Dadaglobe was to be the definitive anthology of the Dada movement. Had it been published in 1921 as planned, it would have constituted more than one hundred artworks by some thirty artists from seven countries, showing Dada to be an artistic and literary movement with truly global reach. Yet, mainly due to a lack of funding, it remained unpublished, leaving a remarkable void in the literature on this early twentieth-century movement.

On the one-hundredth anniversary of the founding of Dada in Zurich and published in conjuction with exhibitions at Kunsthaus Zürich and New York's Museum of Modern Art, Dadaglobe Reconstructed restores this fascinating literary artifact with reproductions of the works of art received for the original book by the Romanian poet and cofounder of the Dada movement Tristan Tzara. Tzara’s call for submissions in four categories—drawings, photographs of artworks, photographic self-portraits, and book layouts—was met not merely with existing works. In fact, the parameters for production also served as a catalyst for the creation of many new ones, including some of the Dada movement’s most iconic works. For the first time, the collection is presented here in full color and alongside essays examining Tzara’s concept and the history of Dada and Dadaglobe.

Based on years of extensive research by American scholar Adrian Sudhalter, this German language book provides a remarkable view of Dada, with a wealth of previously unpublished material. It will be essential—and fascinating—reading for anyone interested in the first truly international avant-garde movement.

 

Named one of the Most Beautiful Swiss Books 2016.