Color Perception

Josef Albers: “In Open Air”
Emily Fox

Josef Albers was a German artist and teacher. He attended the Bauhaus in Weimar, Germany in the early 1920s and began teaching there soon after he finished his studies. Albers’ early work focused on glass painting but he went on to metalwork, typography, and furniture design during his time in Germany. After moving to the United States, he continued teaching in Asheville, North Carolina. Albers valued travel and would document his travels with black and white photographs which he would use for inspiration or in photo collages. As his art progressed, his media shifted to oil on canvas, printmaking, murals, and architectural commissions. Albers is known for this color perception theories that are evident throughout his art: “When you really understand that each color is changed by a changed environment, you eventually find that you have learned about life as well as about color”. He published articles, poetry, and books on art which inspires young artists to this day.