An Exploration of the Dada Movement and its Political Message

The art movement known as the Dada Movement began in the early 20th century amidst the turmoil of World War I. The term “dada” has multiple meanings in different languages:  It means “yes, yes” in Russian and “hobbyhorse” in French. During this time, artists used the term to coin a new art movement, and began to take everyday objects and reassign them a new meaning. Some of the best-known Dadaists are Jean Arp, Francis Picabia, Marcel Duchamp and Raoul Hausmann. It is important for students to recognize that the movement took place, albeit in slightly different forms, across Europe in cities such as Cologne, Berlin, Paris and Zurich and even New York. 

The Dada movement began as a protest to what was happening in society at the time. As a  response to the World War, many artists and intellectuals moved to neutral Switzerland as a way of demonstrating their disgust with the war. Through their art, they sought to convey the message that war was chaotic craziness and would ultimately destroy humankind. The Dadaists are quoted as saying, “It’s not Dada that is nonsense—but the essence of our age that is nonsense.”

The general public was both horrified and repulsed by that which the Dadaists produced; the public saw their art as both insulting and vulgar. This was, in fact, the response the Dadaists were hoping for and they found it inspiring. In short, the Dada movement was about re-evaluating the aesthetic appeal of art and challenging conventional ideas about beauty. Ultimately, the Dada movement did not meet with great success and it was absorbed into the Surrealist movement.

In order to help students gain an understanding of the movement, begin by reading this article about Marcel Duchamp's Fountain.  A follow-up with a discussion will also help by addressing some of the following topics:

• Who determines what constitutes art?
• How does art become valuable?
• Does art have to be original?
• Is all art beautiful because it is art?

An example to have students look at is Duchamp’s L.H.O.O.Q. Students should explore why they think this image is considered art. They can then try to create a work of art in the same style by researching and choosing a famous painting or sculpture and altering it like Duchamp did to the "Mona Lisa."

Students can also bring in a variety of random objects such as a figurine, a vase, a fork, or an old phone.  Place all of the objects into a bag and have students select one with which to work. Ask students to make the object into a work of art like Duchamp did when he created Fountain. Students should write an artist’s statement to accompany their new work of art.

Since there have been a number of military conflicts in recent history, have students create an original work of art in the style of the Dadaists. Have students choose a specific artist to model their work after and be sure to encourage students to focus on the style rather than on their political stance and point of view about the event. Some interesting lessons to help students can be found below.

The Dada Movement Activities and Lessons:

Producing Dada-Inspired Artwork

Marcel Duchamp, one of the most notable artists in the Dada movement, is another artist for students to explore. Have students analyze several of his works before they set about creating their own Dada-esque artwork using computer software.

Exploring Photomontage Art

By examining other student work, students learn about the role that photomontage played in Dada art prior to creating their own artwork. A key part of this lesson is developing an understanding the role that current and world events played in the development of the Dada movement and the impact these events had on the artists.

Examining the Work of Keith Haring

Students learn about Keith Haring's artwork, and then attempt to reproduce it in a variety of mediums.