34 Comments
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Stories Sown With Hope's avatar

This definitely creates absurd situations! What a fun writing method!

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Kye Merrick's avatar

I love the way you frame that—saying Tzara’s Wikipedia page would cure the worst insomniac instead of just saying it would put you to sleep. Also, I’ve been thinking about how Dadaism, which inspired Surrealism, really feels like one of the key inspirations for today’s shock art. The way Dada challenged norms and embraced absurdity seems to have paved the way for the provocative and often confrontational nature of modern shock art.

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Angela Marrant's avatar

Yes, it has been called 'artistic anarchy' by many... And as you said, Dada's primary purpose was to shock, confuse, and challenge the social norms of society, art, and, of course, war.

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Vince Roman's avatar

Love Dadaismne

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Angela Marrant's avatar

Yeah, Dada is cool :))

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Krspeace's avatar

I lived in Romania for 20 years and never heard of Tristan Tzara. So glad I came across this. The 9 phrase writing is cool as well! Thanks

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Angela Marrant's avatar

Haha 😆 no way! I guess they love Dracula more :) I think they have an exhibition in the National Museum (or at least a room) for Tzara - as an avant-garde poet :))

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Dan Cushnie's avatar

Fantastic. I'm so glad I found your blog. I've literally just finished reading a chapter I started on Dadaism. So, it's funny that you quoted my post earlier because it's on a very tenuously related subject to Dadaism. I'm reading Make it Modern by Brandon Taylor. Terribly expensive but worth every penny.

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Angela Marrant's avatar

And thank you Dan ✌️💥🌟

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Angela Marrant's avatar

Yes, what a coincidence..😁 :) I have had a long “lifetime” fascination with Dadaism since my school years. I haven't read the book you mentioned, but I've just looked it up, and it seems interesting :)

Well, share your insights with us later!!

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Dan Cushnie's avatar

It's always been one of those aspects of modern art that I've had a vague understand of, so I'm glad to be getting to know it better now. It's fascinating how Cubism developed, and then Futurism, and then Dada.... Apparentlt Surrealism comes next in the book.

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Angela Marrant's avatar

Now I want to read it… 😂

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Dan Cushnie's avatar

Good! 😊

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Mariella Hunt's avatar

This is fascinating! I am so tempted to grab some books right now and try it! Thanks for sharing!

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Angela Marrant's avatar

Cool :) no rush... Now when you know how to do that - and its usually fun!

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John Saleeby's avatar

This is great. Just the kind of thing I should be thinking instead of what I have been thinking of. I have been working on a longer writing thing all the while I have been posting silly little things on Substack and all this is very useful. Thank You Very Much!

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Angela Marrant's avatar

I'm glad you find it helpful :) You can always adapt it as you wish… It's a fun method and never boring!

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Jeffrey Cummins's avatar

I ran into some of these ideas on languageisavirus. Also, I am a fan of Anthony Burgess. I even saw him being interviewed on the Dick Cavett show. Wonderfully asbsurd.

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Angela Marrant's avatar

That's cool :)) So, it's not so new to you… I'm glad someone heard about it, because not so many knew about Dada and Tristan when I mentioned him here

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Jeffrey Cummins's avatar

Well, I heard about it through Tom Philips and Williams S. Burroughs. Good ideas keep coming back. Besides, it's fun and virtually anyone can do some form of it. Weren't the Dadaists the ones who would type a sentence--story write by group--and someone else would write the new sentence? Didn't they come up with this form for a sentence challenge: The exquisite corpse will drink the new wine.

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Angela Marrant's avatar

yes I think so, I've heard about it... its also a fun approach, but it works mostly in creative groups or school:))

Good ideas are immortal, true :))

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Jeffrey Cummins's avatar

Thank you for sharing

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Daniel's avatar

Very interesting, thanks for sharing. My family were Romanian Jews, they came from the same place as Mila Kunis. The situation in Romania was so bad for Jews that an American ambassador in the 19th century attempted to have them all relocated to America. Here’s a link to the history for all interested. https://youtu.be/rVoj317Ovkw?si=CSzfh32IgWzAyT4R

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Angela Marrant's avatar

Thank you :) that's interesting additional information…I’ll check your video link 👋

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Man In Back's avatar

Who doesn't have a friend who could use more fun in their life, Angela? Asking for a friend...You are my Dora Maar and more, dear, for the day.

That was fun! That was quick! That is probably the length, (breath), and depth of today's post. Day 4, out the door and into the surreal...

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David MacGregor's avatar

For my current book

I am using something like

20 books an hour

Max five hours of book recycling

Repeat each day

I pick up scraps

And copy them

Onto my pages

Schopenhauer

Apparently

Had a problem

With Hegel

But that isn't

today's

Chapter

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Suzi Hammond's avatar

I’m going to leave the iron gates open & give it a whirl!

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WS Ribelin's avatar

Well, this sounds amazing! I'll have to give it a try when I have more time to fart around.

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John Duffy's avatar

This was great. I recall William Burroughs using what he called “the cut-up method” with words and even letters. But this sounds more robust. And a great use of all these books I have!

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Angela Marrant's avatar

Thank you, John! :) I agree that our home libraries are a great source for Tristan Tzara writing method, especially when we're stuck or out of ideas. I've been using this method for many years, so I guess I'm somewhat of a PRO 😄 It’s a lot of 🎢 fun… and William Burroughs was also a huge fan of it :)

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Misty Violet's avatar

Oh, this looks fun. Saving to try later!!

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Angela Marrant's avatar

great, thank you :)) have fun with it...

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Peter Shull's avatar

Super fun--and your results are very good!

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