Dada Flashcards
Background
Dada and surrealism dominated the time in-between the two wars. Both born in revolt against WWI and questioned the traditional values of democracy. Had a dramatic influence on other art movements. It quickly spread internationally
What did dada start as
Mainly a literary manifestation
Who started a centre for artists and what was it called
A german writer and poet, Hugo Ball started the Cabaret Voltaire in Zurich
What happened at the Cabaret Voltaire
Artists and writers who shared an outlook of protest against society gathered there. It was a cross between a nightclub and an art society. Poems were read, painting were painted using intuition without control. Durning one meeting, 80 people spoke on different subjects at the same time. During an exhibition, hammers were handed out and people were asked to destroy artworks. Events at this placed proved crucial to the founding of dada
Why was Cabaret founded
For political and artistic purposes
Where did the name ‘dada’ come from
One theory says that it was derived from the french word ‘dada’ meaning hobbyhorse. Another theory is that it is the first word that a child says. Both relate to children and show their search for freedom and a new beginning.
What was the influence on dada
The world war. Dada was a protest movement against WWI. It originated from the disillusionment and disgust of the senseless barbarity of the war.
What did the Dadaists say was the cause of the Great War
Different governments for autocratic and materialistic gains
What did the war show
What happens when the government was too greedy and too materialistic.
What did Dada place importance on
Human emotions, the injustice and the irrational.
Characteristics of Dada
It was a state of mind: the wanted to mock and shock
Negative movement that wanted to destroy all traditions in art .˙. They seldom used ordinary media
In its the quest to be free from all theories, standards and authority, it mocked everything.
It was the revolt against logic and reason. In their disregard for the conscious mind, they started to explore the subconscious in music, literature, fine art s
What types of artworks are there in Dada
The laws of chance
The use of junk/ recycling
Photo montage
Ready-made
Who used the laws of chance
Hans Arp
Who used junk/ recycling
Kurt Schwitters
Who used photo montages
John Heartfield and Hannah Höch
Who used ready-made
Marcel Duchamp
Who was Hans Arp
German-French sculptor, painter, poet and abstract artist. One f the first artists to use the laws of chance. He tore up a drawing he was dissatisfied with and threw the pieces on the floor. He found that the way the had fallen was expressive. By using chance, that artist works irrationally. It is a way an individual can express themselves in a world that is becoming more organised. The use of chance leads to spontaneity
Who was Schwitters
German artist that worked in different media. He showed that art could be related with junk. He used colour, shape… and other formal elements in creating his artworks.
Photo montage
A variation of collage in which photos are used instead of different materials. Individual photos combined to muse a new subject or visual image. It proved to be a powerful tool to Dadaists who were protesting about social and political issues.
Who was Duchamp
French artist considered as one of the most important and influencing artists of the 20th century. Was a highly successful painter, but gave it up when he moved to America
Anti-art and the ready-made : Marcel Duchamp
Mocks traditional art values by choosing manufactures objects and declaring it to be art. He said that the object should be a no choice .˙. Without aesthetic qualities and exists as art only because the artist said so.
What is a ready-made
And ordinary manufacture object that becomes art because of the artists choice.
How is a ready-made, anti-art
Because it is against the idea that art is labour intensive. It goes against uniqueness of the artwork and makes a mockery of the art museum system. It says that anything is art .˙. Nothing is art or that nothing has value.
Influence and importance of Dada
Protest action are usually short-lived and dada ended because of its absurdity. Many Dadaists became surrenders and Dada’s use of chance and irrationality became one of the principles of surreal s, although Dada can be seen as absurd, it had a tremendous influence in modernism as Dada was not merely destructive, but also opened up new ways of creating art.
