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37 i (A Manifesto) (May 1922

  • Kurt Schwitters
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Myself and My Aims
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© 2021 University of Chicago Press

© 2021 University of Chicago Press

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter i
  2. Contents v
  3. List of Illustrations ix
  4. An Introduction to Merz- Thought xiii
  5. A Note to the Reader xxvii
  6. 1 The Problem of Abstract Art. First Attempt (June– August 1910) 1
  7. 2 Problem of Pure Painting. 2nd Attempt. 1. Beginning (before December 1910) 14
  8. 3 Materials for My Work on the Problem of Pure Painting. 3rd Attempt (November 1910) 15
  9. 4 2nd Beginning to the Problem of Pure Painting. 2nd Attempt (December 1910– January 1911) 17
  10. 5 Abstract Painting. 1918. A. (February 1918) 23
  11. 6 Merz- Painting (July/November 1919) 24
  12. 7 A Solid Article: A Wienerization in Sturm (August 1919 25
  13. 8 The Merz- Theater / To All the Theaters of the World (1919) 27
  14. 9 Artists’ Right to Self- Determination (1919) 31
  15. 10 Thou Me, I Thee, We Mine (and Sun Infi nity Thin Out the Stars) (December 1919) 33
  16. 11 Nothing Kills Quicker Than Ridicule (February 1920) 36
  17. 12 Berliner Börsenkukukunst (February 1920) 38
  18. 13 Tran Number 7. General Amnesty for My Hannoverian Critics in the Style of Merz (April 1920) 40
  19. 14 What Art Is: A Guide for Great Critics (April 1920) 44
  20. 15 Statement (April 1920) 46
  21. 16 [I divide my poetry into three types . . .] (April 1920) 47
  22. 17 Hannover (June 1920) 49
  23. 18 Extension (June 1920) 50
  24. 19 Tran Number 11. German Popular Criticism, the Criticism of Reconstruction (August 1920) 53
  25. 20 Tran No. 12. Criticism as Artwork (September 1920) 56
  26. 21 Tran Number 13. The Private Scouring Cloth: Contribution to a Phenomenology of Critical Enjoyment (October 1920) 58
  27. 22 Tran No. 14. Dr. Frog Starves the Intellect (October 1920) 61
  28. 23 Tran Number 16. Life on Blind Feet (December 1920) 63
  29. 24 Kurt Schwitters (1920) 65
  30. 25 Tran Number 17. The Fettered Paul Madsack (December 1920) 68
  31. 26 MERZ (Written for the Ararat, 19 December 1920) (January 1921) 69
  32. 27 Tran No. 15. The Average Phenomenon with Clear Eyes (January 1921) 77
  33. 28 Why I Am Dissatisfi ed with Oil Painting (January 1921) 80
  34. 29 Tran 18 (February 1921) 81
  35. 30 Evening Reading (ca. February 1921) 83
  36. 31 My Views on the Value of Criticism (for the Ararat) (May 1921) 84
  37. 32 Cleanliness (for People Who Don’t Know It Yet) (May 1921 86
  38. 33 Tran 19 (August 1921) 87
  39. 34 Castle and Cathedral with Courtyard Fountain (1922) 91
  40. 35 Tran 21. Speech at the Grave of Leo Rein (in the Berliner Börsenzeitung 547 on 27 November 1921) (January 1922 93
  41. 36 Tragedy. Tran No. 22, against Dr. Weygandt, PhD and MD (May 1922) 95
  42. 37 i (A Manifesto) (May 1922 122
  43. 38 Tran No. 26 (1922) 123
  44. 39 Tran 23 (September 1922 124
  45. 40 Introduction to Tran No. 30: Auguste Bolte (1923) 127
  46. 41 The Self- Overcoming of Dada (January 1923) 128
  47. 42 [Introduction to Merz 1. Holland Dada] (January 1923) 131
  48. 43 Dadaism in Holland (January 1923) 132
  49. 44 [Editorial note to Vilmos Huszár, Mechanische Dansfiguur] (January 1923 139
  50. 45 Style (ca. January– April 1923 140
  51. 46 i (April 1923) 141
  52. 47 WAR (April 1923) 152
  53. 48 War (April 1923) 153
  54. 49 Manifesto Proletarian Art (April 1923) 154
  55. 50 From the World: “MERZ” (April– June 1923) 156
  56. 51 Banalities (3) (July 1923) 167
  57. 52 dada complet. 1 (July 1923) 169
  58. 53 Banalities (4) / [Tristan Tzara] (July 1923) 170
  59. 54 DADA NEWS (July 1923 172
  60. 55 WATCH YOUR STEP! (October 1923) 173
  61. 56 Merz (1924) 177
  62. 57 i (January 1924) 178
  63. 58 DADA COMPLET No. 2. / TRAN 50 (January 1924) 180
  64. 59 Dadaists (January 1924) 183
  65. 60 [Advertisement for Merz 8/9. Nasci] (January 1924) 186
  66. 61 Tran 35. Dada Is a Hypothesis (March 1924) 188
  67. 62 Rigorous Poetry (June 1924) 192
  68. 63 Dadaism (1924) 196
  69. 64 National Feeling (August 1924 199
  70. 65 The Westheim Threat, Again (December 1924) 201
  71. 66 National Art (1925) 202
  72. 67 [What Is Madness?] (ca. mid- 1920s) 203
  73. 68 Theses on Typography (1925) 204
  74. 69 [The Standard Merz Stage] (1925) 206
  75. 70 STANDARD MERZ STAGE (July 1925) 207
  76. 71 Religion or Socialism (July 1925) 209
  77. 72 STANDARD MERZ STAGE (Some Practical Suggestions.) (July 1925) 211
  78. 73 The ABC of the Standard Merz Stage (July 1925) 214
  79. 74 Language (November 1925) 215
  80. 75 Standard Stage by Kurt Schwitters (December 1925) 218
  81. 76 Gut Garkau (ca. late 1925/early 1926) 224
  82. 77 FANTASTIC THOUGHTS (ca. 1926 226
  83. 78 Art and the Times (March 1926) 228
  84. 79 The New Architecture in Germany (March 1926) 232
  85. 80 Life’s Path (May 1926) 235
  86. 81 Facts from My Life (June 1926) 236
  87. 82 Rhythm in the Work of Art (October 1926) 238
  88. 83 Merz- Book (October 1926) 239
  89. 84 Standard Stage (October 1926) 241
  90. 85 My Merz and My Monster Merz: Model Marketplace at Sturm (October 1926) 243
  91. 86 Call It Coincidence (ca. mid- 1920s 245
  92. 87 The Artist and His Titles (1926) 247
  93. 88 Merz 20. Kurt Schwitters Catalogue (1927) 248
  94. 89 [Ella Bergmann- Michel] (March 1927) 257
  95. 90 [Letter to Wassily Kandinsky] (April 1927) 259
  96. 91 Elementary Knowledge in Painting (ca. 1927) 263
  97. 92 Style or Form- Creation (1927 269
  98. 93 typography and orthography: lowercase (ca. 1927) 271
  99. 94 Sensation (July 1927) 272
  100. 95 Front against Fronta: Afterword to the Foreword of Fronta (July– August 1927) 274
  101. 96 Proposals for a Systematic Typeface (August– September 1927 276
  102. 97 Sense of Duty (September 1927) 285
  103. 98 Stuttgart, The Home— Werkbund Exhibition (October 1927) 286
  104. 99 My Sonata in Ur- Sounds (November 1927) 293
  105. 100 Kitsch and Dilettantism (December 1927) 297
  106. 101 Good or Bad Fortune (December 1927) 298
  107. 102 On Greek Temples (April 1928) 299
  108. 103 Appearance (ca. spring 1928) 303
  109. 104 Third Prague Letter (May 1928) 305
  110. 105 The New Architecture in Celle: The Architect Otto Haesler (August 1928) 307
  111. 106 Form- Creating Typography (September 1928) [ 311
  112. 107 Modern Advertising (October 1928 315
  113. 108 Werkbund Congress in Munich, 1928 (November 1928) 318
  114. 109 Stories That Have Run Their Course (November 1928) 323
  115. 110 Revue by Three Reviewed (December 1928) 325
  116. 111 [Review of Hans Hildebrandt, Woman as Artist] (December 1928) 328
  117. 112 Hannover and the Abstract Room by Lissitzky (April 1929) 330
  118. 113 About Me by Myself (May 1929) [332] Originally published in English, translator unknown 332
  119. 114 A Layman’s Judgment of New Architecture (June 1929) 335
  120. 115 The Style of the Age and the Dammerstock Housing Estate (September 1929) 337
  121. 116 Facts from My Life (December 1929) 340
  122. 117 [The art of today is a strange thing . . .] (March 1930) 343
  123. 118 the ring neue werbegestalter (1930) 344
  124. 119 Advertising Design (1930) 345
  125. 120 Form- Creation in Typography (February and April 1930) 380
  126. 121 Painting (ca. late 1920s/early 1930s) 396
  127. 122 On the Uniform Design of Print Materials (1930) 399
  128. 123 Kurt Schwitters (1930) 406
  129. 124 [The Big E is fi nished . . .] (ca. 1930– 33) 413
  130. 125 Myself and My Aims (1931 414
  131. 126 [We know the Doesburg of “Stijl” . . .] (June 1931/January 1932) 422
  132. 127 merz- paintings (1932) 424
  133. 128 [Statement about the Merzbau] (1933) 426
  134. 129 [Excerpts from letters to Susanna Freudenthal- Lutter about the Merzbau] 428
  135. 130 [Excerpt from a letter to Susanna Freudenthal- Lutter about landscape painting] (July 1935 432
  136. 131 The Work of Art (ca. 1937– 40) 433
  137. 132 Impressionism/Expressionism (ca. 1937– 40) 434
  138. 133 The Tin Palm Tree (July 1937 435
  139. 134 [I once saw a famous singer in a fi lm . . .] (December 1937) 437
  140. 135 [Anyone who wants to write about people . . .] (December 1937) 438
  141. 136 Sheet 1. For My New Studio (April 1938 439
  142. 137 Sheet 2 (April 1938 440
  143. 138 Merz (April 1938) 442
  144. 139 [I fi rst saw the light of the world in the year 1887 . . .] (June 1938) 445
  145. 140 [Once we realize that, basically, everything is futile . . .] (after 16 December 1939 449
  146. 141 Truth (ca. 1930s) 450
  147. 142 Art (January 1940) 451
  148. 143 Mixing of Artistic Genres (ca. 1940) 453
  149. 144 Theory in Painting (January 1940) 455
  150. 145 Painting (Pure Painting) (October 1940) 456
  151. 146 [The Portrait] (October 1940 458
  152. 147 European Art of the 20th Century (between 17 July 1940 and 22 November 1941 461
  153. 148 [Statement declining membership in the Freier Deutscher Kulturbund] (after November 1941 466
  154. 149 Abstract Art (after November 1941) 468
  155. 150 Material and Aims (after November 1941) 469
  156. 151 [Kurt Schwitters] (after November 1941) 470
  157. 152 The Origin of Merz (after November 1941) 471
  158. 153 [Kurt Schwitters] (after November 1941) 474
  159. 154 [Renaissance] (after 30 October 1945) 475
  160. 155 [Answers to a questionnaire for La savoir vivre] (1946) 476
  161. 156 Key for Reading Sound Poems (September 1946) 477
  162. 157 My Art and My Life (ca. 1946– 47 479
  163. Acknowledgments 481
  164. Notes 483
  165. Index 533
https://doi.org/10.7208/9780226678276-040

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter i
  2. Contents v
  3. List of Illustrations ix
  4. An Introduction to Merz- Thought xiii
  5. A Note to the Reader xxvii
  6. 1 The Problem of Abstract Art. First Attempt (June– August 1910) 1
  7. 2 Problem of Pure Painting. 2nd Attempt. 1. Beginning (before December 1910) 14
  8. 3 Materials for My Work on the Problem of Pure Painting. 3rd Attempt (November 1910) 15
  9. 4 2nd Beginning to the Problem of Pure Painting. 2nd Attempt (December 1910– January 1911) 17
  10. 5 Abstract Painting. 1918. A. (February 1918) 23
  11. 6 Merz- Painting (July/November 1919) 24
  12. 7 A Solid Article: A Wienerization in Sturm (August 1919 25
  13. 8 The Merz- Theater / To All the Theaters of the World (1919) 27
  14. 9 Artists’ Right to Self- Determination (1919) 31
  15. 10 Thou Me, I Thee, We Mine (and Sun Infi nity Thin Out the Stars) (December 1919) 33
  16. 11 Nothing Kills Quicker Than Ridicule (February 1920) 36
  17. 12 Berliner Börsenkukukunst (February 1920) 38
  18. 13 Tran Number 7. General Amnesty for My Hannoverian Critics in the Style of Merz (April 1920) 40
  19. 14 What Art Is: A Guide for Great Critics (April 1920) 44
  20. 15 Statement (April 1920) 46
  21. 16 [I divide my poetry into three types . . .] (April 1920) 47
  22. 17 Hannover (June 1920) 49
  23. 18 Extension (June 1920) 50
  24. 19 Tran Number 11. German Popular Criticism, the Criticism of Reconstruction (August 1920) 53
  25. 20 Tran No. 12. Criticism as Artwork (September 1920) 56
  26. 21 Tran Number 13. The Private Scouring Cloth: Contribution to a Phenomenology of Critical Enjoyment (October 1920) 58
  27. 22 Tran No. 14. Dr. Frog Starves the Intellect (October 1920) 61
  28. 23 Tran Number 16. Life on Blind Feet (December 1920) 63
  29. 24 Kurt Schwitters (1920) 65
  30. 25 Tran Number 17. The Fettered Paul Madsack (December 1920) 68
  31. 26 MERZ (Written for the Ararat, 19 December 1920) (January 1921) 69
  32. 27 Tran No. 15. The Average Phenomenon with Clear Eyes (January 1921) 77
  33. 28 Why I Am Dissatisfi ed with Oil Painting (January 1921) 80
  34. 29 Tran 18 (February 1921) 81
  35. 30 Evening Reading (ca. February 1921) 83
  36. 31 My Views on the Value of Criticism (for the Ararat) (May 1921) 84
  37. 32 Cleanliness (for People Who Don’t Know It Yet) (May 1921 86
  38. 33 Tran 19 (August 1921) 87
  39. 34 Castle and Cathedral with Courtyard Fountain (1922) 91
  40. 35 Tran 21. Speech at the Grave of Leo Rein (in the Berliner Börsenzeitung 547 on 27 November 1921) (January 1922 93
  41. 36 Tragedy. Tran No. 22, against Dr. Weygandt, PhD and MD (May 1922) 95
  42. 37 i (A Manifesto) (May 1922 122
  43. 38 Tran No. 26 (1922) 123
  44. 39 Tran 23 (September 1922 124
  45. 40 Introduction to Tran No. 30: Auguste Bolte (1923) 127
  46. 41 The Self- Overcoming of Dada (January 1923) 128
  47. 42 [Introduction to Merz 1. Holland Dada] (January 1923) 131
  48. 43 Dadaism in Holland (January 1923) 132
  49. 44 [Editorial note to Vilmos Huszár, Mechanische Dansfiguur] (January 1923 139
  50. 45 Style (ca. January– April 1923 140
  51. 46 i (April 1923) 141
  52. 47 WAR (April 1923) 152
  53. 48 War (April 1923) 153
  54. 49 Manifesto Proletarian Art (April 1923) 154
  55. 50 From the World: “MERZ” (April– June 1923) 156
  56. 51 Banalities (3) (July 1923) 167
  57. 52 dada complet. 1 (July 1923) 169
  58. 53 Banalities (4) / [Tristan Tzara] (July 1923) 170
  59. 54 DADA NEWS (July 1923 172
  60. 55 WATCH YOUR STEP! (October 1923) 173
  61. 56 Merz (1924) 177
  62. 57 i (January 1924) 178
  63. 58 DADA COMPLET No. 2. / TRAN 50 (January 1924) 180
  64. 59 Dadaists (January 1924) 183
  65. 60 [Advertisement for Merz 8/9. Nasci] (January 1924) 186
  66. 61 Tran 35. Dada Is a Hypothesis (March 1924) 188
  67. 62 Rigorous Poetry (June 1924) 192
  68. 63 Dadaism (1924) 196
  69. 64 National Feeling (August 1924 199
  70. 65 The Westheim Threat, Again (December 1924) 201
  71. 66 National Art (1925) 202
  72. 67 [What Is Madness?] (ca. mid- 1920s) 203
  73. 68 Theses on Typography (1925) 204
  74. 69 [The Standard Merz Stage] (1925) 206
  75. 70 STANDARD MERZ STAGE (July 1925) 207
  76. 71 Religion or Socialism (July 1925) 209
  77. 72 STANDARD MERZ STAGE (Some Practical Suggestions.) (July 1925) 211
  78. 73 The ABC of the Standard Merz Stage (July 1925) 214
  79. 74 Language (November 1925) 215
  80. 75 Standard Stage by Kurt Schwitters (December 1925) 218
  81. 76 Gut Garkau (ca. late 1925/early 1926) 224
  82. 77 FANTASTIC THOUGHTS (ca. 1926 226
  83. 78 Art and the Times (March 1926) 228
  84. 79 The New Architecture in Germany (March 1926) 232
  85. 80 Life’s Path (May 1926) 235
  86. 81 Facts from My Life (June 1926) 236
  87. 82 Rhythm in the Work of Art (October 1926) 238
  88. 83 Merz- Book (October 1926) 239
  89. 84 Standard Stage (October 1926) 241
  90. 85 My Merz and My Monster Merz: Model Marketplace at Sturm (October 1926) 243
  91. 86 Call It Coincidence (ca. mid- 1920s 245
  92. 87 The Artist and His Titles (1926) 247
  93. 88 Merz 20. Kurt Schwitters Catalogue (1927) 248
  94. 89 [Ella Bergmann- Michel] (March 1927) 257
  95. 90 [Letter to Wassily Kandinsky] (April 1927) 259
  96. 91 Elementary Knowledge in Painting (ca. 1927) 263
  97. 92 Style or Form- Creation (1927 269
  98. 93 typography and orthography: lowercase (ca. 1927) 271
  99. 94 Sensation (July 1927) 272
  100. 95 Front against Fronta: Afterword to the Foreword of Fronta (July– August 1927) 274
  101. 96 Proposals for a Systematic Typeface (August– September 1927 276
  102. 97 Sense of Duty (September 1927) 285
  103. 98 Stuttgart, The Home— Werkbund Exhibition (October 1927) 286
  104. 99 My Sonata in Ur- Sounds (November 1927) 293
  105. 100 Kitsch and Dilettantism (December 1927) 297
  106. 101 Good or Bad Fortune (December 1927) 298
  107. 102 On Greek Temples (April 1928) 299
  108. 103 Appearance (ca. spring 1928) 303
  109. 104 Third Prague Letter (May 1928) 305
  110. 105 The New Architecture in Celle: The Architect Otto Haesler (August 1928) 307
  111. 106 Form- Creating Typography (September 1928) [ 311
  112. 107 Modern Advertising (October 1928 315
  113. 108 Werkbund Congress in Munich, 1928 (November 1928) 318
  114. 109 Stories That Have Run Their Course (November 1928) 323
  115. 110 Revue by Three Reviewed (December 1928) 325
  116. 111 [Review of Hans Hildebrandt, Woman as Artist] (December 1928) 328
  117. 112 Hannover and the Abstract Room by Lissitzky (April 1929) 330
  118. 113 About Me by Myself (May 1929) [332] Originally published in English, translator unknown 332
  119. 114 A Layman’s Judgment of New Architecture (June 1929) 335
  120. 115 The Style of the Age and the Dammerstock Housing Estate (September 1929) 337
  121. 116 Facts from My Life (December 1929) 340
  122. 117 [The art of today is a strange thing . . .] (March 1930) 343
  123. 118 the ring neue werbegestalter (1930) 344
  124. 119 Advertising Design (1930) 345
  125. 120 Form- Creation in Typography (February and April 1930) 380
  126. 121 Painting (ca. late 1920s/early 1930s) 396
  127. 122 On the Uniform Design of Print Materials (1930) 399
  128. 123 Kurt Schwitters (1930) 406
  129. 124 [The Big E is fi nished . . .] (ca. 1930– 33) 413
  130. 125 Myself and My Aims (1931 414
  131. 126 [We know the Doesburg of “Stijl” . . .] (June 1931/January 1932) 422
  132. 127 merz- paintings (1932) 424
  133. 128 [Statement about the Merzbau] (1933) 426
  134. 129 [Excerpts from letters to Susanna Freudenthal- Lutter about the Merzbau] 428
  135. 130 [Excerpt from a letter to Susanna Freudenthal- Lutter about landscape painting] (July 1935 432
  136. 131 The Work of Art (ca. 1937– 40) 433
  137. 132 Impressionism/Expressionism (ca. 1937– 40) 434
  138. 133 The Tin Palm Tree (July 1937 435
  139. 134 [I once saw a famous singer in a fi lm . . .] (December 1937) 437
  140. 135 [Anyone who wants to write about people . . .] (December 1937) 438
  141. 136 Sheet 1. For My New Studio (April 1938 439
  142. 137 Sheet 2 (April 1938 440
  143. 138 Merz (April 1938) 442
  144. 139 [I fi rst saw the light of the world in the year 1887 . . .] (June 1938) 445
  145. 140 [Once we realize that, basically, everything is futile . . .] (after 16 December 1939 449
  146. 141 Truth (ca. 1930s) 450
  147. 142 Art (January 1940) 451
  148. 143 Mixing of Artistic Genres (ca. 1940) 453
  149. 144 Theory in Painting (January 1940) 455
  150. 145 Painting (Pure Painting) (October 1940) 456
  151. 146 [The Portrait] (October 1940 458
  152. 147 European Art of the 20th Century (between 17 July 1940 and 22 November 1941 461
  153. 148 [Statement declining membership in the Freier Deutscher Kulturbund] (after November 1941 466
  154. 149 Abstract Art (after November 1941) 468
  155. 150 Material and Aims (after November 1941) 469
  156. 151 [Kurt Schwitters] (after November 1941) 470
  157. 152 The Origin of Merz (after November 1941) 471
  158. 153 [Kurt Schwitters] (after November 1941) 474
  159. 154 [Renaissance] (after 30 October 1945) 475
  160. 155 [Answers to a questionnaire for La savoir vivre] (1946) 476
  161. 156 Key for Reading Sound Poems (September 1946) 477
  162. 157 My Art and My Life (ca. 1946– 47 479
  163. Acknowledgments 481
  164. Notes 483
  165. Index 533
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