Early Modern Art - Dada and WWI
The effect that World War I had on art was vast. For a brief time, works that focused on beauty and inspirational content were drowned out by the harsh reality of war. This bleak period in art history inspired some to create anti-art, or Dada art, as a way to not only simplify the craft but to also show their feelings towards the chaotic world through anarchy and self destructive expression.
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| L.H.O.O.Q, Marcel Duchamp, 1919, France |
Kicking it off with the best way to sum up how artists of the time embraced absurdity and the public's preconceived notions of what art should look like. The influence of WWI had left society numb to the mundane nature of everyday life and artists like Duchamp stepped in to introduce shock value back into the world. In his piece L.H.O.O.Q, Duchamp did what he did best which was creating works that challenged the establishment and declared ridiculous objects as art. By simply adding facial hair and adding a French inside joke at the bottom of the Mona Lisa, Duchamp showed the true spirit of Dadaism.
I'm personally a huge fan of Dada pieces, specifically the work of Duchamp. In the piece his lack of regard for the precious work of Da Vinci is a powerful statement to the art community and those who appreciate art. The lines that make up the mustache and goatee are hastily drawn to imitate a vandal getting ahold of the piece and the letters at the bottom resemble a childish saying in french pronunciation. The choices Duchamp made were deliberate, however spontaneous they seem, because they were meant to evoke emotion from an audience when the outside world was otherwise a miserable place to be.
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| Typical Vertical Misrepresentation as a Depiction of the Dada Baargeld, Johannes Theodor Baargeld, 1920, Zurich, Switzerland |
At first Typical Vertical Misrepresentation as a Depiction of the Dada Baargeld by Johannes Baargeld seems like a joke to satirize the art world by another Dada artist. It kind of is that, but there's a little bit more which really makes this piece stand out. In his famous collage, Baargeld follows Duchamp's lead and replaces the head of a very famous piece of art, the Venus De Milo, with his own in an anarchist way to protest WWI. He himself had served in the war which can be seen in the photo he chose of himself in his military style cap and his thoughts on the bloodshed and the violence of the time can be seen in the way he chose the Venus Di Milo to represent his body because of the sculpture's amputated limbs. I really appreciate the wackiness of this piece and the anti-war sentiments that Baargeld managed to imbue into it while still being playful and light hearted. Like Duchamp, his choices were deliberate although at first they seem random which really plays into the classic nonchalant nature of Dadaism.
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| The Pillars of Society, George Grosz, 1926, Germany While The Pillars of Society by George Grosz was painted well after the first world war had ended, it's message and contents reflect Grosz's views of how his home country handled the chaos brought about during its time. His painting points a finger at multiple facets of his environment to include the military, the clergy, and the political leaders of Germany and his choices made to reflect them show his disgust and disdain for each party. Details he puts in like the contents of the politicians' heads were a direct reflection of these feelings. The painting shows drunk politicians making irrational decisions, the clergy turning a blind eye to the situation, and the military waging a civil war all centered around the events of WWI. While Grosz's painting was a little more direct than other Dada artists, the anarchy of going against his country through artistic protest fits into the overall theme of Dadaism. For a brief overview of all the works cited please feel free to visit the link below! Works Cited 1. "About the Collection." Norton Simon Museum, www.nortonsimon.org/art/detail/P.1969.094. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024. 2. "Dadaism - Art and Anti Art." Free Art Lessons, Design Lessons, and Art Appreciation for All, www.artyfactory.com/art_appreciation/art_movements/dadaism.htm. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024. 3. "GHDI - Image." German History in Documents and Images, ghdi.ghi-dc.org/sub_image.cfm?image_id=4253. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024. 4. "Just a Moment..." Just a Moment.., www.moma.org/audio/playlist/198/2636. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024. |
Thanks for sharing! WWI definitely brought out some wild and bold art. Duchamp’s L.H.O.O.Q. is pretty comical to me—the mustache and goatee on the Mona Lisa poke fun at art and society, like he’s saying, “Why take this all so seriously?”
ReplyDeleteBaargeld’s collage has that same playful rebellion but with a darker twist. Swapping his head with the Venus de Milo’s missing limbs feels both funny and symbolic, calling out the war’s destruction in a really clever way.
Then there’s Grosz’s The Pillars of Society, now that one feels disturbing. His grotesque portrayal of politicians and clergy shows his deep disgust, really capturing the dark mood of post-WWI. This era is such a cool blend of humor and frustration, like these artists were trying to make sense of a world turned upside down.
I am glad someone did their blog on the Dada art! You chose some great pieces, too. The Pillars of Society stands out to me because I think it is really brave for any artist to speak out on a topic like this where they are questioning the decisions of leadership. I agree that it is little unconventional compared to the other pieces in terms of the seriousness of it, but I think he delivered it very well and got his point across. Something I notice about their faces is that they almost look like clowns, which may have been his point!
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