The sculpture titled Double Ascension stands as a hallmark of Herbert Bayer’s expansive career, representing his late-stage focus on integrating large-scale art into corporate architecture. Over eighty-five years, Bayer transitioned from a foundational Bauhaus student in Europe to a key American design figure, exerting influence across typography, photography, exhibition design, and environmental planning.
Bauhaus Education and Typographic Theory
Bayer began his formal training under Georg Schmidthammer before moving to the Bauhaus. During four years of instruction under Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, and László Moholy-Nagy, he internalized the principles of reductive minimalism. As the director of printing and advertising, he championed all-lowercase, sans-serif typography. His 1925 Proposal for a Universal Typeface sought to streamline the writing process by removing uppercase characters, focusing instead on geometric clarity and phonetic efficiency.
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After departing Germany following his inclusion in the Degenerate Art exhibition, Bayer arrived in the United States in 1938. He collaborated with Walter Gropius on the Bauhaus 1918–1928 exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art. He became a U.S. citizen in 1944. Following his move to Aspen, Colorado, in 1946, he engaged in architectural projects, including the design of the Aspen Institute campus and the restoration of the Wheeler Opera House.
Corporate Art and Environmental Sculpture
Bayer held a long-term advisory role for the Atlantic Richfield Company, where he shaped corporate branding and curated a vast collection of nearly 30,000 works. His environmental design work included the Grass Mound earthwork and the Mill Creek Canyon Earthworks. He continued to create site-specific installations throughout his career, finishing his final commission, Articulated Wall, in Denver.
Fast facts
- Born: 1900, Haag am Hausruck, Austria
- Died: 1985, Montecito, California
- Education: Bauhaus
- Citizenship: Austria and United States
- Notable sculpture: Double Ascension
- Professional membership: American Academy of Arts and Sciences
- Burial site: Aspen Grove Cemetery
Questions readers ask
What was Bayer's role at the Atlantic Richfield Company?
He served as the company's Art and Design Consultant, overseeing corporate branding and managing an extensive art collection.
Did Bayer receive professional recognition for his contributions?
Yes, his awards include the AIGA Medal, the Rome Prize, the Austrian Decoration for Science and Art, and a fellowship in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Achievements
- Notable work: Double Ascension
- Educated at Bauhaus
- Worked as type designer, architect and graphic designer
