2/14 Assignment

Dada Manifesto

Assignment DUE 2/14:   1) choose a passage from the "Dada Manifesto" by Hugo Ball. Choose a specific piece of the text that you want to quote. Write out the quote. Then interpret the quote, what is the meaning of this quote, why is the author saying this? Then explain why you chose this quote, do you agree or disagree? Did the quote make you think about something or challenge you? Does it relate to anything going on in the present?

“The sometimes shocking nature of dada is easier to understand

if you understand how thoroughly disgusted they with German society.”
                       "Dada Manifesto" by Hugo Ball

                Dada is a non-sense word. It was a movement that artists during the 20^th century often used to express themselves though art. Dadaists often referred it as “untrue art”. It was art that didn't make sense, and other was used to help destroy Germany’s corrupted society.

                Dada started in Switzerland after the beginning of World War I. As the movement spread thought out Europe, and the Americas others developed their own concept. Germany’s form of dada was more related to government, politics, and manifested as a reaction from World War I followed by the new objective movement. Being most artist were not supportive of the political, social, and culture ideas of war, art and journalist such as Hugo Ball used this movement as a distraction of expressing thoughts, and ideas about war. Art during this time was demonstrated with a mixture of artistic beauty and correctness of nations.

                In 1916 when the dada movement came about Hugo Ball a German artist believe that war didn't make sense, and that literary should be used to express it. This was depict in a poem ball wrote with non-sense words. Hugo Ball and other German author’s lived by this in their literary. Like Hugo Ball most exercised their political views by making statements against political views on society and the impact it had on the people. Part of the political view was that Germany had powers that were very different from European powers. Germany’s powers were develop late, and they had the biggest socialist’s movement in Europe. One of the parties by the name of Social Democratic Party of Germany had trade unions. Their goal was to improve Germany political.   

I found this quote fascinating because it mentions how important it is to understand Germany. In order to understand why most artists use the dada movement you have to know Germans history.  Artists were able to use their art to make a point instead of war. This is a positive movement that can change the future for the upcoming generation. I agree with quote. I do think once you understand Germany’s history you will understand why the dada movement came into play and why it was used all over the world, even today. Today society and society all around the world uses dada activates which contain public gatherings, demonstrations, and publications of art. Although there still war today, where would the world be if the dada movement didn't exist?