Books about Raoul Hausmann

Raoul Hausmann, 1886-1971: Der deutsche Spiesser argert sich (German Edition) by Raoul Hausmann 

(1994)

Raoul Hausmann: Musee d'art moderne de Saint-Etienne, 10 mai-17 juillet 1994, Musee departemental de Rochechouart, 15 novembre-30 decembre 1994 (French Edition) 

by Raoul Hausmann (1994)

Scharfrichter der burgerlichen Seele: Raoul Hausmann in Berlin 1900-1933 : unveroffentlichte Briefe, Texte, Dokumente aus den Kunstler-Archiven der Berlinischen Galerie (German Edition)

 (1998)

Hannah Hoch und Raoul Hausmann: Eine Berliner Dada-Geschichte (Paare) (German Edition) by Karoline Hille (2000)

inspiration

the OPTOPHONE

Not just an artist, Hausmann was an inventor as well, designing machines designed to transform sound into form and vice versa.  Stemming from the opto phonetic series of work came years of trial and error to create the optophone in the 1920's.  The optophone is a device that, by translating printed characters into arbitrary sounds, enables a blind person to interpret printed type.

ABCD

ABCD is a self-portrait as well as an advertisement created in the 20's.  Hausmann's face is a cut out and an announcement of his performance of a phonetic poem he was to do. The letters VOCE, which are italian for voice, appear inside what looks like an ear, and the letters ABCD, a prototypical poem, are clinched in the artist's teeth.

ABCD Hausmann 1920's

photograph of originial

Hausmann's photomontages capture my attention and inspire me.   It is a way to express yourself in a completely different way then painting or drawing.  you're coming up with new ways to arrange already existing images to create something, sometimes, beyond imaginable.

Hausmann and Hoch: Dadda leaders

These videos have a lot of good images of Hausmann and Hoch's work.  Both inspire me because of their barrier breaking ideas and actions and rebellious "dong give a damn what anyone thinks" attitude.  They set out to drop jaws, inspire, and push the limits, and created great works along the way.

montage of Hausmann's work


montage of Hoch's work

Hoch was famous for a lot of her Dadda Dolls.

Opto phonetic poems: Hausmann and more

This link brings you to a video of a modern dadaist poem, and example of what Hausmann was doing with opto phonetic poems.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHr6gWFFa0U&feature=related

august sander, image from one of Hausmann's live Opto phonetic poems

1946 recording of Hausmann's opto phonetic poem

this clip, although recorded in 1946, was a poem from Hausmann's 1918 piece. 
Working at Der Sterm, he got a chance to experience Futurist poetry which possibly played a big role in his direction towards these sound-poems.  He smashed up languages, isolated syllables, re arranged letters, words, sounds, exclamations in different and absurd ways, almost like a new language of sound, but without meaning.  Hausmann created a new, un-familiar and strange accoustic experience for listeners. 
He pushed these sound-poems further by creating what is known as Opto phonetic poster poems.  Hausmann printed the text from these poems on large scale paper.  He gave his sound a visual form.

His most famous poster poem is "fmsbwtozaupggiv-..?mu".  created in 1918, and recited at a Prague Dadda soiree in 1921. It is two lines of letters and punctuations, printed and spoken to create a new sound and experience.

Hausmann's famous Opto phonetic poster poem

The Spirit of Our Age

Hausmann manufactured several reliefs and assemblages. His most well known is Der Geist Unserer Zeit - Mechanischer Kopf  which is translated to "The Spirit of Our Age -  Mechanical Head".  Its base is  from a wig-making dummy and includes many utensils used to measure, including a ruler, pocket watch mechanism, typewriter, camera segments and a crocodile wallet.

created in 1920

 Although seemingly simple, the idea of this piece isn't to be complex, but to express Hausmann's thoughts and emotions.  To spark interest, and create controversy.  I see the head as symbolic of the technological advances of his time.  What things were being used on a daily basis and how this technology was possibly consuming peoples' lives.  Much like the i-phone, or computers, or even self parking cars.  He also brought photomontage to a 3-D perspective.