Raoul Hausmann (1886–1971). Vision. Provocation. Dada.

Raoul Hausmann (1886–1971) was a pivotal figure in 20th-century avant-garde art. He spent his life challenging conventions of every kind. Determined to move the world on from the status quo and to make “tomorrow” happen, he was a multi-media artist avant la lettre. As a co-founder of Berlin’s Dada movement, nicknamed its “Dadasopher”, he pioneered a broad repertoire of styles and formats. These remain influential in artistic production today. Hausmann’s work and ideas evolved along an interface between fine art, photography, literature, philosophy and technology. He co-invented collage, devised synaesthetic apparatus, penned experimental texts, explored the relationship between body, sound and space in his performances and used photography to blend vision with haptics. Driven by his tireless capacity for change, Raoul Hausmann generated an œuvre that is innovative, diverse and unlike any other. To mark our 50th anniversary, the Berlinische Galerie is granting this radical innovator a comprehensive retrospective. The show is arranged chronologically, dividing more than 200 exhibits into seven chapters – from early ventures into Expressionism and iconic Dada collage to the rarely shown works created during his exile in France. The items from this period have been made available thanks to the generous cooperation of the Musée d’art contemporain de la Haute-Vienne, Château de Rochechouart. The exhibition is funded by Hauptstadtkulturfonds / The Capital Cultural Fund Förderverein Berlinische Galerie / Friends of the Berlinische Galerie Cooperation and Media Partners Wall, Weltkunst, Yorck Kinogruppe, Dummy Verlag Exhibition architecture and colour design bfs d flachsbarth schultz