Laszlo Moholy-Nagy was a Hungarian painter and photographer as well as a professor in the Bauhaus school. Born László Weisz on July 20, 1895, in Bácsborsód, Hungary, he changed his surname to Moholy-Nagy to honor his uncle who financed his education.
During World War I, he served in the Austro-Hungarian army and it was during this time that he began to sketch and take an interest in art. After the war, he moved to Vienna and then to Berlin where he became involved with the Dada movement and met his future wife Lucia Schulz. In 1923, he was invited by Walter Gropius to join the Bauhaus as a teacher where he replaced Johannes Itten as the instructor of the foundation course.
His work at the Bauhaus spanned various mediums including painting, sculpture, photography, and design. He was a proponent of integrating technology and industry into the arts and was heavily involved in the school's stage workshops. His theories on art and education were progressive, emphasizing the importance of total art and the integration of technology and industry into the creative process.
In 1937, facing the rise of the Nazi regime and the closure of the Bauhaus, Moholy-Nagy moved to London with his wife where he continued to work and teach. In late 1937, he was invited to Chicago to found the New Bauhaus, which later became the Institute of Design. His legacy in Chicago and the continuation of the Bauhaus philosophy in America was significant, influencing generations of architects and designers.
Moholy-Nagy continued to work prolifically in various mediums, including painting, sculpture, photography, and film, until his death on November 24, 1946, in Chicago, Illinois, from leukemia. His work is noted for its experimental use of materials, pioneering use of industrial technology in art, and his innovative approach to education in the visual arts. He left behind a significant body of work that continues to influence artists and designers around the world.
