Early Modern Exhibit

Dada is an art form that was coined and created in Zurich, Switzerland in 1916.  A small group of artists hung out in Cabaret Voltaire and expressed and tried out new, absurd styles of art. It was here that the ideas were spread, influencing other artists around the world. Dada was an art movement that rejected traditional art forms because such traditionalist ideals had led to such a grand scale war. World War 1 was unfathomable to most people and artists were no different. The Dada art movement was started in the midst of WW1 and there are many works of art that were not only inspired by the horrors of war, but ridiculed it. 

The artwork pictured below is Two Children Are Threatened by a Nightingale by Max Ernst. This piece is oil with painted wood elements and cut-and-pasted printed paper on wood with wood frame. It was made in 1924 and measures 69.8 x 57.1 x 11.4 cm. From what I have gathered it was created in Paris and is currently housed at The Museum of Modern Art in New York. 

Ernst was known to have been very interested in Sigmund Freud's work.  Freud said, "War strips of us of...civilization, and lays bare the primal man in each of us." It is believed Ernst's work here was inspired by readings of Freud. The work conveys the idea of the inability to control all, including oneself. Ernst himself, served in the war and upon returning home discovered the public trying to normalize what had happened. Much like other Dada artists, this idea was refused by Ernst and we see this irrationality within his work. The sense of depth being depicted within the art is confusing. There are pieces popping out at us, but the distance behind the gate is unknown. There are 4 figures and what we can assume is a nightingale. In the grassy field, we see a woman running with a knife in her hand and another figure lying on the ground. Whether this figure is dead or alive is not clear. In the middle right, bouncing off the house, there is a large male figure who appears to be holding a child. The tone of this piece feels ominous. The use of color is bright, but the choice to keep the figures in grayscale makes it feel ghostly. This work would be great to see in a museum, but I wouldn't want a copy myself. 

The artwork pictured below is Hochfinanz (High Finance) by Hannah Höch. Medium: collage. This work measures 36 x 31 cm and was completed in 1923. This work was made in Berlin and it is currently housed at the Galerie Berinson in Berlin.

As WW1 became the deadliest war known at the time, much of this had to do with the new weapons used and created. The weapons manufacturers profited greatly from the war, and the destruction it caused did not go unnoticed by artists. In this collage, we see weapons of mass destruction, along with two oversized heads on male figures. It is believed that Höch chose these men to signify their role as bankers invested in the mass production of war technology. The overall tone of the collage is intimidating. The figures with large heads makes them seem important. In addition, the colors used throughout the collage are very dull and almost looks as if I was seeing through a dust cloud.  Knowing the dirty conditions the soldiers during war had to live through, it seems very fitting. I think this is a very provocative piece of art that would have been an especially important conversation piece during the years after the war. I think the history behind the work makes it an important addition to a museum. However, I myself would not be interested in owning a copy of the work. 

The artwork shown below is War Cripples by Otto Dix. Medium: drypoint. The work measures 32.5 x 49.8 cm and was completed in 1920. I believe this work was made in Dresden, Germany and is currently housed at The Museum of Modern Art in New York.

WW1 had devastating casualties as well as injuries. Above we see Dix's depiction of soldiers returning from war, injured. Dix does a great job at creating empathy for these men, without necessarily showing them as heroes. We are being shown a ragged, down and out version of the soldiers. We see the horrors of the war without being shown the war at all and the lifelong effects it will have on these men. The backdrop of the setting is quite ironic. Behind the four men is a shoe store. Of the 4 men, there are only 3 feet between them. This was a very clever, emotionally evoking choice by the artist. The color also creates a gloomy sense for the viewer. Like the other two pieces, this work has strong ties to a huge historical event and therefore would be a great addition to a museum. I would love to see this piece myself, but would not be interested in owning a copy of it. 

Bibliography

 Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker, "Max Ernst, Two Children Are Threatened by a Nightingale," in Smarthistory, April 6, 2021, accessed April 4, 2024, https://smarthistory.org/ernst-two-children-threatened-nightingale/.

Dr. Charles Cramer and Dr. Kim Grant, "Dada Politics," in Smarthistory, March 24, 2020, accessed April 4, 2024, https://smarthistory.org/dada-politics/. 

Dr. Stephanie Chadwick, "Introduction to Dada," in Smarthistory, September 4, 2017, accessed April 4, 2024, https://smarthistory.org/introduction-to-dada/.

Mientkiewicz, Jason, "Max Ernst," The Modern Art Index Project (October 2021), Leonard A. Lauder Research Center for Modern Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art. https://doi.org/10.57011/ATEP5653.