In response to the atrocities of the first World War and all the sociopolitical factors that lead to the it, Dada was formed in Zurich in 1916. Dada was a statement, a negation of the modern capitalist society, bourgeoisie which was perceived as the ills of society that led to the war. Reason and logic was rejected as the Dadaist vented their discontent in a nonsensical, irreverent and subversive manner. The Dada movement covered a wide range of media, from collage, sculpture to literature and poetry which quickly spread beyond the borders of Switzerland.
Intellectuals and artist fled their home country to Switzerland during the raging war, there in Zurich resentful artists besieged Cabaret Voltaire, a group founded by Hugo Ball where young artists could express themselves artistically. Artists who would later become the part of the initial Dada movement were often present from the start, such as the Alsatian artist, Hans Arp and the Romanians Tristan Tzara and Marcel Janco. "The Cabaret Voltaire. Under this name a group of young artists and writers has formed with the object of becoming a center for artistic entertainment. In principle, the Cabaret will be run by artists, permanent guests, who, following their daily reunions, will give musical or literary performances. Young Zurich artists, of all tendencies, are invited to join us with suggestions and proposals." [Hugo Ball, La fuite hors du temps ([1946], 1993) 111].
Dada had roots to other pre-war avant-garde arts, such as Cubism, Futurism, Expressionism and Constructivism, all shared the desire to change the world, envisioning a utopia. However, Dada was the first of the radical art movements to associate themselves with mass media. Tristan Tzara took over the role of the leader when Hugo left Zurich to pursue Journalism. Tzara was intent on propagate the belief of anti-war and anti bourgeoisie and established Galerie Dada. However, there were some dispute on the "definition" of Dada as Hugo ball's Dada manifesto was written in 1916, shortly after, Tzara wrote his version in 1918 which lead to the confrontation of both strong personalities at one point. Regardless, Dadaist were bent on denying societal and artistic values which they believed allow the catastrophic event of the first World War to happen. Spurned any form of logical meaning and aesthetic of the modern society Dada addressed reformation in a satirical and witty manner.
Picture with Light Center Untitled (Collage with Squares The Hannover Merzbau
1919 Arranged according to the Laws 1933
Kurt Schwitters of Chance), 1917 Kurt Schwitters
Chance was one of the undermining concept in creating Dadaist abstract compositions. Unlike other post-war art movement who sought "Return to Order" ( another art movement that rejected avant garde and was determined to revive classicism ), Dadaist on the other hand decide to release themselves of creative constraints such as planning and rational control over their works. The very origin of the name Dada was also picked by chance by plunging a knife into a dictionary. Hans Jean Arp was considered the earliest practitioner of this style, his failed painting turned into a work of art when ripped and fell together by chance. This idea of free association was meant to prompt people to make meaning out of the now meaningless world, demonstrating how meaning could vary as the context shifted. Kurt Schwitters for example, created the collage, Picture with Light Center (1919) amidst the horrific aftermath of the First World War as an optimistic message, by using scraps of old magazines, newspapers and other random materials, a beautiful picture is formed in the end, indicating that destruction, of the old could very well be the core of the creative process.
Ghosts Before Breakfast ( 1927 ) Hans Richter
“A work of art should not be beauty in itself, for beauty is dead.”
Dada ideals went beyond collage compositions and assemblages, Dada is an art movement, or " anti-art" movement that experiments with different possibilities of different medium in creating art. Theatrical performances, music, poems are often not associated with Dada, however many writers, composers even directors produced influential works that went with the ideals of Dada as written in the manifesto. Hans Richter’s 1927 short film Ghosts Before Breakfast, strangely aesthetic, according to the review on the film by Lori Zimmer, 2014, “It shows that even objects revolt against regimentation”, the randomness in the film stressed the process and meaning of the work rather than beauty. Other well known and honourable mention would be, Man Ray’s short film Le Retour à la Raison (“Return to Reason”) and Marcel Duchamp's Anemic Cinema.
Dada like many other artistic movement stove for change in society, however, Dada's irrationality and spontaneity differentiated themselves from others. Many artists changed their orientation due to the differences and uncertainty in the movement, Dada eventually dissipated and gave rise to Surrealism in which their irrationality lived on. Dada was seen as the roots of many post-modernism art, the first conceptual art movement that undermined the culture of that era, embracing chance, absurdity in creation.
References
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Jones, J. ( 2015, January 8 ). Three Essential Dadaist Films: Groundbreaking Works by Hans Richter, Man Ray & Marcel Duchamp. Retrieved from https://www.openculture.com/2015/01/three-essential-dadaist-films-groundbreaking-works-by-hans-richter-man-ray-marcel-duchamp.html
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Tate. ( n.d. ). Dada. Retrieved from http://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/d/dada
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Willette, J. S. M. ( 2011, June 3 ). Dada and Chance. Retrieved from http://arthistoryunstuffed.com/
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