Dadaism (Noun)
Meaning
A nihilistic art movement (especially in painting) that flourished in Europe early in the 20th century; based on irrationality and negation of the accepted laws of beauty.
Classification
Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects.
Examples
- The artist's latest exhibit was a reflection of the dadaism that had swept through the art world in the 1920s, rejecting traditional notions of beauty and functionality.
- As a key figure in the dadaism movement, Marcel Duchamp's readymades challenged the very notion of what constitutes art.
- The chaos and absurdity of dadaism were a direct response to the senseless destruction of World War I.
- Dadaism's emphasis on the irrational and the bizarre paved the way for later art movements like surrealism and abstract expressionism.
- The essence of dadaism was distilled in the performances of Hugo Ball, who shouted nonsensical sounds and words to shock and disorient his audience.