Dada and Beyond, II : Dada and its Legacies edited by Elza Adamowicz and Eric Robertson (review)

This second volume of Dada and Beyond, following seamlessly from its predecessor to investigate Dada and its international, interdisciplinary afterlife, highlights the enduring relevance of Dada in the twenty–first century. The volume begins by emphasizing the importance of performance in Dada, and devotes the first section to this theme. Jill Fell assesses the impact of Sophie Taeuber, particularly in respect of dance, an often neglected yet central aspect of the movement. Catherine Dufour investigates the ‘acte dada’ in relation to both its fellow avant–garde movements and later expressions of performance, from body art to punk music. Kerstin Sommer explores the legacy of Tristan Tzara’s statement that ‘Dada is a state of mind’, drawing on the work of Jackson Pollock, Christoph Schlingensief, and Richard Layzell. The second section, ‘Dada and Cinema’, analyses the work of Francis Picabia and Man Ray. Jennifer Wild delineates the evolution of Picabia’s work alongside its real–life influences: Stacia Napierkowska as ‘jeune fille americaine’ and concurrent technological advances in cinema. Kim Knowles posits the centrality of the duality in Emak Bakia, which results from Man Ray’s liminal relationship with both Dada and surrealism. Ramona Fotiade also assesses Man Ray, investigating the artist in light of two suggested successors, Chris Marker and Jean–Luc Godard. The third section, ‘Dada Cultures’, investigates locations and definitions of culture. Dafydd Jones begins by exploring the delimitation of Dada’s artistic and political boundaries. Nadia Ghanem takes us back to the Cabaret Voltaire, linking its aims and impact with Maurizio Cattelan’s 6^e Biennale des Caraïbes. Patrick Suter draws out the ecological implications of Dada art, from Duchamp’s Fountain to Kurt Schwitters’s ‘recycled’ collages. The fourth section, ‘Dada Legacies’, addresses Dada’s critical heritage and impact. Nathalie Roelens explores Dada’s ‘périphériques’, including Jean Dubuffet, Henri Michaux, and Pierre Alechinsky Paul Cooke looks into the reception of René Crevel’s work before, after, and in relation to his death. Andrea Oberhuber analyses Dada’s transition to surrealism from the point of view of its female contributors. John Goodby relates the work of Dylan Thomas to surrealist activity. The final section, ‘Beyond Dada’, focuses on the ongoing impact of Dada film and poetry beyond the movement. Olivier Salazar–Ferrer documents the ‘lost’ Tararira, its links with Dada and surrealism, as well as its political implications. Alfred Thomas investigates the films of Jan Švankmajer and Věra Chytilová, foregrounding an influence of Dada significantly belated owing to wartime conditions in the then Czechoslovakia. Stephen Forcer ends with an account of the impact of Tzara’s poetry in the twenty–first century, linking Dada’s ideological content from its very beginnings with its status today. The range of topics covered is extensive if at times disparate, with fewer consistent threads and a more loosely defined intellectual aim than the preceding volume. While this collection presents detailed textual analyses and important Dada research, some chapters would benefit from more detailed emphasis on their grounding in original Dada work. The volume does provide, however, critical new material that will be of substantial interest to Dada scholars of all levels.