György Kepes (1906–2001)

This work confirms as a primary and necessary aim of education the carefully sequenced interplay between sensory, imaginative awareness and disciplined, scientific knowledge. No other book exists like this one; its realization fills a vital and urgent need. Education of Vision will be indispensable reading for every profession involved with the learning process and the development of creative thought and ability.
The broad objectives in the creation of this volume have been stated by the show more editor: “The living reintegration of all aspects of our life on the new parameter of 20th century knowledge . . . is our great contemporary challenge, and in this work the imaginative power of creative vision could have a central role… A key task of our time is the education of vision – the development of our neglected, atrophic sensibilities. We need to integrate the knowledge we have about the process of vision, the didactic devices to develop it, and the concrete territories where creative vision can be put to service. The first step is to define the scope and nature of our image-making faculty. Then, based upon this knowledge, we must survey the factors that can facilitate its development: the impact of the visual environment on the one hand, and on the other the pedagogical processes that can train our visual sensibilities.”
In the opening essays of this volume, three psychologists analyze the fundamental characteristics of our visual faculties. They treat the relationship between visual perception and thought; the influence of the visual environment; and the interplay between disciplined technical competence and undisciplined perceptive imagination. The next group of essays, by a physicist, a designer and an educational experimenter, deal with vision as an important implement in facilitating comprehension of complex scientific information. The essays which follow, by designers and artists active as teachers, are concerned with concrete educational techniques for developing visual sensibilities. These contributions cover the development of creative ability in professional artistic training; the problems of visual education in the emerging nations of Africa and the changing concepts of visual education in an industrially advanced country; and finally the role of visual education as a catalyst to creativity and imagination in the curriculum of schools of science and engineering, and in the broader context of general education.

This volume contains 14 essays by Rudolf Arnheim, Mirko Basaldella, Julian Beinart, Will Burtin, Anton Ehrenzweig, William J.J. Gordon, Bartlett H. Hayes, Jr., Gerald Holton, Johannes Itten, Tomas Maldonado, Wolfgang Metzger, Robert Preusser, Paul Rand, Robert J. Wolff. With an introduction by Kepes. (by Oliver Tomas, a designer and academic currently living and working in Vancouver).
Contents: Visual thinking / Rudolf Arnheim -- The influence of aesthetic examples / Wolfgang Metzger -- Conscious planning and unconscious scanning / Anton Ehrenzweig -- Conveying science by visual presentation / Gerald Holton -- Design and communication / Will Burtin -- The metaphorical way of knowing / William J.J. Gordon -- The foundation course at the Bauhaus / Johannes Itten -- Design education / Tomás Maldonado -- Student work, visual design courses, M.I.T. [illustrations] -- Design and the play instinct / Paul Rand -- Visual considerations / Mirko Basaldella -- Visual education for emerging cultures : the African opportunity / Julian Beinart -- Art and education past and present / Bartlett H. Hayes, Jr. -- Visual education for science and engineering students / Robert Preusser -- Visual intelligence in general education / Robert Jay Wolff.

'This work confirms as a primary and necessary aim of education the carefully sequenced interplay between sensory, imaginative awareness and disciplined, scientific knowledge; its realisation fills a vital and urgent need. Education of Vision will be indispensable reading for every profession involved with the learning process and the development of creative thought and ability...'

A collection of essays from Rudolf Arnheim, Wolfgang Metzger, Anton Ehrenzweig, Gerald Holton, Will Burtin, William J.J. Gordon, Johannes Itten, Tomas Maldonado, Paul Rand, Mirko Basaldella, Julian Beinart, Bartlett H. Hayes, Jr., Robert Preusser, and Robert Jay Wolff. show less

Discusses the concept of modularity as a general principle of order in the universe and as applied to architecture, the plastic arts, and music.

This is one of the fundamental works of modern design theory, emanating from the Bauhaus experience. Essential for those concerned with design.

Antology of modern abstract art; origins of generative art