"The 2nd Annual Neo Dada Exhibit"
2005-07-01 until 2005-07-30
Paper Heart
Phoenix, AZ, USA United States of America

Being an exhibition of art works that celebrate and echo the works of those early 20th art outcasts, the self proclaimed Dadaists. The word dada can mean everything from "yes,yes" to "hobbyhorse". Also "c'est mon dada" (it's my hobby). Dada seems to have had it's start in 1916 in Zurich. The artists of this movement were disillusioned by art and history in general. Some were veterans of WW1 and so possessed a nihilistic view of almost everything.

Dada was anti art and anti-aesthetics. Dada was to represent the opposite of rational meaning. Randomness formed the basis of artistic creation. Some viewed the creative output of the Dadaists as totally absurd. Their critics proclaimed them insane. But the Dadaists countered "It is not we who are insane but society itself. Our art is merely reflecting the madness of the world around us." From found object art works constructed from everyday objects (see Marcel Duchamp's infamous FOUNTAIN piece which was a mens room urinal) to koanlike non-sensical poetry to truly absurd experimental theatre the Dadaists sought to upset the perceptions of their audience. The Dadaists hoped that through their rejection of tradtional aesthetics and culture that they might reach a new and personal understanding of the true nature of the world.

Arguably the Dadaists spawned the most influential art movement of the 20th century. From surrealism to modern art to the post modernists the dada philosophy continues to reverberate almost 90 years after it's beginning.

Artists in the exhibit include:
- Jeff Falk
- Jimi Girdner
- JA Jurewicz
- Annie Lopez
- Natascha Payton
- Greg Pentkowski
- Greg Roberts
- Scott Sanders

Related Links:

Indepth Arts Resources for the State of Arizona

Other Important Exhibitions in United States