Dada 1916 in Theory: Practices of Critical Resistance (Value Art Politics LUP)

Dada formed in 1916, embedded in a world of rational appearances that belied a raging confusion - in the middle of the First World War, in the neutral centre of a warring continent, fundamentally at the heart of Western art. This book sets out new coordinates in revision of a formation that Western art history routinely exhausts through its characterisation as a #x91;revolutionary movement#x92; of anarchic cultural dissent, and does so in order to contest the perpetuated assumptions about Dada that underlie the popular myth. Dada is difficult and the response to it is not easy, and what emerge from the theoretical readings developed here are profoundly rational bases to the Dada non-sense that pitted itself against its civilised age, critically and implicitly to propose that Dada courses as vitally today as it did in 1916. The Zurich Dada formation initiated deliberate and strategic cultural engagements that struggled then, as they do now, to cohere in any sense as a #x91;movement#x92;, extreme in their ranges as diametrically hostile oppositionalities. Dada may be given art historically as identifiable along a trajectory of sustained ruptures and seizures, but it confounds all attempts at defined or definitive readings. This book duly offers not a history of Dada in Zurich but theoretical engagements of the emergencies and now the residue of the years 1916-19 #x96; from #x91;lautgedichte#x92; to laughter, masks to manifestos, chance to chiasmata - rounding to the #x91;permanent#x92; Dada by which the formation ultimately breaks the containment and deep peace of art historical chronology Dada Formed In 1916 In A World Of Rational Appearances That Belied A Raging Confusion - In The Middle Of The First World War, In The Neutral Centre Of A Warring Continent, At The Core Of Western Art. This Book Sets Out New Coordinates In Revision Of A Formation That Art History Routinely Exhausts By Its Characterisation As A 'revolutionary Movement' Of Anarchic Cultural Dissent, In Order To Contest Perpetuated Assumptions That Underlie The Popular Dada Myths. Dada Is Difficult, And The Response To Dada Is Not Easy. What Emerge From The Theoretical Readings Developed Here Are Profoundly Rational Bases For The Non-sense That Was Pitted Against A Self-proclaimed Civilisation, Critically And Implicitly To Propose That What Coursed In 1916 Continues As Vitally Today. Given As Art-historically Identifiable Along A Trajectory Of Sustained Ruptures And Seizures, This Book Proposes Not A History Of Dada In Zurich But Theoretical Engagements With The Emergencies Of 1916-19, From Laughter To 'lautgedichte', Masks To Manifestos, Chance To Chiasmata, Rounding On The Permanent Dada That Drives Against The Closure Of Culture--back Cover. Introduction : Against The 'infamous Thing' -- Dada's Radical Negation : The Declamators And Poets Of Noise -- Becoming The Dada Body : Masks, Dance And Mime -- A Disintegrating Culture : Dada Violence And Degradation -- Dadaist Disgust : Ideology Theory And The Manifesto Writings -- Hans Arp : Resistance And The Philosophy Of Virtual Creation -- 'l'amiral Cherche Une Maison à Louer' : The Counterpoint And Counterpolitics Of Language -- The Rude Product Of Luxury : Dada Laughter -- Conclusion : Permanent Dada -- Appendix: Zurich Dada Chronology. Dafydd W. Jones. Series Numbering From Publisher's Web Site. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 219-236) And Index.