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Exterior view of the temporary bauhaus-archiv hosting the discourse salon
© Konrad Langer

hands on nails – we are open: turning the temporary bauhaus-archiv into a discourse salon

#In Depth #onsite
von 
Carla Huttenloher
, 24 min reading time

The idea for the project “hands on nails – we are open” came from those nail studios which seem to have popped up on every street corner in the city. What is this everyday phenomenon all about? Who are the people working in this branch and the scenes that have evolved from it? What motivates them? Is nail design an art, a handicraft or a service? And what does all this have to do with the Bauhaus?


open dialogue, collaboration and participation

Conceived and created as an interactive platform, the discourse salon encouraged open dialogue, collaboration and participation. It invites visitors to self-reflect, discover, encounter and linger. In the live events “Context: Society”, “Playing field: Body” and “Starting point: Exploration”, visitors had the opportunity to play an active role and jointly reflect on various topics with others.

 

bauhaus stories takes the documentation and continuation of the project into the digital space.

Participants: Maria Alcaide, Charissa Chioccarelli & Magdalena Bonamin, Siebler+Siebler, Eduard Vegerle, Phương Thanh Nguyễn & Phương Thúy Nguyễn, Âni Võ, Verena Brakonier, Jivan Frenster & Greta Granderath, Crystal Kayiza, Ayşe Güleç, Camilla Inge Volbert & Eily Thams, Nadja Buttendorf, Maharu Maeno
Der Salon
Panel talk during Context:Society at the temporary bauhaus-archiv
© Catrin Schmitt

Body jewellery and manual labour

For some, nail art represents emancipation from patriarchal structures and a celebration of feminist practice, while for many others, it is a physically demanding occupation performed under often precarious conditions. Consequently, nail art finds itself situated between a service and an art form, between difficult working conditions and potential self-empowerment. “Hands on Nails” addresses these tensions, presents various perspectives and puts them up for discussion.

With the screening of four short films, the event “Context:Society” offered perspectives regarding societal aspects around nail art and nail studios.

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What does all this have to do with the Bauhaus?
“hands on nails – we are open” tells a story about the differences and interlocking of two design perspectives
Panel talk during the event Playing field:Body at the temporary bauhaus-archiv
© Image Edit Charissa Chioccarelli, © film SieblerSiebler

Combination of art, handicraft and technique

The working processes in nail studios are carefully calibrated and involve substances which must react with one another to ensure optimal opacity, durability and surficial quality. This can only be accomplished with knowledge of chemical reactions, high precision and hours of labour. Especially in recent years, nail design has been practised as an art genre in its own right: The fingernail has become the smallest pictorial surface and the finger, the frame of the presented work. This fusion of art, handicraft and technique – the same guiding principle of the State Bauhaus long ago – raises questions regarding privileges, social milieus and even parallel societies in urban space. Who are allowed to call themselves artists? Who remain firmly anchored in the service providing sector? Which creative minds are afforded a platform, and which ones remain invisible?

As part of the event “Playing field:Body”, a performance shed light on the various facets of nail art. Afterwards, the participants and visitors had the chance to share their ideas in a moderated discussion.

watch the talk here
Thams performs "Object of Love" at the temporary bauhaus-archiv
© SieblerSiebler

Young, rebellious
– androgynous?

The Bauhaus women of long ago intentionally wore practical – even androgynously plain-looking – clothing as if this might help them assert themselves better in a male-dominated world. In contrast, the protagonists of today’s nail scene appear determined to reclaim their femininity in an over-the-top manner. Impractical, kitschy, glittering and long, their glued-on and sometimes even bedangled nails beg the question of the practicability of design (or art). In collaboration with their customers, they create works of art which everyday life must somehow accommodate.

“hands on nails” concluded with the event “Starting point:Exploration” which created ties to supposedly unrelated areas such as nature, technology and music.

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Nail Art x Bauhaus – A Social Media Intervention by Camilla Inge Volbert
view the intervention on instagram
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