Constructing the Bauhaus’s Mythos: Lucia Moholy’s Architectural Photography
Presentation Type
Presentation
Start Date
8-3-2025 7:40 PM
Description
Angeliki Bara, Ph.D. Candidate, Athens School of Fine Arts, Greece
Constructing the Bauhaus’s Mythos: Lucia Moholy’s Architectural Photography
Lucia Moholy (1894-1989) was part of a generation of photographers who blurred the boundaries between architecture and photography, creating subversive compositions that define contemporary architectural photography. This presentation analyzes how Moholy constructed the visual narrative of modern architecture by forging new relationships between the camera and the building, where the elegance of architectural design converges with everyday life.
For many decades, Moholy remained overshadowed by prominent male figures of the Bauhaus, including her husband, photographer László Moholy-Nagy. Her photographs of the Bauhaus school buildings, residences, and products, taken between 1924 and 1928, were pivotal in capturing the spirit of the Bauhaus during its operation. When she left Germany in 1933, she abandoned her collection of 560 glass negatives, many of which fell into the hands of prominent Bauhaus figures like Walter Gropius, who used them to promote their work in exile without crediting her.
Moholy's photographs were instrumental in developing the mythos surrounding the iconic Bauhaus school, cementing its place in history. By employing various techniques, she humanized architectural construction and created new frameworks for interpreting architecture. Her visual narrative, active over time, allowed for the emergence of new interpretations of Bauhaus design ideology. Moholy bridged the dialectical gap between building and representation, making the image of the Bauhaus accessible to the public.
The recognition of Lucia Moholy's influence on photography and her theoretical contributions remains an active area of exploration. This is a crucial issue that raises debates regarding the influence of gender on photographic practice and theory.
Angeliki Bara (b. 1997) is a Ph.D. candidate at the Athens School of Fine Arts, supported by a scholarship from the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation. She graduated from the Athens School of Fine Arts, where she studied History and Theory of Fine Arts, and holds a master's degree in ""Gnoseology of Architecture"" from the National Technical University of Athens. In 2024, she was awarded second prize in the inaugural Aesthetics Essay Competition by the Hellenic Society for Aesthetics. Since 2021, she has participated in international conferences and published in scientific journals.
Relational Format
Conference proceeding
Recommended Citation
Bara, Angeliki, "Constructing the Bauhaus’s Mythos: Lucia Moholy’s Architectural Photography" (2025). Women of Photography: A 24-Hour Conference-a-thon Celebrating International Women’s Day 2025. 56.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/womenofphotography/2025/schedule/56
Constructing the Bauhaus’s Mythos: Lucia Moholy’s Architectural Photography
Angeliki Bara, Ph.D. Candidate, Athens School of Fine Arts, Greece
Constructing the Bauhaus’s Mythos: Lucia Moholy’s Architectural Photography
Lucia Moholy (1894-1989) was part of a generation of photographers who blurred the boundaries between architecture and photography, creating subversive compositions that define contemporary architectural photography. This presentation analyzes how Moholy constructed the visual narrative of modern architecture by forging new relationships between the camera and the building, where the elegance of architectural design converges with everyday life.
For many decades, Moholy remained overshadowed by prominent male figures of the Bauhaus, including her husband, photographer László Moholy-Nagy. Her photographs of the Bauhaus school buildings, residences, and products, taken between 1924 and 1928, were pivotal in capturing the spirit of the Bauhaus during its operation. When she left Germany in 1933, she abandoned her collection of 560 glass negatives, many of which fell into the hands of prominent Bauhaus figures like Walter Gropius, who used them to promote their work in exile without crediting her.
Moholy's photographs were instrumental in developing the mythos surrounding the iconic Bauhaus school, cementing its place in history. By employing various techniques, she humanized architectural construction and created new frameworks for interpreting architecture. Her visual narrative, active over time, allowed for the emergence of new interpretations of Bauhaus design ideology. Moholy bridged the dialectical gap between building and representation, making the image of the Bauhaus accessible to the public.
The recognition of Lucia Moholy's influence on photography and her theoretical contributions remains an active area of exploration. This is a crucial issue that raises debates regarding the influence of gender on photographic practice and theory.
Angeliki Bara (b. 1997) is a Ph.D. candidate at the Athens School of Fine Arts, supported by a scholarship from the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation. She graduated from the Athens School of Fine Arts, where she studied History and Theory of Fine Arts, and holds a master's degree in ""Gnoseology of Architecture"" from the National Technical University of Athens. In 2024, she was awarded second prize in the inaugural Aesthetics Essay Competition by the Hellenic Society for Aesthetics. Since 2021, she has participated in international conferences and published in scientific journals.
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