Paul Klee: form as such

Abstract

Paul Klee was one of the most prolific artists of the modern period developing his own highly individual technique of artistic expression. Klee joined the Bauhaus in 1921 where he was to remain as a Master until his resignation in 1931. It is at the Bauhaus that Klee would to teach amongst the most influential architects, designers and artists of the modernist period, leaving a legacy of design and education that continues to this day. K1ee's pedagogical material, public lecture notes, diaries and letters help to form a complete overview of Klee's ideas on form and of artistic creation. Klee retained nearly all of his artistically related material, which were dated and filed; these documents give the potential to decipher not only Klee's own artistic works, but also that of the training given at the Bauhaus to 'the architects of the future'. The primary sources of Klee's Pedagogical writings are The Notebooks of Paul Klee (two volumes) edited by Jurg Spiller, The Pedigogical Sketchbook translated by Sybil Moholy-Nagy, Briefe an die Famille edited by Felix Klee and the Diaries of Paul Klee edited by Felix Klee. This thesis focuses on the concepts and ideologies behind Klee's development of a theory of form as well as a study of the 'structural principles' expressed through the writings, drawings and painting analysis. The body of text explores Klee's metaphors of 'structure', the dividual, the individual and the rhythmic, aspects of the understanding of form that were implemented across all disciplines of design at the Bauhaus. The final chapter of this thesis tests the application of Klee's theory of form in a contemporary architectural context, testing principles of Klee's abstract theory of form with architectural criticism of contemporary building typologies, concluding that Klee's critique of conventional representation within art provides an example of a theory of structure and form that remains consistent with its theoretical premise. The genesis of form is achieved through the process of forming. 'The approach is what counts, determining the character of the work... Form is set by the process of giving form, which is more important than form itself.