Dada (Themes and Movements) by Rudolf Kuenzli

by Rudolf E. Kuenzli

Dada developed in distinct periods and locations, providing the structure of the book. From Europe and New York during the First World War it spread to Eastern Europe and Japan in the 1920s. Its re-emergence as Neo-Dada in the 1950s and influence on Fluxus in the 1960s was linked to emigres such as Marcel Duchamp and Hans Richter. International Dada expert Rudolf Kuenzli surveys Dada in its historical context and examines its significant impact and resonance in art and culture today. Linking visual art, performance and literature, this is a fresh treatement of Dada as the Dadaists saw it. A reassessment of one of the twentieth century's most revolutionary movements in the arts, Kuenzli's clear style is accessible to the scholar and the general reader. Each image is accompanied by an extended caption. The book is organized chronologically and geographically around major explosions of Dada activity. From its inception in Zurich during the First World War, we follow Dada to New York, Berlin, Hannover, Cologne, Paris, Central and Eastern Europe, and Japan, finally looking at Neo-Dada. It is a roll-call of the Hugo Ball at the Cabaret Voltaire, Jean Arp's Automatic Drawing; Marcel Duchamp's readymades and Man Ray's assemblages; Francis Picabia's paintings linking machine and human form; collage with political comment from Raoul Hausmann and Hannah Hoch; Kurt Schwitter's all-encompassing concept of Merz; Max Ernst; from the East, the graphics of Lajos Kassak and El Lissitzky; Okada Tatsuo's constructions and fireworks attached to the cover of Mavo magazine. A look at Neo- Dada includes Robert Rauschenberg's "Erased de Kooning" and the Happenings of Hi Red Center. Documents include a comprehensive collection of original Dada writings, researched at the International Dada Archive and sourced from around the world. Poetry, manifestos and statements are presented together with letters between Tristan Tzara and Marcel Duchamp; Beatrice Wood describes 'The Richard Mutt Case' (the first exhibition of a urinal) to her readers of "The Blind Man in 1917"; and in recent interviews artists such as Allan Kaprow and Arman relate their Dada inheritance.

Genres: Art, History, Nonfiction

Hardcover

First published October 15, 2006

Reviews

[Momo García · Rating 5 out of 5]

El dadaísmo fue una tomadura de pelo y este libro le hace justicia. Tiene una hermosa narración de los excesos de sus fundadores en Suiza y de sus seguidores en Alemania, Francia, Estados Unidos y hasta Japón. Es profuso en imágenes de las obras que generaron, muchas de las cuales son franca porquería -pero expresamente hecha como tal-. No sé qué es lo más bello del libro: la tipografía que juega a lo Dadá (haciéndose grande o pequeña arbitrariamente) o el apéndice con documentos del movimiento. Creo que lo segundo; Dadá me gusta más como escritor.

[Charlsa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A pretty decent overview of international Dada. I feel like a lot of recent Dada literature has deliberately shied away from a geographical approach, but I have noticed this often comes at the expense of Dada artists/groups/movements outside of Paris, New York, and Zurich. By structuring his comprehensive look at Dada around geography, Kuenzli forces his audience to recognize frequently overlooked artists in Central and Eastern Europe, Japan, and Germany outside of Berlin.

[Rhonda Hankins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extraordinary publication that takes the reader on a journey through the world of DADA. Beautiful pages full of text written in plain English that treats the reader to a better understanding and appreciation of DADA. Loads of high-quality images and then an index of documents that is astoundingly comprehensive.

Kudos to the editor and publisher of this book. It's a piece of art in and of itself.

[Kevin McDonagh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think of this as two equally equally valuable books combined in a large coffee table size. The first, is a catalogue of some of DADA's most memorable works, the second is a collection of writings, recitals and Manifestos from luminaries during the period in Zurich, Berlin, Paris & NYC.