Josef Albers' Mexican Inspiration at Peggy Guggenheim Collection
The Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice presents 'Josef Albers in Mexico,' an exhibition exploring the profound influence of pre-Columbian visual culture on the artist's work. Running in 2018, the show juxtaposes Albers' photographs and paintings from his numerous trips to Mexico, beginning in 1935 after fleeing Nazi Germany. The exhibition highlights how Aztec and other Mesoamerican forms shaped his iconic abstract compositions, challenging simplistic notions of cultural appropriation. Curated with a balanced mix of photography and painting, the display reveals Albers' deep fascination with pure forms, evident in his writings and artworks. Notably, his photographs themselves bear the influence of Bauhaus colleagues like László Moholy-Nagy, possessing independent artistic merit. The catalog includes an essay by Lauren Hinkson. Albers taught briefly at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México and described Monte Albán as 'among the most important experiences of my life.'
Key facts
- Exhibition 'Josef Albers in Mexico' at Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice, 2018.
- Explores influence of pre-Columbian art on Josef Albers.
- Albers first traveled to Mexico in 1935 after fleeing Nazi Germany.
- Show includes photographs, paintings, and photomontages from his travels.
- Albers taught at Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México.
- He called Monte Albán 'among the most important experiences of my life.'
- Photographs show Bauhaus influence, especially from László Moholy-Nagy.
- Catalog essay by Lauren Hinkson.
Entities
Artists
- Josef Albers
- Pablo Picasso
- László Moholy-Nagy
- Lauren Hinkson
- Anni Albers
Institutions
- Peggy Guggenheim Collection
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
- Bauhaus
- The Josef and Anni Albers Foundation
- Artribune
Locations
- Venice
- Italy
- Mexico
- Bottrop
- Germany
- New Haven
- United States
- Monte Albán
- Mitla