Dada Exhibitions: A Survey and Analysis

Abstract

Exhibitions are an ideal means by which to approach Dadaism from an international perspective, and to consider how dadaists sought to relate to their audience. This thesis argues that while each was unique in character, Dada exhibitions often functioned similarly; as a demonstration of internationalism, as the realization of a Gesamtkunstwerk, and as a subversion of artistic traditions. Currently, such a comparative approach to Dada exhibitions is limited by uneven scholarship; the Erste Internationale Dada-Messe is the only exhibition to have been studied comprehensively. This disparity is not due to a lack of material evidence, however. For example, the Salon Dada catalogue reveals much about a little studied, large scale, international exhibition no less significant than the Dada-Messe. This thesis establishes the primary importance of exhibitions to the Dada movement, and will serve as the groundwork for future inquiries into Dada influence on subsequent art exhibitions.