The artwork “Man soll nicht asen mit Phrasen” was created by Kurt Schwitters in 1930, contributing to the Dada art movement characterized by its avant-garde and often anti-art sensibilities. As a figurative piece, it reflects Schwitters’ engagement with representational elements amidst the broader context of Dada’s typically nonconformist approach.
The artwork is a collage composed of various paper elements that seem to be carefully arranged to create a sense of depth and narrative. There is a juxtaposition of different textures and items, such as newspaper clippings, a painting of a cityscape, pieces of advertisements, and a photograph of a female figure looking directly at the viewer. Elements of text in different fonts and languages are scattered throughout, some more legible than others, adding a literary dimension to the visual composition.
Towards the upper left corner, a miniature painting depicts a serene riverside cityscape, contrasting with the fragmented and layered elements surrounding it. Similarly, the centrally placed photographic portrait of a woman dressed in period attire provides a classical anchor to the otherwise modern and chaotic assemblage of materials. Below the portrait, a man’s face appears, taken from another older printed source, infusing the piece with yet another historical reference.
Other components such as packaging for chocolate (“CHOKOLADE”) and references to cultural figures (as indicated by the block of text mentioning “dr. justus bier”) contribute to the intricate pastiche that challenges traditional connotations of art and composition. The apparent randomness of the arrangement belies a deliberate construction that invites the viewer to explore the relationships between the disparate elements.
Part of the artwork’s base appears to be an earlier drawing or piece overlaid with these clippings, suggesting layers of artistic process or perhaps an evolution of media, typical of Schwitters’ practice. Overall, the artwork embodies the Dada spirit through its embrace of the absurd, its critique of conventional aesthetics, and its innovative use of found objects to create new meaning.
