Forming Light

Experiments with Light and Space

Lights on! There was blinking and flashing, and coloured forms were produced and disappeared. During the project week at the Parkschule Weimar, 17 pupils in the nature and technology course experimented with light and shadow, space and colour effects, reflection, and the refraction of light. Inspired by historical experiments with light and space made by the Bauhaus members, the schoolchildren researched scientifically and worked artistically.

 

Johannes Siebler

Video Compositions from Light Experiments

Different light experiments were carried out at a total of six stations. There was a chance to develop a piece of one's own for a theatre of forms on a large back projection screen, for example. At other stations the depth of space could be manipulated visually, or different sources of light played onto a revolving reflective ball. Overhead projectors were used to make stop-motion clips and for experiments with overlapping forms.

Equipped with Ipads, the pupils documented their visual products and so created exciting video compositions. The pupils also recorded personal experiences and scientific observations in research diaries. Here, the diverse links between their current productions and the approaches and ideas of the historical Bauhaus emerged. To conclude the project week, the pupils presented their results and combined their short video clips to create one video composition covering the whole project.

Johannes Siebler

Parkschule Weimar
Gabriele Schreiber and Steffen Körner
/ Teachers responsible for the project 
____________________________

Artistic supervision
Leander Leinenbach / Architect
Leonie Lindl / Student of Visual Communication
____________________________

May to June 2017
Johannes Siebler / Bauhaus Agent

Headline

The methods and techniques tried here will serve as ideas for possible hands-on stations in the exhibition space of the new Bauhaus-Museum. They will also be put to use in additional actions in urban space and at Bauhaus-linked festivals. The project investigated the possibilities of interdisciplinary work with MINT subjects in the Bauhaus context, and it determined which equipment is needed for carrying out light experiments in future outreach workshops of the Bauhaus-Museum. The project's findings will flow directly into the further development of communication and outreach offers.

(JS 2017)

    To the top