About this artwork
In 1921, Tristan Tzara found himself battling to sustain Dada’s declining popularity. Aesthetic, political, and social differences among the movements’ most prominent members shook Dada at the foundation. In line with Dada’s emphasis on easy distribution, Tzara created this one-page flyer presenting a condensed, more direct iteration of the Dada Manifesto.
The text’s inconsistent typefaces, orientation, and size embody the disorientation and randomness at the heart of the Dadaist philosophy. The flyer insists that Dada has no nationality and knows everything. Dada speaks to the reader, yet has never spoken. The back of the flyer gives objective yet nonsensical answers to the question “WHAT DOES DADA DO?”
Lastly, the flyer presents a list of avant-garde artists and writers who stand with the Dada movement, including Andre Breton and Louis Aragon, co-founders of Surrealism.
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Status
- Currently Off View
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Department
- Ryerson and Burnham Libraries Special Collections
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Artist
- Tristan Tzara
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Title
- Dada soulève tout
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Date
- 1921
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Medium
- Letterpress
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Dimensions
- 28 × 22 cm (11 1/16 × 8 11/16 in.)
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Credit Line
- Mary Reynolds Collection Fund, Ryerson & Burnham Libraries
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Reference Number
- 2020.55
Extended information about this artwork
Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.
