Their swift break from tradition, their impassioned pursuit of a new mode of expression, and their willingness to bring the revered world of “fine art” back to a more level and egalitarian playing field through both humor and inquisitive investigation allowed Dada artists to attract both fans and foes of their work. The bold new approaches of the Dadaists stirred controversy within contemporary culture. Reception, Downfall, and Dissemination of Dadaist Ideals This question became even more pertinent as the reach of Dada art spread – by 1915, its ideals had been adopted by artists in New York, Paris, and beyond – and as the world was plunged into the atrocities of World War I. Theirs was an art form underpinned by humor and clever turns, but at its very foundation, the Dadaists were asking a very serious question about the role of art in the modern age. They wanted to contemplate the definition of art, and to do so they experimented with the laws of chance and with the found object. Reacting against the rise of capitalist culture, the war, and the concurrent degradation of art, artists in the early 1910s began to explore new art, or “anti-art”, as described by Marcel Duchamp. Together, they protested against the pointlessness and horrors of the war under the battle cry of DADA.
As the war raged on, their art and performances became increasingly experimental, dissident and anarchic. Hans (Jean) Arp, Tristan Tzara, Marcel Janco and Richard Huelsenbeck were among the original contributors to the Cabaret Voltaire.
A cross between a nightclub and an arts center, artists could exhibit their work there among cutting-edge poetry, music, and dance. The Cabaret was a meeting spot for the more radical avant-garde artists. Zurich, in particular, was a hub for people in exile, and it was here that Hugo Ball and Emmy Hemmings opened the Cabaret Voltaire on February 5, 1916. Dadaism: Origins and Key Ideas of the Art Movementĭuring the First World War, countless artists, writers, and intellectuals who opposed the war sought refuge in Switzerland.
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