Weekly Response prompt #7&8: Automatist Exercise

-Hannah Höch, Cut with the Dada Kitchen Knife through the Last Weimar Beer-Belly Cultural Epoch in Germany, 1919, collage of pasted papers, 90x144 cm, Staatliche Museum, Berlin.

Throughout this class, we have been discussing the far reaching tentacles of influence of our capitalist (production driven/ consumer oriented) society. We have contemplated the intense and pervasive nature of consumerism through the perspectives of Leopold, Diamond, Pollan, Lasn, and of course your own experiences and observations.

Although we could choose several points in history (and art history) from which to consider the roots of today's issues and REACTION to those issues, I want you to consider the revolutionary, rebellious nature of Dadaism.

Dadaism (1920s) whose disgust and disillusionment with WWI (its devastating consequences as well as the 'bourgeois' values that, they believed, led to conflict) generated a movement of opposition. Dada rejected categories, labels, and all established "values" (both in the art world as well as broader society). Techniques that were developed during this turbulent, anxious, angry time would (arguably) influence later art movements* which would all have an important role in social commentary. Throughout your response, consider the degree to which Lasn (and perhaps yourself) are influenced by Dadaist priciples. (Definition of Dada below (*) and a quick search on Wikipedia should give you a good background).

Your assignment:
1) Scan your 4 squares
2) Discuss general observations about the nature of what was written/ drawn:
How does the content of each square relate to the others? Is there an interesting repetition of a theme? Is there a narrative implied by the juxtaposition of elements? What is the aggregate effect of the 4 people's contributions?

BE CREATIVE HERE. This is YOUR interpretation, so anything you see/elicit from the image is valid as long as you sufficiently support your statements. Look at the 4 squares as an artist/ poet/ designer/ creative person. Do you see this as an overall composition? Are they chapters in a story? Is it a map? Something else?

3) NOW, I want you to look at your Automatist Exercise and consider Lasn's main arguments: Consumer society, we're all in a cult, we don't think but do what we're told, etc. In a way, this exercise embodied that relationship (I told you to do something, and you all obeyed...) BUT each of your contributions was unique and came from you. In addition, you all knew, (and "agreed"), to go along with the instructions, whereas Lasn argues that you are unaware of your actions/choices being manipulated. So now, the MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION is: How much of the content of your 4 squares could you interpret as being influenced by the broad reaches of CONSUMERISM? Do any of the shapes make concrete reference to production/consumption? How about more abstract associations?

IMPORTANT last notes:
- Remember this week's response is worth double.

- If you want to respond to the prompt visually you may, as long as you include an artist statement addressing how the visual work addresses the questions I've asked.

- You will need to post under "New Post" instead of in the comment section under this prompt. Please title your post: "(your name)'s Automatist Excercise"


* "Dada is the groundwork to abstract art and sound poetry, a starting point for performance art, a prelude to postmodernism, an influence on pop art, a celebration of antiart to be later embraced for anarcho-political uses in the 1960s and the movement that lay the foundation for Surrealism."
—Marc Lowenthal, translator's introduction to Francis Picabia's I Am a Beautiful Monster: Poetry, Prose, And Provocation

Surrealism, (a contemporary of Dadasim which was greatly influenced by Dadaist priciples) is Pure psychic automatism, by which one proposes to express, either verbally, in writing, or by any other manner, the real functioning of thought. Dictation of thought in the absence of all control exercised by reason, outside of all aesthetic and moral preoccupation.