Dada: Art and Anti Art [Anglais] [Broché]

"Where and how Dada began is almost as difficult to determine as Homer's birthplace," writes Hans Richter, who was associated with the movement from its early days. Here, through selections from key manifestos and other documents of the time, he records Dada's history, from its beginnings in wartime Zurich to its collapse in the Paris of the 1920s. Dada led on from Expressionism, Cubism, and Futurism, and in turn prepared the way for Surrealism. It was enlivened by bizarre and extravagant personalities, notably Tristan Tzara, Francis Picabia, Hans Arp, Kurt Schwitters, Marcel Duchamp, Max Ernst, and Man Ray, whose contributions are fully discussed. The spirit of Dada reappeared in the 1960s in movements such as Pop Art, which are surveyed in the final section.

The late Hans Richter was well known as both a painter, a filmmaker, and sire of the Dada movementborn in Zurich around the time of the First World War. Here, through selections from key manifestos and other documents of the time, is Dada's history, including its "death" in the 1920s and reincarnation during the '60s. Hans Richter died in 1976. 179 illus. 8 in color.

'One of the best and most consistently interesting documents on this extraordinary movement that has been published.' The Sunday Times

'A first-rate history, objective and sober.' The Times

'Hans Richter is the ideal chronicler.' The Guardian

'Where and how Dada began is almost as difficult to determine as Homer's birthplace,' writes Hans Richter, the artist and film-maker 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 1920's when many of its members were to join the Surrealist movement, to the present day when its spirit re-emerged in the 1960's in movements such as Pop Art. This absorbing eye witness narrative is enlivened by extensive use of Dada documents, illustrations and texts by fellow Dadaists. The complex personalities, relationships and contributions of, among others, Hugo Ball, Tristan Tzara, Picabia, Arp, Schwitters, Hausmann, Duchamp, Ernst and Man Ray, are vividly brought to life.

Hans Richter, who died in 1976, was well known as both a painter and a filmmaker. It was while he lived in Zurich from 1916 to 1920 that he started the Dada movement with Hugo Ball, Tristan Tzara, and others.