(L) The Pillars of Society of George Grosz (R) Cut with the Kitchen Knife of Hannah Höch | Images Source: wikipedia.org & wikioo.org
Some of the better-known Dadaists are Raoul Hausmann, Hannah Höch, John Heartfield and George Grosz. The technique that most of them used was photomontage—a collage of photographs and text cut from contemporary newspapers and magazines. The layout of these works was influenced by Cubism and Futurism.
Origin of the Term
After the war, the face of the movement began to change. Many of the Dadaists who were exiled in Zurich began to drift back to their home countries and found that life was quite different there. As they relocated to newer cities like Berlin, Cologne, Hanover and New York, Dadaism developed an international reputation. Each of these venues had its own distinct style inspired by the artists who settled there.
Characteristics of Dadaism
- Dadaism embraced elements of art, music, poetry, theatre, dance and politics.
- The Dadaists published manifestos and magazines to communicate their ideas.
- They used techniques such as automatism, chance, photomontage and assemblage.
- They introduced the concept that an artwork could be a temporary installation.
- They expanded the boundaries and context of what was considered acceptable as art.
- Several Dadaism exhibitions caused public outrage and were closed by the authorities.
FAMOUS ARTISTS AND THEIR WORKS
RAOUL HAUSMANN (1886-1971)
- Hausmann was the pioneer of the movement in Berlin.
- He was known for radical, politically charged work. His works rejected tradition, attacking war, nationalism and authority.
- He invented photomontage, using newspaper cuttings to critique society.
- He is famous for ‘The Spirit of Our Time’—a sculpted dummy with mechanical objects attached, symbolising blind conformity and loss of thought.
HANNAH HÖCH (1889-1978)
- Höch was the only woman in the Berlin Dada group and a pioneer of photomontage.
- Her work challenged gender roles, politics and social norms using sharp humour and surreal imagery.
- She layered magazine cut-outs to create bold, satirical compositions critiquing both the patriarchy and the Weimar society.
- She is best known for ‘Cut with the Kitchen Knife’—a chaotic photomontage combining text, machines and political figures to reflect post-war fragmentation.
MAX ERNST (1891-1976)
- A key Dadaism artist, he became a major figure in Surrealism.
- He was known for bizarre, dreamlike collages combining human, mechanical and animal parts.
- He developed experimental techniques like frottage (rubbing) and collage using printed images.
- His ‘The Chinese Nightingale’ is a painting of a strange hybrid creature made by combining a bomb with a dancer’s limbs and accessories, critiquing war through absurdity.
GEORGE GROSZ (1893-1959)
- Grosz was a leading figure in the Berlin Dada movement.
- His art was sharp, satirical and deeply political—he exposed the hypocrisy of politicians, the army and the ruling class.
- He used caricature and photomontage-inspired techniques to reflect corruption and brutality in post-war Germany.
- His ‘The Pillars of Society’ is a group portrait mocking German elites, featuring a beer-drinking officer and politicians blinded by their own delusions.
Dipika Gurnaney studied at the Sir JJ School of Fine Arts and
is a recipient of a scholarship from the Pont Aven School
of Contemporary Art in France. Dipika has been teaching
children art since 2002.
