Author(s): Patricia Morgado
Fascinated and intrigued by the pre-Hispanic and folk art they saw during their first trip to Mexico in 1936, Josef and Anni Albers made thirteen additional visits from 1937 to 1967. It was indeed this art that inspired most of Albers鈥檚 most significant work, mainly related to the use of color: the series Variants on a Theme and Homage to the Square. Their visits coincided with the period when Luis Barrag谩n was developing some of his most outstanding work and introducing his signature use of color (Casa Barrag谩n, Casa Prieto-L贸pez, Capilla Capuchinas, Casa G谩lvez, Las Arboledas, and Establos San Crist贸bal). However, it is not clear if the artists and architects ever met in Mexico. Given Albers鈥檚 and Barrag谩n鈥檚 interest in and use of color, and mutual friends, it would seem likely that the two men met in Mexico. However, there is no evidence that they met before their encounter at the Albereses鈥 New Haven studio in 1967. So, what triggered their interest in color? And more importantly, did one have an influence upon the other? This paper studies the relationships between the work of Albers and Barrag谩n, the possible influences and inspirations at play, and the student work from the seminar 鈥淟uis Barrag谩n: Light, Color, and Water,鈥 a course that helps better understand the use of color.
Volume Editors
ISBN
978-1-944214-26-5