Dada & Surrealism

Art & Ideas (Phaidon)

by Matthew Gale, Etienne Menanteau (Translator), Dagmar Welle-Skitt (Translator)

This stimulating introductory survey traces the origins and development of these two roughly parallel revolutionary twentieth-century art movements, exploring the full range of artistic production, including film, photography, collage, painting, graphics and object making. Matthew Gale skilfully places the art within a context of ideas ranging from the disillusionment and questioning of accepted values that resulted from the senseless destruction of World War I to the use of the creative forces of the unconscious to undermine convention.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, History, Art History

448 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

Reviews

[Czarny Pies · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am churlishly giving this book a mere three stars because of the loopy writing of author Matthew Gale. The research and choice of illustrations are excellent. The problem is that Gale devotes far more text to André Breton, the pope and ideologue of surrealism, than are to any of the visual artists of the Dadaist / Surrealist movements. André Breton was rather a poet and a minor one at that.
Gale discusses the ideas of Dadaism/Surrealism rather than art. Possibly because of Breton's involvement in Trotskyism, Communism and finally anti-fascism, Gale feels compelled to constantly offer strange comments on twentieth century history. He also makes peculiar statements about many writers such as Arthur Rimbaud, Alfred Jarry, Anatole France and Marcel Proust. Gale describes the theories underlying the various experiments of Dadaism / Surrealism but he never truly analyses any of the paintings or sculptures in artistic terms.
What Gale does succeed in doing is to demonstrate that Dadaism and Surrealism were indeed one movement not two. First and most importantly, he shows that an important of number of the artists simply moved from the Dadaist group to the Surrealist group. Both groups were characterized by a spirit of rebellion and irreverence towards the values of Bourgeois society as embodied in traditional artist norms. The Dadaists insisted on the absurdity of artistic convention while the Surrealists offered hope in the form of Communism.
What Gale's book does do, albeit unintentionally, is to raise the question of whether Dadaism and Surrealism were artistic tendencies or marketing campaigns. Breton to his credit was a tireless publicist. More importantly he organized many exhibits that created a brand. Artists who contributed to his shows became certified Surrealists. The works thus acquired a market value that they would not otherwise have possessed.

[Fraser Sherman · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent book recounting the birth of Dada, an art movement dedicated to challenging established principles, during WWI. In the 1920s, the disordered and rather anarchic Dada movement gave place to surrealism, which had different goals (seeking a higher truth for art beyond what reason could give us) and became a much more cohesive movement. Very informative about the artists and theorists, and with lots of illustrations, of course.

[Jennpants · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's unfortunate that a subject so interesting is written in such a boring manner.

I do appreciate the background histories of many of the artists (more women and non-europeans, tho, please) and the direct historical links between these artistic movements and radical and anti-facist groups.

[Elif Naz]

nonfiction neye göre rate’leniyo hiçbir fikrim yok ama iyiydi hoştu?

[Kevin McDonagh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some may not appreciate such a linear journey through the rich and diverse timeline of Dadas evolution into Surrealism but I loved it for exactly that reason.

[Γιώργος Μπελαούρης · Rating 5 out of 5]

όταν ξεκίνησα αυτό το βιβλίο, μισούσα το νταντά
το πήρα για να κάνω έρευνα για ένα δικό μου βιβλίο
όταν το τέλειωσα, δεν μπορώ να πω ότι το είχα αγαπήσει, μα το εκτίμησα τρομερά σαν κίνημα
πολύ όμορφη σειρά, πανέμορφες εκδόσεις και πάντα οι πληροφορίες είναι ένα κλικ πάνω από το σύνηθες (με έχει κουράσει λιγάκι η τσαπατσουλιά της τάσεν είναι η αλήθεια)

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three-and-a-half stars...pretty standard but I didn't like how it was structured.

[Bones · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book. One of my favorites.