Model & Scale
Josef Albers
Geometric Abstraction
Figure 1. Josef Albers, 1948, Estate of Hazel Larsen Archer and Black Mountain College Museum and Arts Centre.
The artist Josef Albers (b. 1888 - d. 1976) was born in Germany. Albers was an American artist & educator in both Germany and the United States of America. He taught classes at Black Mountain College. Albers is broadly notorious for his experimentation and research into the visible colour spectrum. Albers has created a multitude of artworks including but not limited to: paintings, glass, vinylite engraving, photographs, and the key focus to the Model & Scale - works on paper.
Fig. 2 Josef Albers teaching the color class, Black Mountain College, (1944).
Fig. 3 Josef Albers examining a folded paper construction with students, Black Mountain College (1946), Genevieve Naylor
Albers’s focus with his paper folding was on the elaboration of spatial structure – the relationship between the purpose, construction, materials, and manufacturing – while ensuring that this was executed with a high outcome and simultaneously minimal effort being required to construct such artworks. This mindset allowed him to benefit the students he was teaching enormously.
Albers would always experiment with his paper creations by creating simple folds at first. Then, he would create slits in the paper and do more folding and binding together the edges and areas throughout the process. He saw that a 2D object such as paper had endless potential to be influenced into a 3D artwork. He would measure lengths and widths of a sheet and from there word out what cuts he needs to make and where to make them. There was no major sense of repetition in his techniques with his geometric abstract paper artworks and this is due to the fact that all of his formations were wide-ranging and varied greatly.
Model Making
I gathered really simple materials and tools in order to create my models. This allows me to concentrate more on the cuts and the 3D aspect rather than the texture of the paper and its colour. I am also personally more drawn to more simplistic designs, its my personal preference. I wanted to create something simple but also incorporating a detailed pattern noticeable once looked at carefully.
I gathered the following:
-cutting mat
-box cutter
-2B pencil
-ruler.
3 Model Iterations
I cut an A4 sheet of paper in half, then half again. This will give me the ideal size for my 3 model iterations.
For my first model / experimentation, I folded the piece of paper in half. Then marked out the lines I wanted to cut. I carefully began to slice through the guidelines.
Next I pressed on the creases of the paper and inverted every second row to enable the structure to become 3D.
For my second model iteration, I folded the paper in half. I used my pencil to then mark the lines I wanted to cut and the lines I wanted to crease. After that I used my blade to slice the designated lines.
I then pressed on the creases of the paper and inverted every second row to enable the structure to become 3D.
For my third and final model iteration / experimentation, I wanted to create a sense of a skyline. I started by slicing several lines onto a folded piece of paper. I then started to crease together and intertwine two strips of the paper together to create a zig-zag pattern. I continued this with the remaining slices of paper.
Final Model
For my final model, I wanted to stick to my simplistic approach but simultaneously I wanted to incorporate small complexities to the geometric abstract design. I began with a basic fold in half and two slices to form a stair.
I closed the paper back into half again and marked out where I would cut.
I continued to add cuts and creases, forming more stairs. As I progressed I added smaller and more minute details. I kept opening and closing the artwork to make sure my cuts and creases are in the correct places. I also wanted to prevent clutter or any messy results after incorporating so many stairs.
Taking a separate sheet of A4 paper, I began to cut out 4 strips. I wanted a slightly more organic-shaped element in my final model. I felt confident doing this as my first 3 iterations have provided me with enough experimentation.
Final Design
Space Architecture, the City, Reflection & Model Iterations
In architecture, space and the city go hand in hand. deliberate lack of and implemented space allows for a city, any building really, to form its own unique shape and geometric deign, be it abstract or not. I followed Josef Albers model making technique, starting with one sheet of paper, and adding folds, creases, and cuts to transform a previously 2D shape into something that is more tangible and 3 dimensional. I implemented this paper folding technique into my own series of experimental artworks / model iterations as well as my final artwork.
As I began my first three models, I became more confident in myself and became very fond of the stair technique very quickly. This consistent practised enabled me to find what my preferred paper folding techniques are - the more simplistic approach (in my opinion) can create highly eye-catching artworks. I have become aware of the aesthetic importance in the body of Albers's work.
I believe that paper folding is a fantastic and very achievable way to recreate and design the city around you. The creative process behind this set task allowed me to appreciate the architectural and geometric integrity of the city and the buildings that UTS and UTS Insearch consist of. It sparks my curiosity and I am sure it did the same for Albers and his students.
References
Albers. (n.d.). Bauhaus Preliminary Course Student Exercises. https://search.lib.uts.edu.au/permalink/61UTS_INST/1ibc883/artstorARTSTOR_103_41822000648426
Darwent, C. (2018). Josef Albers : life and work . London, United Kingdom: Thames & Hudson Ltd. https://search.lib.uts.edu.au/permalink/61UTS_INST/19joism/alma991005020749705671
David Mitchell's Origami Heaven - History - Joseph Albers and Paperfolding at the Bauhaus. (2020). Origamiheaven.com. Retrieved 12 May 2020, from http://www.origamiheaven.com/historyjosephalbers.htm
