Sophie Taeuber-Arp
Encyclopedia
Sophie Taeuber-Arp was a Swiss artist
, painter
and sculptor
. Born in Davos, Switzerland, Sophie Täuber began her art studies in her homeland, at the School of Applied Arts in St. Gallen (1908–1910). She then moved on to the workshop of Wilhelm von Debschits in Munich, where she studied in 1911 and again in 1913; in between, she studied for a year at the School of Arts and Crafts in Hamburg. In 1916, she attended the Laban School of Dance in Zurich.
artist Jean Arp
, with whom she was to collaborate on numerous joint projects until her death in 1943. They married in 1922 and she changed her last name to Taeuber-Arp.
Taeuber-Arp taught weaving and other textile arts at the Zurich School of Arts and Crafts from 1916 to 1929. During this period, she was involved in the Zürich Dada movement, which centered on the Cabaret Voltaire
. She took part in Dada-inspired performances as a dancer, choreographer, and puppeteer; and she designed puppets, costumes, and sets for performances at the Cabaret Voltaire as well as for other Swiss and French theaters. She also made a number of sculptural works, such as a set of abstract "Dada Heads" of turned, polychromed wood. With their witty resemblance to the ubiquitous small stands used by hatmakers, they typified her elegant synthesis of the fine and applied arts. Her textile and graphic works from the 1920s are among the most sophisticated geometric abstractions of the early Modernist period, reflecting a subtle understanding of the interplay between color and form.
(a project on which Jean Arp
and de Stijl artist Theo van Doesburg
eventually joined her as collaborators).
In 1927 she coauthored a book entitled Design and Textile Arts (with Blanche Gauchet). In the 1930s, she was a member of the group Cercle et Carré (a standard-bearer of nonfigurative art) and its successor, the Abstraction-Création group; and in the late 1930s she founded a Constructivist
review, Plastique (Plastic) in Paris.
In 1928, Taeuber-Arp and Arp moved to Meudon-Val Fleury, outside of Paris, where she designed their new house and some of its furnishings. In 1940, they fled Paris ahead of the German invasion and moved to Grasse in Southern France, where they created an art colony
with Sonia Delaunay
and other artists. The colony was active from 1941 to 1943, when Taeuber-Arp died, during a visit to Switzerland, in an accident with a stove.
(Chicago), the Museum of Fine Arts (Houston), and the Musée d'Art Contemporain (Montreal).
She has been depicted on Swiss-issued banknotes denominated at 50 Swiss francs since 1995.
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
, painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
and sculptor
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
. Born in Davos, Switzerland, Sophie Täuber began her art studies in her homeland, at the School of Applied Arts in St. Gallen (1908–1910). She then moved on to the workshop of Wilhelm von Debschits in Munich, where she studied in 1911 and again in 1913; in between, she studied for a year at the School of Arts and Crafts in Hamburg. In 1916, she attended the Laban School of Dance in Zurich.
Dada
In 1915 she met the DadaDada
Dada or Dadaism is a cultural movement that began in Zurich, Switzerland, during World War I and peaked from 1916 to 1922. The movement primarily involved visual arts, literature—poetry, art manifestoes, art theory—theatre, and graphic design, and concentrated its anti-war politics through a...
artist Jean Arp
Jean Arp
Jean Arp / Hans Arp was a German-French, or Alsatian, sculptor, painter, poet and abstract artist in other media such as torn and pasted paper....
, with whom she was to collaborate on numerous joint projects until her death in 1943. They married in 1922 and she changed her last name to Taeuber-Arp.
Taeuber-Arp taught weaving and other textile arts at the Zurich School of Arts and Crafts from 1916 to 1929. During this period, she was involved in the Zürich Dada movement, which centered on the Cabaret Voltaire
Cabaret Voltaire (Zürich)
Cabaret Voltaire was the name of a nightclub in Zurich, Switzerland. It was founded by Hugo Ball, with his companion Emmy Hennings on February 5, 1916 as a cabaret for artistic and political purposes. Other founding members were Marcel Janco, Richard Huelsenbeck, Tristan Tzara, and Jean Arp...
. She took part in Dada-inspired performances as a dancer, choreographer, and puppeteer; and she designed puppets, costumes, and sets for performances at the Cabaret Voltaire as well as for other Swiss and French theaters. She also made a number of sculptural works, such as a set of abstract "Dada Heads" of turned, polychromed wood. With their witty resemblance to the ubiquitous small stands used by hatmakers, they typified her elegant synthesis of the fine and applied arts. Her textile and graphic works from the 1920s are among the most sophisticated geometric abstractions of the early Modernist period, reflecting a subtle understanding of the interplay between color and form.
Paris
From the late 1920s, she lived in Paris and continued experimenting with design. Her skills developed into large-scale interior design when she was commissioned to create a radically Constructivist interior for the Café de l'AubetteAubette (building)
Aubette is a historical building on Place Kléber in Strasbourg, France. It was built by Jacques-François Blondel in 1765–1772. Between 1926 and 1928 it was redecorated by Sophie Taeuber-Arp, Jean Arp and De Stijl artist Theo van Doesburg. The work of the three artists had been called "the Sistine...
(a project on which Jean Arp
Jean Arp
Jean Arp / Hans Arp was a German-French, or Alsatian, sculptor, painter, poet and abstract artist in other media such as torn and pasted paper....
and de Stijl artist Theo van Doesburg
Theo van Doesburg
Theo van Doesburg was a Dutch artist, practicing in painting, writing, poetry and architecture. He is best known as the founder and leader of De Stijl.-Biography:-Early life:...
eventually joined her as collaborators).
In 1927 she coauthored a book entitled Design and Textile Arts (with Blanche Gauchet). In the 1930s, she was a member of the group Cercle et Carré (a standard-bearer of nonfigurative art) and its successor, the Abstraction-Création group; and in the late 1930s she founded a Constructivist
Constructivism (art)
Constructivism was an artistic and architectural philosophy that originated in Russia beginning in 1919, which was a rejection of the idea of autonomous art. The movement was in favour of art as a practice for social purposes. Constructivism had a great effect on modern art movements of the 20th...
review, Plastique (Plastic) in Paris.
In 1928, Taeuber-Arp and Arp moved to Meudon-Val Fleury, outside of Paris, where she designed their new house and some of its furnishings. In 1940, they fled Paris ahead of the German invasion and moved to Grasse in Southern France, where they created an art colony
Art colony
right|300px|thumb|Artist houses in [[Montsalvat]] near [[Melbourne, Australia]].An art colony or artists' colony is a place where creative practitioners live and interact with one another. Artists are often invited or selected through a formal process, for a residency from a few weeks to over a year...
with Sonia Delaunay
Sonia Delaunay
Sonia Delaunay was a Jewish-French artist who, with her husband Robert Delaunay and others, cofounded the Orphism art movement, noted for its use of strong colours and geometric shapes. Her work extends to painting, textile design and stage set design...
and other artists. The colony was active from 1941 to 1943, when Taeuber-Arp died, during a visit to Switzerland, in an accident with a stove.
Legacy
Taeuber-Arp took part in numerous exhibitions during her relatively short life. For example, she was included in the first Carré exhibition at the Galeries 23 (Paris) in 1930, along with other notable early 20th century modernists. Her reputation has grown slowly but steadily, and in 1981 the Museum of Modern Art (New York) mounted a retrospective of her work that subsequently traveled to the Museum of Contemporary ArtMuseum of Contemporary Art, Chicago
The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago is a contemporary art museum near Water Tower Place in downtown Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The museum, which was established in 1967, is one of the world's largest contemporary art venues...
(Chicago), the Museum of Fine Arts (Houston), and the Musée d'Art Contemporain (Montreal).
She has been depicted on Swiss-issued banknotes denominated at 50 Swiss francs since 1995.
External links
- Taeuber-Arp collection at Museum of Modern ArtMuseum of Modern ArtThe Museum of Modern Art is an art museum in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, on 53rd Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It has been important in developing and collecting modernist art, and is often identified as the most influential museum of modern art in the world...