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Dada: Art and Anti-Art

Dada: Art and Anti-Art

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  • Author:Hans Richter
  • ISBN:0500204314
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Summary

“Where and how Dada began is almost as difficult to determine as Homer’s birthplace,” writes Hans Richter, the artist and filmmaker closely associated with this radical movement from its earliest days。 Here he records and traces Dada’s history, from its inception in wartime Zurich to its collapse in Paris in the 1920s, when many of its members joined the Surrealist movement, to the present day when its spirit reemerged in the 1960s in movements such as Pop Art。 This absorbing eyewitness narrative is enlivened by extensive use of Dada documents, illustrations, and texts by fellow Dadaists。


To celebrate one hundred years of Dada, Thames & Hudson is reissuing this unique document exactly as it first appeared in an expanded centenary edition。 This edition features a new introduction telling the story of how the book came about and an extended commentary that identifies Richter’s sources and brings the study up-to-date for a new generation of readers。

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Reviews

Joshua Rudolph

I can't believe I forgot to put this on here!! I love this one so much。 Tzara is my hero。 I can't believe I forgot to put this on here!! I love this one so much。 Tzara is my hero。 。。。more

Peter Alvarez

For Art Lovers and those who wanna know the ORIGIN of Dadaism and its Evolution to Surrealism。 Its worthwhile read!!!

Leah Randall

"Art in its execution and direction is dependent on the time in which it lives, and artists are creatures of their epoch。 The highest art will be that which in its conscious content presents the thousandfold problems of the day, the art which has been visibly shattered by the explosions of last week, which is forever trying to collect its limbs after yesterday's crash。 The best and most extraordinary artists will be those who every hour snatch the tatters of their bodies out of the frenzied cata "Art in its execution and direction is dependent on the time in which it lives, and artists are creatures of their epoch。 The highest art will be that which in its conscious content presents the thousandfold problems of the day, the art which has been visibly shattered by the explosions of last week, which is forever trying to collect its limbs after yesterday's crash。 The best and most extraordinary artists will be those who every hour snatch the tatters of their bodies out of the frenzied cataract of life, who, with bleeding hands and hearts, hold fast to the intelligence of their time。" I cannot believe how long it took me to pick up this incredible book。 I have always been a huge Dadaism enthusiast and getting to read this history from the mouth of someone so entrenched it in was fascinating。 It gives wonderful context to the soil in which Dadaism planted roots, bloomed, and ultimately died。 If you have any interest at all in art history, I recommend this book。 If you look at modern art and think "the fuck?", I recommend this book! My only complaint is the way Hannah Höch is treated by Richter in the text。 I don't know that it can be solely attributed to misogyny, as he talks positively of other Dadaist women (especially Sophie Taeuber), but he comes across incredibly demeaning when he talks about Höch。 At one point he refers to her as a "good girl", brushing her artistic accomplishments under the rug whilst complimenting the sandwiches and coffee she served。 Gross。 I also think his analysis of Pop Art should likely be regarded with a grain of salt, as few visionaries find subsequent developments as worthy of merit as their own。 All in all, a strong recommendation。 。。。more

Julia

szanuję ich w opór

Laurie Hertz-Kafka

Focuses mainly on the lives and personalities of the characters of the Dada movement, most of whom Hans Richter knew personally (he was a Dadaist himself)。 I am more interested in learning about the philosophies behind the art, and the stories here are more about the antics (events, live performances, gatherings) of the Dadaists as well as its history。 Dada was not so much an art form as it was an artistic and personalized expression of a philosophy。 Its philosophy reflected reactions to the soc Focuses mainly on the lives and personalities of the characters of the Dada movement, most of whom Hans Richter knew personally (he was a Dadaist himself)。 I am more interested in learning about the philosophies behind the art, and the stories here are more about the antics (events, live performances, gatherings) of the Dadaists as well as its history。 Dada was not so much an art form as it was an artistic and personalized expression of a philosophy。 Its philosophy reflected reactions to the social upheavals of the period surrounding WWI as well as the shifting perspectives in all fields of knowledge and politics。Gatherings, staged performance art, and public "scandals" were an integral part of the Dada movement, but the descriptions seemed repetitive to me (and even, after a while, to the Dadaists themselves)。 As Richter describes in the chapter on Paris Dada, "Paris was - in this way - captured, and there was nothing left for Dada to do。 The demolition of bourgeois attitudes had been set in train。 Everyone was discussing Dada and reacting, whether positively or negatively, to its programme, which consisted of anti-authority, anti-conduct, anti-church, anti-art, anti-order, deamonic humor。" The chapter on Paris Dada also described how some artists ultimately fought for artistic control over a movement that was based on anti-authority。 So ironic, but that's human nature。 Its significance for me is as a precursor to Surrealism and a response to the new world disorder。 I saw an exhibit of the Societe Anonyme several years ago at the Hammer museum here in L。A。 and loved it。 So many prominent artists came of of the Dada movement and the Societe, and I was hoping this book would provide more information about their beginnings。 If they weren't involved in the public performances, they were merely given mention in this book。 It does make sense, though, of a lot of the "found art" and "ready mades," such as the reasons behind Marcel Duchamp's submission to an art exhibition by the Salon de Independents of a urinal as a work of art entitled, "Fountain。"It does contain historical elements and provides context for the movement as a reflection of the times, including its start in Zurich a movement of people who were avoiding involvement in the war。 Covers some musicians, but no mention of the birth of modern dance, which took place at the same time and scant mention of the artistic movements taking place in Russia。 I just saw the performance of "Isadora," based on the life of Isadora Duncan, and it added an interesting perspective。My favorite part is about Max Ernst; this chapter does get into some of the influences ideas behind his work。 。。。more

Stephen

Dada will never die。 You can never know Dada。

Paul Osgerby

Hans Richter gives us all the juicy gossip of the distinct, yet commonly-threaded, narratives of Dada throughout Europe。

Zoe

A primary resource written by a Zurich Dadaist。I read the book because I need to do some dramaturgical work for Tom Stoppard's play, TRAVESTIES。 A primary resource written by a Zurich Dadaist。I read the book because I need to do some dramaturgical work for Tom Stoppard's play, TRAVESTIES。 。。。more

Greg Bem

Essential reading for anyone interested in Dada, its roots, or where it matters today。

Genndy

This publication deals with a phenomenon of Dadaism - it is a readable and consistent review of the movement's history,of anecdotes about certain Dadaist artists, and of motives and logic behind it。 Book's author was in the core of the original movement himself, which makes this book a sort of recollection and a self explanation from the temporal distance。 This book has a perfect balance between historical facts and fun anecdotes。 It is enjoyable read, filled with illustrations on which you can This publication deals with a phenomenon of Dadaism - it is a readable and consistent review of the movement's history,of anecdotes about certain Dadaist artists, and of motives and logic behind it。 Book's author was in the core of the original movement himself, which makes this book a sort of recollection and a self explanation from the temporal distance。 This book has a perfect balance between historical facts and fun anecdotes。 It is enjoyable read, filled with illustrations on which you can se some of the most interesting Dadaist visual works。 If you ever wanted to really understand the phenomenon of Dadaism, this is a perfect reading choice for you。 。。。more

Algernon

This is an essential book documenting dada from the first-hand perspective of an artist participating in dada from its first chapter in Zurich during World War One。 There is better material about its performance art elsewhere, and more comprehensive collections of dada experiments in poetry, but this account is personal, opinionated, and lively, and my Oxford edition is loaded with black and white and color photographs and reproductions of art。

Kelsey

I read this book in college for a class on the Dada movement。 It was excellent, and really gives the reader a keen understanding of the background surrounding the movement。

Richard

Dada was, according to this book: "a unique mixture of insatiable curiosity, playfulness and pure contradiction。"__dADA was not though: ground-breaking, utterly original。 Its cabaret style, its insulting of audiences, its clowning and provocations, manifestos, photo-montages and random poetry, were all lifted directly from the Futurists who preceded it。__DAdA: employed randomness, spontaneity and nonsense, not in place of order, premeditation and sense, but in combination, head-on - the collisio Dada was, according to this book: "a unique mixture of insatiable curiosity, playfulness and pure contradiction。"__dADA was not though: ground-breaking, utterly original。 Its cabaret style, its insulting of audiences, its clowning and provocations, manifestos, photo-montages and random poetry, were all lifted directly from the Futurists who preceded it。__DAdA: employed randomness, spontaneity and nonsense, not in place of order, premeditation and sense, but in combination, head-on - the collision was the thing。__dADa: was not saying via that infamous urinal, or the bicycle wheel nailed to a coffee table, "anything can be art" or "everything is art"; it was saying "these are not art - there's no such thing as art。"__dada's aim was: to destroy art, in the sense of demonstrating that art does not exist, that it is an illusion。__daDA failed in this aim: it discovered that you can't destroy anything without simultaneously creating something else - anti-art was itself just more art and its creators, ironically, have become iconic figures。__DADA also realised that: to produce even Hans Arp's torn fragments of paper fluttering down randomly and simply glued into position where they fell, there was still the initial intent, the idea of doing this in the first place - and that that's where the art lies。 Art is not the finished object, it's a state of mind。__DaDA was of course, above all: wonderful fun while it lasted。__Dada: Art and Anti-Art is: the most un-Dadalike book on Dada I've read。 It is lucid, meticulous, measured, thoughtful and was written by one of those who were actually there at the Cabaret Voltaire in Zurich during those heady days during the First World War when a handful of twenty-somethings tried, and gloriously failed, to change the world。 。。。more

James F

Hans Richter was an early if not prominent member of the Zurich Dada movement, who was involved in much of what he describes here; contrary to what I expected from the polemical tone of the quotations in the introduction by Dacha that I read previously, he does not try to present himself as a more central figure than he was or attack other figures in the movement。 In fact I was impressed that he deals sympathetically with all the people involved from Ball and Tzara to Heulsenbeck and Hausmann an Hans Richter was an early if not prominent member of the Zurich Dada movement, who was involved in much of what he describes here; contrary to what I expected from the polemical tone of the quotations in the introduction by Dacha that I read previously, he does not try to present himself as a more central figure than he was or attack other figures in the movement。 In fact I was impressed that he deals sympathetically with all the people involved from Ball and Tzara to Heulsenbeck and Hausmann and even Breton -- all of whom ended up as hostile to each other。The book deals with the movement in a geographical-chronological fashion, and discusses its relations to its precursors, Futurism, Cubism and Expressionism, as well as to the later surrealist movement of Breton。 It gave me a much better idea of what it was all about than Dacha's book。 It also made it clear why it splintered and dissolved when it did, and how that was inevitable and not a result of egoism and betrayal, but of the very nature of the movement itself。 He discusses the influences of Dada on later art in two short ending chapters。 The book is well illustrated although not as heavily as the shorter book。 。。。more

Alex

Informative and chock-full of entertaining anecdotes, but admittedly doesn't focus enough on the artists I really care about (namely, the women)。 Loved the section on Kurt Schwitters and the descriptions of various wacky dada performances。 Also loved how Hans Richter so obviously disliked Andre Breton, who sucked。 Overall a strong general introduction to the movement with a good balance of first-person observations and more objective sources。 Informative and chock-full of entertaining anecdotes, but admittedly doesn't focus enough on the artists I really care about (namely, the women)。 Loved the section on Kurt Schwitters and the descriptions of various wacky dada performances。 Also loved how Hans Richter so obviously disliked Andre Breton, who sucked。 Overall a strong general introduction to the movement with a good balance of first-person observations and more objective sources。 。。。more

Marc

hilarious。。。a history of dada which of necessity stands as a major work of dada。。。somehow politely and brutally cynical at the same time

Philippe Malzieu

Dada has been often scorned。 Wedged between expressionism and surrealism, it was underestimated。 This is undoubtedly because there were very strong personalities and several places Zurich, Berlin and Paris。Richter is a singular personality。 Artistically, he was a poête and painter。 When he has flees from Germany, he's gone in New York where he directed the cinémathec。 He made several surrealist films with his friends (Calder, Cocteau…。Several artists dADA will wrote the history of their movement Dada has been often scorned。 Wedged between expressionism and surrealism, it was underestimated。 This is undoubtedly because there were very strong personalities and several places Zurich, Berlin and Paris。Richter is a singular personality。 Artistically, he was a poête and painter。 When he has flees from Germany, he's gone in New York where he directed the cinémathec。 He made several surrealist films with his friends (Calder, Cocteau…。Several artists dADA will wrote the history of their movement。 The best is undoubtedly "Courrier Dada" of Raoul Haussmann。 But this is undoubtedly the most rigorous。 I bought a small collage at the auction after his death。 It was a great artist。 。。。more

ComicoTragiki

Story of inspiration of modern and free art。

Dzuy Doan

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John Porcellino

Excellent first-hand (for the most part) account of the genesis, rise, and dissolution of Dada。 Richter breaks the history of this international movement into chapters on each of the key groups -- Zurich Dada, Berlin, New York, Paris, etc。 This volume is invaluable not only for Richter's insights (down-to-earth and filled with humor), but for the treasure trove of original documents he includes。 The chapter on Kurt Schwitters, and the inclusion of Max Ernst's "auto-biography" are worth the price Excellent first-hand (for the most part) account of the genesis, rise, and dissolution of Dada。 Richter breaks the history of this international movement into chapters on each of the key groups -- Zurich Dada, Berlin, New York, Paris, etc。 This volume is invaluable not only for Richter's insights (down-to-earth and filled with humor), but for the treasure trove of original documents he includes。 The chapter on Kurt Schwitters, and the inclusion of Max Ernst's "auto-biography" are worth the price of admission alone。Richter concludes with a then-contemporary look at the new modes of Dada-influenced art cropping up in the sixties, especially pop, of which he's highly critical, but ultimately sees signs of value in。Anyone interested in Dada, or the history of 20th Century art in general, will find this book fascinating。 。。。more

Branden William

Hans Richter's first-person narrative, describing in adamant detail the Dada movement-- a storm that broke over the world of art as the war did over the nations-- is luxuriously rich in summarizing Dada on all accounts, unraveling the misunderstandings that currently constitute the image of Dada。 'Dada: Art and Anti-Art' is the Dada Bible。 In 1909 the Italian Futurists were publishing manifestoes which were as like Dada as two peas in a pod。 From the Futurists came the Swiss Dada movement, begin Hans Richter's first-person narrative, describing in adamant detail the Dada movement-- a storm that broke over the world of art as the war did over the nations-- is luxuriously rich in summarizing Dada on all accounts, unraveling the misunderstandings that currently constitute the image of Dada。 'Dada: Art and Anti-Art' is the Dada Bible。 In 1909 the Italian Futurists were publishing manifestoes which were as like Dada as two peas in a pod。 From the Futurists came the Swiss Dada movement, beginning in Zurich at the Cabaret Voltaire led by Hugo Ball, at the beginning of 1916。 The Futurists had already introduced the idea of provocation into art and practiced it in their own performances。 As an art, it was called Bruitism, and was later given musical status by Edgar Varèse, who followed up Russolo's discoveries in the field of noise-music, which was a basic contribution made by Futurism in modern music。 These musical experimentations eventually became to be what is known as musique concrète。 Richter acknowledges The Futurists as precursors to Dada, impregnating Dada with an artistic revolution free of all aesthetic and social constraints。 Dada's philosophies are discussed at full-length by Richter, as well as personal accounts given, describing each individual involved in the Dada social circuit, and to the various movements that swept over Europe between 1916 and 1922。 "Dada was not a school of artists, but an alarm signal against declining values, routine, and speculation, a desperate appeal, on behalf of all forms of art, for a creative basis on which to build a new and universal consciousness of art。" The Dadaists were all in their twenties, full of spontaneous energy and nonconformist ideologies, and ready to defy all the fathers of the world。 Dada in Berlin had a very different tone from Dada in Zurich and New York。 The situations and the cities were very different for each of the various Dadaist groups。 In Berlin they had a real revolution, the ideas reflected in New York were known to only a small group but still became an intermediary link between European and American artists, Hanover and Cologne possessed independent Dadaisms of their own, which were less noisy, but no less important than Berlin Dada, and Paris Dada went off like a Roman candle, raising sparks in the shape of names, ideas and events。 Each movement successfully contributed to the anarchy of Dadaist revolution, though it was in Paris that Dada achieved its maximum volume (and here that it met its dramatic end)。 It had started with riots, poems, speeches, and manifestoes in Zurich in 1916, and with riots, poems, speeches, and manifestoes it came to its end in Paris。 The young writer and poet Jacques Vaché acquired special importance through his influence on André Breton, who, along with Tzara, were the dominating figures of Dada and Surrealism。 Eventually these two strong personalities fought over leadership, and Breton eventually took over Dada and embraced his theory of Surrealism which became more of a popular product than Dada could have ever attained。 Neither Dada nor Surrealism are isolated phenomenons, as they are a single coherent experience。 The significance of both movements lies in their mobilization of the subconscious in the service of a new conception of art。 Surrealism gave Dada significance and sense, and Dada gave Surrealism its first breath of life。 As for Dada, it got what it wanted: the fury of the bourgeois。 "Dada was the effective expression of a mighty surge of freedom in which all the values of human existence-- were turned on their head, mocked and misplaced, as an experiment, in order to see what there was behind it, beneath it, against it, mixed up in it。" Despite common belief, Dada was never a 'school', a 'current', or a 'style'。 Dada's points of departure had been established before the war through Expressionism, Cubism, and Futurism, however Dada was more aggressive and uncompromising, with more interest in asserting the artist's state of mind than in the finished product as such, becoming in the true sense, Nothing。 The Dadaists claimed Genius, committing only to the present, freeing one's self from all bonds of history and convention, confronting reality face to face and forming it after one's own image。 Dada led to a new image of the artist, producing this new state of mind, and thus bringing a new self-awareness into modern art。Hans Richter contributes on account of his own Dada experiences, making for a critical and historically compelling narrative。 'Dada: Art and Anti-Art' is not only the history of Dada and its players in this secret society, but a first-hand account of Dadaism and everything that it stood for (and didn't stand for)。 Incredibly informative, this book reads like a manual for the most serious student of Dada。 "Art must first be totally despised, it must first be thought totally pointless, before it can once more come into its own。" Dada, Dada, Dada, Dada, Dada。。。 。。。more

Timothy Urban

This book offers a history of the art movement told from the inside。 An artist who was there from the start writes about the Dada 'scene'。 It certainly doesn't lack enthusiasm。 But even at the best of times, writing about art tends to be hard to penetrate, verbose and likely to drift onto the pompous; there's often little direct and clear explanation。 Critics and artists both tend to adopt this style, as if it's something they were sworn to do at art school。 If you want an academic book about Da This book offers a history of the art movement told from the inside。 An artist who was there from the start writes about the Dada 'scene'。 It certainly doesn't lack enthusiasm。 But even at the best of times, writing about art tends to be hard to penetrate, verbose and likely to drift onto the pompous; there's often little direct and clear explanation。 Critics and artists both tend to adopt this style, as if it's something they were sworn to do at art school。 If you want an academic book about Dada, with names, dates, the why and in what order, the art teacher's view of Dada, then this probably should be the book you read right after you find that one。 I was after a soft-ish, hand-holding introduction to this movement and this isn't it。 。。。more

Ben

A fine introductoy text to Dadaism。 The writing is simple, plain and chock-full of information。

Dario

I had to write a term paper on Dada and Tristan Tzara for one of my obligatory courses and could not find any reliable and extensive literature in Croatian, my native language, and was supposed to find some sources in English or some other language。 I came across this book and it served me more than enough, while allowing me to delve deeper into the matter and understand the whole concept of Dada as art and anti-art。 I truly recommend this book to all those who would like to gain some more knowl I had to write a term paper on Dada and Tristan Tzara for one of my obligatory courses and could not find any reliable and extensive literature in Croatian, my native language, and was supposed to find some sources in English or some other language。 I came across this book and it served me more than enough, while allowing me to delve deeper into the matter and understand the whole concept of Dada as art and anti-art。 I truly recommend this book to all those who would like to gain some more knowledge about its founder(s) and if it could still be applied on some instances of art today。 A fascinating discovery! 。。。more

Korri

Richter doesn't stay confined 'within the bounds of academic art-history' as he writes about how Dada sprung up internationally。 Sharing personal reminiscences and using primary source material, he gives a good overview of Dada's politics, aesthetics, attitudes, and feuds。 (Well, minus all women Dadaists except when they're mentioned as the wife, girlfriend, or lover of a male artist。) Richter doesn't stay confined 'within the bounds of academic art-history' as he writes about how Dada sprung up internationally。 Sharing personal reminiscences and using primary source material, he gives a good overview of Dada's politics, aesthetics, attitudes, and feuds。 (Well, minus all women Dadaists except when they're mentioned as the wife, girlfriend, or lover of a male artist。) 。。。more

Nate D

From the beginning, Dada was thus replaced by a thoroughly blurred mirror image of itself。 Since then, even the mirror has broken。 Anyone who finds a fragment of it can now read into it his own image of Dada, coditioned by his own aesthetic, national, historical, or personal beliefs and preferences。 Thus Dada has become a myth。 Dada fascinates me because it is so much more than the sum of its parts。 Here Richter gives a good account of all of those parts and the greater sums they built towards, p From the beginning, Dada was thus replaced by a thoroughly blurred mirror image of itself。 Since then, even the mirror has broken。 Anyone who finds a fragment of it can now read into it his own image of Dada, coditioned by his own aesthetic, national, historical, or personal beliefs and preferences。 Thus Dada has become a myth。 Dada fascinates me because it is so much more than the sum of its parts。 Here Richter gives a good account of all of those parts and the greater sums they built towards, part academic research, part eye-witness。 This was written 30 or more years after the fact, so there's some remove from subject (it's not nearly as breathless as I might expect from someone who was there (Zurich, 1917!) but he includes many primary and contemporary accounts when those serve better than his recollections, and, as a friend of many key players, he was able to base much of this on primary accounts。 And he's actually a pretty good historian, careful to note his sources and even the places where his sources contradict eachother。 But I think I like his subjective opinions and observations the best, still。 A pretty good survey of the subject。 。。。more

Angie

Just watched a live show of Richter's earliest films, from the 1920's, set to music improvised by a live 20-piece orchestra。 I have always been interested in Dada and Surrealism, but these films were mind-blowing。 So many iconic images which I have seen in films so many times (from Buñuel to Hitchcock even) but were obviously Richter's original conceptions。 I don't have it but must now read this book! Feeling inspired and refreshed。 Just watched a live show of Richter's earliest films, from the 1920's, set to music improvised by a live 20-piece orchestra。 I have always been interested in Dada and Surrealism, but these films were mind-blowing。 So many iconic images which I have seen in films so many times (from Buñuel to Hitchcock even) but were obviously Richter's original conceptions。 I don't have it but must now read this book! Feeling inspired and refreshed。 。。。more

Tori

Dada: Art and Anti-Art (World of Art) by Hans Richter (1997)

Kurt

An enlightening and entertaining first-hand account of Dada's beginnings and its proponents。 Hans Richter is charming, funny and humble as he unwinds personal recollections and accounts of the various personalities and how they left their marks on Dada, and, in turn, the 20th century。 The original spirit of the anti-art movement comes through clearly as he speaks of these restless souls。 If their intention was to destroy art, they failed; all were too creative not to have left art behind them as An enlightening and entertaining first-hand account of Dada's beginnings and its proponents。 Hans Richter is charming, funny and humble as he unwinds personal recollections and accounts of the various personalities and how they left their marks on Dada, and, in turn, the 20th century。 The original spirit of the anti-art movement comes through clearly as he speaks of these restless souls。 If their intention was to destroy art, they failed; all were too creative not to have left art behind them as they went along。 Richter speaks of the people he knew and their personalities so that you see that they all contributed to Dada in a unique way, bringing something of themselves into the movement。 This is an inspiring book that allows you to be a fly on the wall as much as is possible for such things, with a really sweet tour guide to introduce you to all his weird friends。If I only had a time machine。。。Oh yeah, an aside; David Bowie copped a line from Richter from this book in his song "Up The Hill Backwards" from the lp Scary Monsters:"Vacuum created by the arrival of freedom, and the possibilites it seemed to offer"。Nice one。 。。。more

Fred

Great introduction to the philosophical issues surrounding Dadaism。 Also a plus: the author was part of the movement and friends with many of its major players。