The Introduction of Dadaism and the Ready-Mades is an exhibition featuring eleven artworks created by some of the most prominent artists during the Dada Movement, beginning circa 1915 in Zürich, Switzerland. The Dada movement was a rebellion against World War One; as Switzerland was a neutral country throughout the entirety of the First World War, many artists and musicians escaped to this ‘safe’ country, where they were allowed to express their discontent and disapproval of the horrors of war. One place where these artists gathered and shared their art, was at Cabaret Voltaire, an artistic nightclub which was established by German author Hugo Ball in 1916. Many artists suggest that Ball was one of the main founders of Dada, if not the leader.
The Dada Movement allowed every kind of artist to participate, including more unconventional styles of art, such as sound poetry, cabaret performances and declarations; any kind art that broke down the boundaries of society, which many believe to be the causes of the First World War. The creators rebelled against all the traditions of art, some calling it ‘anti-art’, in suggesting that the intention was no about aesthetics or visual pleasure for the eye, but was instead a chance to stand up for the individual without caring about of others opinions or the possibly offensive damage some artworks may cause.
Despite originating from different time period and background, Dadaism was closely associated and related to the Surrealist movement, in the way that both revolved more around the motive behind the art, rather than only the visuals. There are many suggestions to the origins of the name Dada. The most known reason is that the words ‘dada’ are usually associated with being the first words of a baby. This notion refers to the simplicity and immaturity of the artworks and texts created during this movement. Another theory says that some of the first artists of the movement collected at Cabaret Voltaire and chose the name by simply opening the dictionary and landing on a word.
Throughout the evolution of the Dada Movement, artists explored many different styles of art and creative skill. One prominent expression which some artists explored thoroughly were the ready-mades. They were given this title being ‘already made’; artists did not construct these models, they merely added or modified a pre-existing object. The creation of the ready-made was first used and coined by painter and sculptor Marcel Duchamp. The intention behind these works, was the belief that by merely adding or changing the context of the object was art itself, by giving the sculpture new meaning and use. The chooser of the object makes him or her an artist purely because of the thought process behind the choosing and modification.
One of the most distinguished artists of the Dada Movement and decidedly the most well known creator of the ready-mades was French Marcel Duchamp. Beginning his artistic career at the early age of 15, Duchamp’s style changed many times throughout his life.
He was greatly influenced by Claude Monet in his early childhood and then symbolist painter Odilon Redon. While studying at the Académie Julian, Duchamp explored the movements of Fauvism and Impressionism, however was mostly attracted to the ideas and colour of Cubism; he liked the way in which Cubism rearranged reality, rather than just depicting life as it was seen by the eye.
Marcel Duchamp was always interested in word games and playing with the audience’s mind, as well as the mysterious allure of women and the femme fatale. This is shown in many of his ready-made pieces, including L.H.O.O.Q. and Air de Paris (50 cc of Paris Air), which both suggest allure and desire. Duchamp’s recreation of the Mona Lisa with a modern twist, the moustache, in L.H.O.O.Q. closely follows the ideas of the Dada Movement, in which the intention and motive behind the artwork is more purposeful than the visualisation of the piece itself.
When said aloud in French, the letters L.H.O.O.Q. sounds like a phrase roughly translating to ‘She has a hot ass’ and ‘There is a fire down below’, suggesting the sensuality of the woman depicted in Mona Lisa, as does the added moustache creating a playful atmosphere for the audience.
Man Ray was another very prominent artist during the Dada Movement and revolt against the traditional styles of art from previous centuries. Similar to Duchamp, Man Ray explored many different styles of works, including painting, sculpture, poetry, film and photography. His works influenced the future of Futurism, Cubism, Surrealism and Dada in the decades to come. Throughout his years studying at the Ferrer School, Ray became acquainted with many artists who believed in anarchy in society helping to shape his own beliefs, including Max Weber, Adolf Wolff and Robert Henrii. In 1915, Man Ray met already-successful Marcel Duchamp, who helped Ray become involved in the Dada movement, creating a lasting friendship between the two.
Man Ray’s most famous ready-made is the piece Object to be Destroyed. The artwork features a metronome with an eye attached to the swinging arm. In the original created in 1923, the eye was merely a cutout from a magazine, however after a devastating breakup with girlfriend Lee Miller, his assistant and muse, Ray replaced the original eye with a cutout of Miller’s eye; “'Legend, Cut out the eye from a photograph of one who has been loved but is seen no more…”
These two artists, Duchamp and Ray, were two of the leading sculptors of the Dada Movement. Their contributions to the renowned collection of ready-mades changed the way in which art was forever perceived and admired by the audience. However it was not only these two artists who created the ready-mades for the Dada movement; other artists included Victor Brauner and Salvador Dalí. Duchamp’s creation of the ready-mades forever changed the way in which art and sculpture was perceived, bringing forward the idea that art is more that what is on the surface.
In the text Art After Philosophy (1969), Joseph Kosuth’s stated that “giving art its own identity [as with] the unassisted Readymade, art changed its focus from the form of language to what was being said.”
This quote outlined the way in which the ready-made forever changed the way that the audience perceives art, as well as the way in which the art world perceives itself, questioning the legitimacy of art.
One critic described the Dada movement as “…The sickest, most paralysing and most destructive thing that has ever originated from the brain of man.” Though many may believe that this is true, in the words of Marcel Duchamp; “Art is all a matter of personality”.