he nurtured the enthusiasm of an entire community of artists, inventing new ways of using photographic material.
He was originally and primarily a painter, he was also a sculptor, graphic artist, typographer, filmmaker and photographer, he was a designer of stage sets and exhibitions, as well as a commercial and industrial designer, a teacher and an author of important books on art. All of this achieved without a formal education in fine arts. He was motivated by a rebellion against academic limitations imposed by state and bourgeoisie, which to him stifled creative forces and conflicted with his commitment to social causes.
Lászlò Maholy-Nagy inspired a modern American style that was to conquer Europe after World War II. He enthusiastically promoted the concept of internationality in modern art. For Moholy-Nagy photography means designing with light. His romance with the medium is clearly apparent in the 32 photomontages on exhibition at the Fisher Gallery. They make ironic statements, often attacking cultural and political issues.
Press
→ Not madness, but modernism, New Zealand Herald, 10-07-1996
Ephemera
→ Photographs of Lászlò Moholy-Nagy, 1996, poster