Hannah Hoch
(Collaboration with Hausmann)
Hannah Hoch was one of the originators (or pioneers) of photomontage. She was born in 1889 in Germany. In 1912 she began studying at the College of Arts and Crafts in Berlin. To please her father, she studied glass design and graphic design instead of fine arts. At the end of her schooling in 1914, she worked for the red cross (at the start of WWI.) Hoch became friends with Raoul Hausmann, a member of the Berlin Dada movement (cultural movement in beginning in Switzerland that concentrated anti-war politics through a rejection of standards in art) in 1915. Hoch's involvement with the Berlin Dadists began in 1919. She later worked in the handicrafts department for Ullstein Verlang (and the influence from this job is seen in much of her later works in the form of dress patterns and textiles. ) From 1926 10 1929,k she lived and worked in the Netherlands.
Hannah Hoch's work with collage began more thoroughly during her relationship with Hausmann. The relationship took a toll on Hoch emotionally, but helped her grow artistically. The two worked together on the piece "Dada-Cordial" in 1920. This piece can be seen above. Even when this piece was released stating they worked on it collaboratively, Hoch was still seen as Hausmann's lover, not his equal.
The piece, "Dada-Cordial," in my opinion, was created in the Dadists movement as a way to fight the standards of art. This piece is far from classic, formal, fine art. It is far more scrapbook like. The images are abstract, and balance seems to be almost ignored in the piece, yet the format and style is still pleasing to the eye. This piece fits well into the Dadist movement and would suit the ideas it hopes to show rather well.
Another of her pieces I found to be interesting is Cut with the Dada Kitchen Knife through the Last Weimer Beer-Belly Cultural Epoch in Germany, 1919. This is a collage of pasted papers totals at at 90x144 cm in size. It is currently at the Staatliche Museum, Berlin. Eacxh figure shown is either missing its face, has a serious face on a ridiculous body, or a silly face on a very serious body. The word "Dada" can be seen throughout the piece in newspaper text as well as "die" and "anti." This piece is very well balanced; the opposing corners have the same density. The top right and lower left are very dense with images while the top left and lower right are far less dense. The images are seemingly mocking the government and war just as the Dadist movement wants.
Cut with the Dada Kitchen Knife through the
Last Weimer Beer-Belly Cultural Epoch in Germany, 1919
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