Dada and the ethical need for revolt in art

Abstract

Almost a century after Dada burst upon the western ‘art’-scene, scandalizing the bourgeoisie and execrating conventional, academic art for its complicity with a culture that could give rise to something as horrendous as the First World War, which witnessed death and destruction on a scale never seen before, the question should again be raised: Did Dada represent a revolt that was too extreme to have a salutary effect? And related to this – is another revolt of that kind not long overdue (or is it perhaps already happening in certain ‘artistic’ quarters), given the obscene prevalence of war in the globalized world? Perhaps the thought of the psychoanalytical thinker, Julia Kristeva – especially on the need for ‘revolt’ in society – could shed light on these questions.

DADA EN DIE ETIESE NOODSAAK VIR OPSTAND IN KUNS. Byna ‘n eeu nadat Dada stormagtig op die westerse ‘kuns’-toneel verskyn het met ‘n onkompromiterende kritiek op die middelklas en op konvensionele, akademiese kuns vir medepligtigheid aan ‘n kultuur wat kon aanleiding gee tot die gruwels van die Eerste Wêreldoorlog, moet die vraag opnuut gestel word: Het Dada ‘n opstand verteenwoordig wat te ekstreem was om ‘n gesonde uitwerking te hê? En verwant hieraan – is ‘n ander opstand van daardie soort nie tans dringend noodsaaklik nie, veral in die lig van die obsene aanwesigheid van oorlog in die wêreld van globalisering? Of is sodanige ‘opstand’ miskien reeds besig om te gebeur in sekere gevalle van ‘kuns’?