Dada - Tabba

Tristan Tzara was a big activist of the dada movement. This movement began during World War I, and it revolutionized the way people thought about art and abstract concepts. Dada challenges the conventions of society and further explores the concept of nonsense. Tzara’s writing is a clear reflection of these ideas. In the Seven Data Manifestoes, he writes, “I am against systems, the most acceptable system is on principle to have none. To complete oneself, to perfect oneself in one’s own littleness to fill the vessel with ones individuality, to have the courage to fight for and against thought, the mystery of bread...”(pg 79).

In these lines, Tzara tells his reader about how he does not feel that people should follow any sort of system or be bound to the conventions of society.  Everyone has their own perspective yet society as a whole works to standardize our perception, but it is our responsibility to break out of these conventions. For instance, people judge art and create a specific idea of what beautiful style or form is, and then they expect others to adapt this idea as well. Tzara comments on this when he writes, “A work of art is never beautiful by decree, objectively and for all. Hence criticism is useless, it exists only subjectively, for each man separately, without the slightest character of universality,” (pg 72).  It is obvious that Tzara rejects any notion of analysis or evaluation of art, and evokes the importance uniqueness. This is because, beauty is completely relative; from every angle, it will look different and every individual will have a different opinion about it.

Moving back to the first statement about systems, where we see that Tzara, puts a great of emphasis on his belief about how people should follow their instincts, be individualistic and do solely what they think is right, he actually creates a contradiction. Although he is against systems, he himself proposes a system that he thinks is the most “acceptable,” which is to not have one at all. I believe that in presenting this contradiction, Tzara further exemplifies his motive by doing something completely illogical. Tzara is in a way pushing the idea of absurdity and nonsense by doing just that with his writing. 

Tzara conveys a serious message of an issue that pertains to his readers, while employing the use of contractions and still managing to deliver his message with ease and a tone of seriousness. This in it self is evidence that moving outside the realm of conventional writing does not take away its meaning.  Tzara extends his message to the rest of society stressing on the importance of individuality. Thus, his distinctive forms, which are unlike any of the traditional art or poetry styles seen during his time, has helped bring about a new absurd and nonsensical works.