Dada

c. 1916–1924

Dada emerged as a reaction against war, logic, and traditional culture. Artists embraced absurdity, chance, and provocation. Everyday objects were redefined as art. The movement questioned the very meaning of art itself.

L'Oeil Cacodylate

Francis Picabia

1921

A collage-like painting covered with friends’ signatures and notes, mocking authorship and style.

The Art Critic

Raoul Hausmann

1919

A Dada photomontage skewering pompous critics with cut-up faces and type.

Fountain

Marcel Duchamp

1917

An upturned porcelain urinal signed “R. Mutt,” redefining art by choice and context.