What is Dadaism and how can dada inspire your artwork and designs?

Summary/Overview

Dadaism refers to the Dada art movement, or Dada – a nonsensical art form that celebrates creativity and imagination. Satirical, humorous and boundary-breaking, the intelligent and complex school of thought that is Dada, influenced a generation of artists who wanted to create something outside of regular convention.

The Dada art movement could help to influence your future design projects, with its bizarre intricacies and provocative premise. What are you waiting for? Bring Dada to life in your own work. Learn more about Dadaism with Adobe Express UK and dive into the intriguing Dada artistic style.

What is Dadaism?

Dadaism (Dada) was a revolutionary art style and movement founded in Zurich during the First World War. It was a product of its time: a reaction to the “butchery” of the conflict, and a biting critique of contemporary capitalism. Nonsensical, provocative and brimming with anti-bourgeois satire, the Dada art movement turns artistic and logical sensibilities on their head – sometimes literally – in works that spanned sculpture, collage, photography, as well as literature and performance art.

While Dadaism is primarily remembered as a visual art, it toyed with the confines and convention of traditional form to the extent that it considered itself an “anti-art”.

The origins of the Dada art movement.

Dadaism was first founded in Zürich in 1916 when Hugo Ball, a satirical nightclub owner, became famous for hosting cabaret shows. Dada came as a direct opposition to the First World War from artists, intellectuals and creatives who had fled to Zurich, Switzerland.

The idea behind Dadaism was not to take the world too seriously – and came at just the right time. That playful nature runs down to the word ‘Dada’ itself – a colloquial French term for a hobby horse, further riffing on the artistic movement’s sense of the absurd.

The Dada movement worked as a direct contrast to the seriousness of World War I. In many ways, Dadaism was a protest towards the conflict, pointing out the absurdity of war, through its own equally bizarre artwork. Dadaism was a powerful tool that swept across European countries like Germany and Switzerland, with the cabaret serving as a meeting spot for avant-garde creatives.

Key characteristics of Dadaism.

Like any art form, Dadaism can be characterised by a few unique traits. These include:

Humour

In dark and turbulent times, artwork can lift spirits. In this case, Dadaism used humour and absurd imagery to lighten the mood, making its audience laugh with utter nonsense. Weird portraits, absurd captions and impossible ideas found a natural home in Dada art.

Contrast

The very idea behind Dadaism art is to contrast the serious with the unserious. So, throughout the movement, there are clear examples of paradoxes. Clashing shapes and colours and conflicting concepts all form the basis of Dada’s approach to contrast in art.

Irrationalism

While other art forms might rely on logical compositions that are structured in reality, much like abstract art, Dadaism instead relied upon the irrational. Nothing looked quite as it did in the real world, with depictions of objects or people that made no sense and could not be compared to the genuine article.

Strong Themes

Dada in its purest form is a protest movement. Therefore, many examples of Dadaism art depict strong messages that illustrate the absurdness of war and the ridiculousness of the political climate.

Editable templates for your Dadaism-inspired projects.

Examples of previous Dada work.

Fountain

Created by Marcel Duchamp in 1917, Fountain was a sculpture depicting an unusually shaped toilet bowl, whose composition suggested it was a water fountain to be drunk from. This bizarre idea plays on contrasts, is steeped in humour and is everything Dada strives to be.

L.H.O.O.Q.

Designed by Marcel Duchamp in 1919, L.H.O.O.Q. depicts the Mona Lisa with a pencilled-on moustache and beard. Breaking down the conventions of art, L.H.O.O.Q. is shocking in its mistreatment of one of the most famous pieces in the world. For the Dadaists, this was no doubt a mission accomplished.

Indestructible Object

Man Ray’s 1923 work, Indestructible Object, is an unusual sculpture that takes on the form of a metronome, albeit with a few additional features. This concept has taken many forms, as students were encouraged to destroy the original work, making it an interactive example of Dadaism.

How to implement it in Adobe Express?

Taking the lessons of Dadaism and applying them to your own projects can be challenging, but here are a few ways you can utilise Dada techniques in your designs.

Find humour in your logos

Logos are created to help build your brand, but is there a way for them to entertain too? Take an idea from the Dada movement – team up your logo with your brand name and find a way to make your target audience laugh with Adobe Express UK’s logo templates. You'll make a lasting impact with a memorable visual gag.

Look for contrast in your business cards

Business cards can be boring and simple. But clashing imagery can ensure that the eye is drawn to the areas that matter most. Use the Dadaism principles of contrast with Adobe Express’ free-to-use business card templates, to create something louder and bolder.

Bring the irrational to your memes

Dadaism thrives on being irrational, by placing together strange images or promoting absurd ideas. Memes have to make a visual impact quickly, so those irrational principles could be ideal. Look to Dadaism for some irrational inspiration and apply those lessons to Adobe Express UK’s Meme templates. Use the Adobe Express remove background feature, to remove the context of an image for more irrational play.

Build a theme with your collage

A collage can get messy and feel unfocused. Much like Dadaism, perhaps concentrate on a specific theme. Whether it’s nature, science fiction, or education, create a collage that carries a strong message and promotes your identity as an individual or brand. Tap into Adobe Express’ free collage templates to experiment.

Build your own Dadaism designs with templates from Adobe Express.

Experiment with Dada Art with AI tools from Adobe Express.

Utilising the power of Adobe Firefly, you can create Dada art-inspired images to build your art, designs or campaigns upon. Experiment with the satirical and nonsensical with only a prompt and see how it could inspire your own work.

With the Adobe AI Art Generator (powered by Adobe Firefly), there’s no boundary to incredible artwork and winning mock-ups. Come up with your Dada-inspired prompt and bring your vision to life today.

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Useful things to know.

Is Dadaism purely sculptural?

No. Although there are plenty of examples of Dadaism in sculptural form, as a popular interpretation of the movement, there are still many paintings and other 2D projects that promote the same ideas.

Who are some famous Dada artists?

Francis Picabia, Max Ernst, Hannah Höch and Tristan Tzara are some of the major artists who made an impact in the Dada movement.

Is Dada art still relevant today?

Dada has continued to live on throughout satirical artworks today. For example, the cartoonish comedy sketches often seen in newspapers take some inspiration from the Dadaism movement. Plus, more influences can be found in recent sculptures.

Is Adobe Express UK free to use?

Of course! Adobe Express UK is accessible, easy to pick up, and free to use. Speed up your workflows and create incredible Dada art for free in our all-in-once-place creative app.

What is the main idea of Dadaism?

Dadaism’s focus is mockery to challenge what art is while tackling societal issues. It’s witty, absurd and often referred to as a form of “anti-art”.

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