(Mai 191) (c. 1919) by Kurt Schwitters

(Mai 191) - Kurt Schwitters - c.1919

Artwork Information

Title(Mai 191)
ArtistKurt Schwitters
Datec.1919
Mediumcollage
Dimensions21.6 x 17.1 cm
Art MovementDada
Current LocationMarlborough Fine Art, London

About (Mai 191)

The artwork “(Mai 191)” by Kurt Schwitters was created circa 1919 and is a collage piece representative of the Dada art movement. The medium used for this abstract artwork is collage, comprising various elements pasted together to form a unified composition. Measuring approximately 21.6 x 17.1 cm, the artwork is currently housed at Marlborough Fine Art in London.

The collage presents a dynamic array of typographic elements, extracted presumably from various printed materials. The prominent text “Mai 191” is predominant, suggesting a temporal reference that could potentially relate to a significant event or personal meaning from the month of May in the year 1911. The textual elements are layered, with different fonts and sizes, creating a visual rhythm and perhaps implicating a narrative or commentary through their juxtaposition. The color palette appears muted, with shades of brown, black, and hints of blue, suggestive of the materials’ origins, perhaps from aged newsprint or advertisements. The letterforms’ edges are irregular, some sharply cut while others torn, contributing to the authenticity of the work’s Dadaist roots, which emphasized spontaneity and the deconstruction of traditional aesthetics. The composition as a whole resists definitive interpretation, inviting viewers to engage with the work on an intuitive, rather than purely rational, level.

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