“Dada is the groundwork to abstract art and sound poetry, a starting point for performance art, a prelude to postmodernism, an influence on pop art, a celebration of antiart to be later embraced for anarcho-political uses in the 1960s and the movement that lay the foundation for Surrealism.” –Marc Lowenthal
Dadaism, also known as Dada, was a cultural movement in visual art, literature such as poetry, theater and graphic design. Dadaism arose post-World War I and was prominent around the globe from 1916-1922. It still is influential today and influenced later movements such as Surrealism. Dada arose in Zurich and was considered by its advocates as anti-art. The artists believed that the constraints of everyday society on people oppressed free thought and the intelligence of individuals. They were infuriated with modern society and the artists used their art for humor and mild obscenities. Dada was intended to go against everything that we believe art stands for. For example, if art was supposed to have a meaning, Dada left it meaningless, entirely open to the viewer to interpret. If art is supposed to be aesthetically pleasing, Dada is meant to be offensive. Dadaism was a protest against society, art and the standards we live by. Many of the Dada artists were shocked at the violence of war and went against all the ideals of traditional art. They saw the war and art as superficial. Dada artists believed that by creating their own art that rejected historical art and its principles, they were speaking out against society and the suppression of the individual. Dada artists were rebellious against everyday life and sought to create an art that was irrational, yet sarcastic, in order to show their dissatisfaction through humor.
This is Marcel Duchamp’s reproduction of the “Mona Lisa.” It mocks one of the most famous paintings in the world by adorning the woman with a moustache. He also wrote obscenities underneath the picture, mocking the piece by insinuating that she was single and looking. The light humor, irony and protest against traditional art that exemplify Dada artists are all central in Duchamp’s work.
So what is the difference between conceptual art and Dadaism?
Dadaism influenced the rise of conceptual art. Whereas conceptual art uses art to convey an idea over the aesthetic value of the piece, dada art may not have any meaning at all. Dada was an anti-art movement that emphasized the dissatisfaction individuals had with modern society and traditional art. Conceptual art, similarly, calls for us to question art and what we as viewers see in it. Conceptual art used the philosophies of the Dada artists but was its own movement. Dada, as in the example of Duchamp’s work, mocks what we consider famous art. When Dada did have a message, it was usually sarcastic or humorous and looked down upon traditional art. Conceptual art went further by making the viewer question what art is and what the role of the artists was. Both art movements are controversial but while Dada expressed its disdain with modern society through art that was obscene, controversial or had no meaning, conceptual art illustrated its rebellion through the ideas in its artwork and the questions it raised within the viewer as to what defines art.
Good