Chapter 11: Mixed Media

Another “form” of painting is mixed media.

Painting in combination with other media in a single work. Two common terms to describe mix media works are collage (Pasted fragments of paper or fabric – a flat material- on a support) and photomontage (collage consisting of photographic fragments).

The Dada Movement Links to an external site.of the early 20^th century was a challenge to traditional forms of fine art and intentionally used multiple and varied media that was AGAINST the traditional perspective of art.

One of the leading members of the movement, Hannah Höch Links to an external site. often worked in collage to make specific and pointed criticisms about German government and culture before the outbreak of World War II. Höch’s collage, Cut with the Kitchen Knife Dada through the Last Weimar Beer Belly Cultural Epoch of Germany. 

(1919) is a protest growing fanatical nationalism, dehumanizing speed of technology and industrialization, and people’s conspicuous consumption. 

The collage is a direct reflection of the chaos and fragmentation of everyday modern life.

In the top right corner we see the forces of repression: a photo of the German Emperor Wilhelm II Links to an external site. whom she refers to as the “Last Weimar Beer Belly.” Below Wilhelm is an exotic dancer with a general’s head. The dancer appears to be pointing to a line of people waiting in front of the Berlin employment offices.

In the top left corner is Albert Einstein Links to an external site.. Out of his head bursts the Dada slogan. Höch is making an intentional parallel between his theory of relativity that overthrew physics with the DADA moment and their overthrowing of art.

In the center is a headless dancer tossing the head of Kathy Kollwitz Links to an external site.! The heads of Vladimir Lenin Links to an external site. and Karl Max Links to an external site. are placed in between mechanical gears, overwhelmed by text, “The Great Dada World.”

On the bottom is a map of women’s enfranchisement in Europe at the time. In the center is a picture of Höch shouting “JOIN DADA!”