Josef Albers

Josef Albers (1888-1976) was a German born painter, graphic artist, and influential teacher who explored color relationships in his geometrical abstractions. In 1920 at the age of 32, he entered the Bauhaus, a school committed to exploring the relationship between the arts and technological society and emphasized the integration of architecture, fine art, and craft. He initially studied glass and began running the Bauhaus glass workshop. In addition to working in glass and metal, he designed furniture and typography. He came to the United States in 1933 and secured a teaching position at Black Mountain College where he taught Bauhaus principles to his pupils. He then went on to head the Design Department at Yale University from 1950-1958. In addition to painting, printmaking, murals, and architectural commissions, Albers published poetry, articles, and books on art theory. His best-known book, Interaction of Color, was and is still a widely used text in art education.
We are extremely fortunate to have two major permanent installations by Mr. Albers on the RIT campus. Can you find them?

Artist Gallery

A brick mural made up of vertical triangles along the top and bottom of the wall, intersecting at the tips to create a diamond-like shape in between the structures.
Loggia Wall
A large scale mural featuring four gradient yellow squares set within each other. The piece on the left; going from dark shade yellow on the outermost square to a lighter shade on the innermost square. The piece on the right; going from a light shade of yellow on the outermost square to a darker shade on the innermost square.
Growth and Youth