Marcel Duchamp (1887–1968)

Tate

An anarchic movement which flourished c.1915–c.1922 and ridiculed traditional notions of form and beauty. Originally European, though it also took root in America, it was partly born out of the disillusionment engendered by the First World War. The name was apparently chosen at random by inserting a penknife in the pages of a dictionary (‘dada’ is French for ‘hobby-horse’).

Timeline

1915

Dada is founded in Zurich by a group of artists and writers including Hans Richter, Jean Arp and Tristan Tzara. At the same time, Marcel Duchamp creates Bicycle Wheel, the first of his readymades.

1916

The Dada artists in Zurich begin to meet at the Cabaret Voltaire. They discuss their art and begin to stage performaces at the club to show their disgust with the events of the ongoing First World War.

1917

Marcel Duchamp purchases a urinal and arranges for it to be submitted as an artwork by 'R.Mutt' to the Society of Independent Artists in New York. Called Fountain, the work is rejected by the society's board of directors as they do not consider it to be a valid work of art.

1918

Tristan Tzara's Dada Manifesto 1918 is published in Zurich. Francis Picabia moves to Paris, introducing the movement to artists in the city.

1921

Man Ray and Marcel Duchamp publish the periodical New York Dada, with contributions from Tristan Tzara.

1924

The Dada movement draws to a close. Many of the artists join the Surrealist movement, whose manifesto is published in October.

What is dada?

Dada was a radical artistic and literary movement that was a reaction against the cultural climate that supported the First World War. But who were the dada artists and what makes them dada? From the readymades of Marcel Duchamp, to Hannah Hoch's collages; this film looks back at the beginnings of Dada Art, and explores its continuing legacy.

_{Video credit: National Galleries Scotland}