Hannah Höch’s “Schnitt Mit Dem Kuchenmesser Dada Durch Die Letzte Weimarer Bierbauchkulturepoche Deutschlands” is a groundbreaking artwork created in 1919-1920. Made from print reproductions that Höch meticulously cut from magazines and journals, the large photomontage offered kaleidoscopic visions of German culture during the interwar era.
As the only female artist of the Berlin Dada movement, Höch consciously promoted the idea of women working creatively in society. Her work often engaged with the early 20th-century ideal of the “New Woman” who challenged traditional domestic roles of females. In this particular piece, Höch critiqued German patriarchy and tackled issues around gender with a queer feminist perspective.
“Schnitt Mit Dem Kuchenmesser Dada Durch Die Letzte Weimarer Bierbauchkulturepoche Deutschlands” was first shown at the First International Dada Fair in Berlin in 1920. The artwork represents a momentous breakthrough, not just for its political and social commentary but also for its innovative technique. Höch’s photomontages redefined art boundaries by showing how seemingly disparate images can be brought together to create something new and thought-provoking.
