Dada & Surrealism A&I (Art and Ideas)

This introductory survey traces the origins and development of twoevolutionary 20th-century art movements: Dada and Surrealism. It exploreshe full range of artistic production, including film, photography andainting. The art is situated within a context of ideas.;Against theackground of the slaughter of World War I, the Dadas embarked upon a totaleconsideration of nationalism, materialism and the basis of art. Hugo Ballnd Tristan Tzara in Zurich, Richard Huelsenbeck and Raoul Hausmann in Berlin,rancis Picabia and Andre Breton in Paris - all emphasized the freedom ofhe individual in their art. Dada has no consistent style and was never anrganized movement.;Surrealism, on the other hand, was a clearly constitutedovement with a recognized charismatic leader, Andre Breton. In an attempt toeconcile the rational and irrational sides of existence, the movementxplored dreams, trances and automatism. The results include the paintings ofax Ernst, Joan Miro, Salvadore Dali and Rene Magritte.

Matthew Gale, a specialist in twentieth-century art, is a curator at Tate, London.