Womanica

Women of the Wheel: Gunta Stölzl

Womanica

Show Notes

Gunta Stözl (1897-1983) was a German textile artist who pioneered a modern, industrial textile design style through the German Bauhaus school. Her experimental, kaleidoscopic, and richly tactile designs remain influential today.

For Further Reading: Frauhaus: Gunta Stölzl and the Women of the Bauhaus Bauhaus: Art as Life - Gunta Stölzl: A Daughter's Perspective bauhausfaces series: Gunta Stölzl The women of the Bauhaus - FX Design

This month, we’re talking about Women of the Wheel – icons who turned motion into momentum and spun their legacies on spokes, skates and potter’s wheels. These women harnessed the power of the axle, pushing their crafts and professions forward through their works and lives.

History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.

Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more. Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures.

Womanica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, Sara Schleede, Paloma Moreno Jimenez, Luci Jones, Abbey Delk, Adrien Behn, Alyia Yates, Vanessa Handy, Melia Agudelo, and Joia Putnoi. Special thanks to Shira Atkins.

Follow Wonder Media Network: Website Instagram Twitter

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More from Womanica

Oct 31, 2025

The writhing serpent hair. The fearsome gaze that can turn onlookers to solid stone. Medusa is one of the most instantly recognizable monsters of Greek mythology. But her story and image have evolved over the centuries — sometimes a villain, sometimes a victim, sometimes a divine goddess.

Oct 30, 2025

Rigoberta Menchú Tum (1959-present) dedicated her life to speaking out for Indigenous Guatemalans, fighting tirelessly against the human rights abuses that occurred during and after the Guatemalan Civil War.

Oct 29, 2025

Poly Styrene (1957-2011) was a feminist punk icon who made her mark on the white male-dominated music genre.

Oct 28, 2025

Ch'en Shu (1660–1736) was a Chinese painter from the Qing dynasty, known for her exquisite flower-and-bird paintings that blended precision with delicate beauty. As one of the few recognized female artists of her time, she mastered traditional painting techniques while incorporating her own refined sense of composition and color.

Oct 27, 2025

Bebe Barron (1925-2008) and her husband Louis’ pioneering work in electronic music helped lay the foundation for the sound of sci-fi. Their blips, buzzes, gurgles and groans in Forbidden Planet (1956) made up the first ever entirely electronic score for a feature film.

See all episodes →