17 September 2008 – 10 November 2008

Peter Raacke: Simply modern

"Design is the simplicity of modern technology and the art of proportion."

Peter Raacke (born in 1928) belongs to the generation of designers who contributed to the emergence of product design and to the establishment and profile of the industrial design profession in postwar Germany. Over a period of 55 years he has produced a comprehensive, diverse, and innovative body of work.

In design circles, Peter Raacke is associated with functionalist design, not least due to his work as an instructor at the Hochschule für Gestaltung in Ulm. His name is linked to a number of iconic designs, such as the cutlery set "mono-a" made of standardized sheet steel. The timeless relevance of this flatware, which has been produced continuously since 1959, derives from its slender, puristic forms. Another familiar design is the Ulm carrying case (1966), made of two identical plastic shells. Originally intended for use as a tool case for wallpaper and painting utensils, it quickly became popular as a countercultural alternative to the conventional business briefcase: designers preferred a black version, while revolutionary types favoured the colour red. With his cardboard furniture series (1967/68) in white, red, pink, or violet, Raacke responded to the needs of young people with small budgets who sought freedom from the ballast of traditional furnishings.

Yet there is also the lesser known "other Raacke", who has rebelliously ignored the constricting rules of "Good Design" by moving in a different direction. This alternative approach is seen in the rattan furniture series "Noah's Ark" (1972/72), or in the "Ultima" cutlery series produced in Norway since 1980, which emphasizes the sensuous pleasure of eating.

On the occasion of Peter Raacke's 80th birthday, the exhibition "Peter Raacke – simply modern" presents a representative selection of the designer's oeuvre from all periods and genres. Peter Raacke will be present during the press conference.

Address

Bauhaus Archiv Berlin
Klingelhöferstrasse 14
10785 Berlin Tiergarten
phone +49 30 254 00 20
http://www.bauhaus.de

Opening Hours

Daily 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., closed on Tuesday

Description of the Museum

Objects from the collection, which is the world's largest on the subject and represents the entire spectrum of Bauhaus activities, are presented in the museum: architecture, furniture, ceramics, metalwork, photography, stage pieces and student work from the Preliminary Course, as well as works created by the school's famous teachers: Walter Gropius, Johannes Itten, Paul Klee, Lyonel Feininger, Wassily Kandinsky, Josef Albers, Oskar Schlemmer, László Moholy-Nagy and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.

The Bauhaus Archive / Museum of Design in Berlin is concerned with the research and presentation of the history and impact of the Bauhaus (1919-1933), the most important school of architecture, design, and art of the 20th century.

opened in 1979; architect: Walter Gropius

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