Analysis of an Artwork | Hannah Höch

Title – Cut with the Kitchen Knife through the Beer-Belly of the Weimar Republic

Artist – Hannah Höch

Media – Photo Collage / Montage with Watercolour

Date – 1919-1920

This work combines the techniques of photo-collage and watercolour, providing a quintessentially ‘Dada work’. Through the combination of the lack of negative space and the representation of prominent Communist figures, Höch creates an image that explicitly expresses her stance on the times. Through a bleak and almost ‘newspaper like’ colour palette, she expresses the true essence of Dada, a propaganda-like image that evokes emotion and outrage towards the war and the developments that occurred after the fact. The lack of negative space brings unrest to the viewer’s experience, it is meant to provoke and not to exist as ‘just a pretty picture’. The images chosen reflect a specificity of intent, that she meant to name names, not just to gloss over the issues as a collective problem, but to illicit anger towards certain individuals in the war. The composition of the work seems random to the naked eye, but likely has a purpose and reason for every placement.

The Dada movement was one of extreme politicism. Basically, Dadaism was an anti-war protest against World War 1 often labelled ‘Anti-Art’. During this time (1916-1924) great conflicts divided nations and, through Dadaism, many artists who had an anti-war stance expressed their hatred for war, violence and many world leaders, politicians and warlords. Often using graphic images along with stylised text, Dadaism can oftentimes almost resemble the propaganda being used at the time in pro-war advertisement. Dada was prominent in many cities around Europe and the America’s including, but not limited to: Berlin, Hanover, Paris, New York, and Cologne. These central cities produced the most well known Dadaist works at the time.

This work by prominent Dada artist Hannah Höch is a prime example of Dadaism. Through the use of photo-collage and manipulated text in ‘headline’ fonts, Höch promotes her anti-war stance and her hatred towards the political leaders of a new Communist Party arising in Germany at the time. Although this work was completed after WW1 had ended, the effects of the war were still present and Dadaism continued through to 1920.

References: 

“Cut With The Kitchen Knife”. Utopia/Dystopia. Web. 26 Mar. 2017.

“Dada Movement, Artists And Major Works”. The Art Story. Web. 26 Mar. 2017.