Ellen Frank

1920–1933 · Bostadsort

Berlin

1928

Leaves the Bauhaus for his own Berlin studio

In 1928 Moholy-Nagy left the Bauhaus (Marianne Brandt took over the metal workshop) and set up his own design studio in Berlin, employing István Seboek, György Kepes and Andor Weininger. He designed sets for operatic and theatrical productions (including Erwin Piscator's political theatre) as well as exhibitions and books, ad campaigns and films.

1929

Helps organise “Film und Foto” in Stuttgart

Moholy-Nagy was brought in to help organise the famous “Film und Foto” exhibition in Stuttgart.

summer 1931

A trip to Finland as Alvar Aalto's guest

In the summer of 1931 Moholy-Nagy travelled to Finland with his then girlfriend, the actress Ellen Frank (Walter Gropius's sister-in-law), as the guest of the architect Alvar Aalto. There he visited the Holy Cross Church in Hattula — and in 1933 he named his first daughter Hattula.

1931

Meets Sibylle Pietzsch

Moholy-Nagy met the actress and scriptwriter Sibylle Pietzsch, who became his wife and companion for the rest of his life and later an art and architectural historian. Together they made the now-classic film “A Lightplay: Black White Gray”, based on the Light-Space Modulator, as well as “Gypsies” and “Berlin Still Life”.

1932

Married: Sibyl Moholy-Nagy