Josef Albers “Skyscrapers”

Josef Albers was a German-born American artist. His impressive career and exploration of abstraction and color made him a pioneer of the 20th century modernist movement. He began as an art teacher and then ventured into printmaking. In 1920 Albers enrolled at the Weimar Bauhaus. Due to his experience and exceptional talent he was asked to teach a preliminary course at the Bauhaus. He was now teaching amongst some of the finest artists of his time. Under Nazi pressure, Albers fled to Black Mountain College in North Carolina where he became head of the painting program until 1949. In 1950 he began as head of the Department of Design at Yale University until he retired in 1958. Albers’ style often incorporated patterns, colors, and play with perception. His abstract paintings are thoughtful and open to interpretation.