The German National Tourist Office Celebrates 100 Years of Bauhaus in Partnership with the Jean-Paul Najar Foundation

To mark the 100th anniversary of the revolutionary Bauhaus school and its influence stemming from the 1920s, the German Embassy Abu Dhabi and the German National Tourist Office, Gulf countries (GNTO) in partnership with the Jean-Paul Najar Foundation (JPNF) and select partners hosted an exclusive celebratory evening last night. Held at JPNF in Alserkal Avenue, the themed ‘Metal Party 1929/2019’, inspired by a similar event that took place in 1929, encouraged its guests to dress in metallic-inspired attire. The evening gave guests an insight into the legacy of the Bauhaus, literally translated as ‘construction house’, an art movement that continues to inspire today’s leading designers and creatives alike.

‘Celebrating Bauhaus’ has been a year-long, worldwide activation celebration of the influential art school, which was founded by the architect Walter Gropius in 1919. Through his vision, Germany is now home to a range of unique Bauhaus locations for visitors to explore and be inspired by. Ranging from paintings and graphics to architecture and interiors, Bauhaus art dominated many outlets of experimental European art throughout the 1920s and 1930s. Though it is most closely associated with Germany, it attracted and inspired artists of all backgrounds. Today, its influence can be found in art and design all over the world, whether within the walls of a museum or on a suburban street. To introduce Bauhaus legacy to the region and to mark the centenary anniversary of the movement’s founding, the Jean-Paul Najar Foundation (JPNF), a private contemporary art museum designed by architect Mario Jossa, of Marcel Breuer & Associates in partnership with Alserkal Avenue launched a Bauhaus exhibition, which is now open to the public through February 29th 2020. The exhibition titled Building Bauhaus showcases the school’s creativity and innovation through iconic design objects, photography, textiles, and archival material including architectural plans and models.

Commenting on this unique legacy, H.E. Ernst Peter Fischer, German Ambassador to the UAE, stated “I’m delighted to celebrate ‘100 Years of Bauhaus’ in Dubai. Bauhaus is famous all over the world. It was a school, teaching a radical new approach towards art, design, architecture and manufacturing. It is a great example of modern and creative thinking from Germany that influences us until today. I grew up around some fabulous Bauhaus neighbourhoods in Berlin and they are still super cool. I can only recommend a visit to Weimar, Dessau and Berlin to enjoy the Bauhaus spirit. It is lovely to join hands with our friends - the Jean-Paul Najar Foundation, Alserkal Avenue, the German National Tourist Office and our dear Swiss neighbours - for this exhibition.”

Speaking on the centenary year, Nicole Zaspel, Sales & Marketing Manager for the Gulf countries at German National Tourist Office (GNTO), an affiliate of the German National Tourist Board (GNTB), commented “Being able to celebrate the centenary of Bauhaus and Walter Gropius in this region and share the phenomenal story behind the modernist movement has been incredible and a reminder of the artistic heritage that Germany is home to.”

Visitors of the ‘Building Bauhaus’ exhibition will be able to explore the history of the Bauhaus school, its pioneering approach to arts education, and its far-reaching influence on art, design and architecture. JPNF also highlights the movement’s relationship to the Middle East.

Speaking last night at the showcase, JPNF Founder Deborah Najar commented, ‘’It’s been an incredible journey putting together the Building Bauhaus exhibition in this Centenary year.  Our building within Alserkal Avenue was designed by a second-generation Bauhaus architect, so these are very important roots for us as an institution. It has been a privilege working with incredible and visionary partners on this exhibition, and we hope that many more visitors will visit and interact with the exhibition, taking some of the Bauhaus legacy home with them.”   Najar continues: “as part of our curatorial preparation, our Director Wafa Jadallah visited Dessau and Weimar, travelling in the footsteps of legends such as Walter Gropius, Marcel Breuer and Josef Albers. This trip to Germany, under the auspices of the Goethe Institute, and the ongoing support of the GNTB have made this exhibition possible, and we are very grateful to our partners for making this possible.”

About GNTB

The headquarters of the German National Tourist Board (GNTB) are in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. It works on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi) to represent Germany as a tourist destination and is funded by the Ministry in accordance with a decision taken by the German Bundestag. The GNTB develops and communicates strategies and products to promote Germany's positive image abroad as a tourist destination and to encourage tourists to visit the country. The GNTB is currently represented in 31 countries. More information can be found at our online press centre: www.germany.travel/presse . To download press pictures, please register via: https://dam.germany.travel.

About Jean-Paul Najar Foundation

The Jean-Paul Najar Foundation for Contemporary Art is a non-profit ICOM registered private museum, gathering abstract European and American art from the 1960s through today. The JPNF is also home to a remarkable archive tracing forty years of artist-collector exchanges. Education is central to the museum’s mission. We are committed to presenting an educational program that promotes a spirit of discovery and inquiry that engages our diverse communities. The JPNF is designed by Mario Jossa, of Marcel Breuer and Associates, and is presented in partnership with Alserkal Avenue in Dubai.

www.jpnajarfoundation.com

About Alserkal Avenue
Established in 2008 by Alserkal, Alserkal Avenue is a renowned cultural district of contemporary art galleries, non-profit organisations and homegrown businesses in the Al Quoz industrial area of Dubai. Alserkal Avenue is a vibrant community of visual and performing arts organisations, designers, and artisanal spaces that have become an essential platform for the development of the creative industries in the United Arab Emirates. As one of the region’s foremost platforms for contemporary art, Alserkal Avenue provides cultural experiences for local, regional and international audiences. Alserkal Avenue features Concrete, a multi-disciplinary space conceptualised and programmed by Alserkal. Concrete was inaugurated in 2017 as the first building in the UAE to be completed by the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), founded by Rem Koolhaas, and is an adaptable venue whose ability to metamorphose to bring creative visions to life makes it suitable for international, museum-grade exhibitions as well as events across art, design, fashion and the performing arts. Concrete was shortlisted for the 2019 Aga Khan Award for Architecture. https://alserkalavenue.ae

Media contact:

Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany Abu Dhabi - Press contact:

Johnny Kramer

Head of Press and Economic Affairs

Tel. +971 (0)2 596 7722

pr-1@abud.diplo.de

German National Tourist Office (GNTO) - Press contact:

Nermin Abushnaf

Communications Manager – Gulf countries

Tel. +971 (0)4 447 0585

Nermin.abushnaf@germany.travel