lawrence embraces dada
tim
Highberger's proclamation will celebrate Dadaism
By Chad Lawhorn
Saturday, December 24, 2005
Lawrence residents, pay heed to what your mayor has to say - "zimzim
urallala zimzim urallala zimzim zanzibar zimzalla zam."
No, really.
Mayor Boog Highberger wants to awaken Lawrence to the wacky world of
Dadaism, an early 20th century art movement that embraced chance, randomness
and nonsense. On Tuesday, Highberger will proclaim International Dadaism
Month at the city's weekly commission meeting.
As part of the proclamation, Highberger will utter the "zimzim" phrase, from
a poem by Dada founder Hugo Ball, the late German author and poet. The words
have no meaning, which Highberger said is the point.
"I just think it is good to acknowledge that there is a place for chance and
nonsense in every healthy lifestyle," Highberger said.
Confused yet?
Dadaism - more frequently called Dada - was an international art movement
started during World War I in Zurich, Switzerland. Most scholars generally
agree that the movement - with its art that often featured random shapes and
images and its poetry that made use of nonsensical phrases - was started to
express the confusion felt by many as World War I raged, leaving carnage in
its wake.
Mayor Boog Highberger will proclaim International Dadaism Month at the city's
weekly commission meeting Tuesday.
Mayor Boog Highberger will proclaim International Dadaism Month at the city's
weekly commission meeting Tuesday.
'Lawrence is the place'
In Dada spirit, Highberger did not select a specific month to celebrate
Dada. Instead he's proclaiming International Dada month as Feb. 4, April 1,
March 28, July 15, Aug. 2, Aug. 7, Aug. 16, Aug. 26, Sept. 18, Sept. 22,
Oct. 1, Oct. 17 and Oct. 26. Highberger selected the dates by rolling dice
and pulling numbers from a hat.
John Pultz, an associate professor of art history at Kansas University, said
the idea of a government celebrating Dada is an interesting one.
"If any place in Kansas is going to do it, Lawrence would be the place to do
it," Pultz said.
At first, Pultz said he wasn't quite sure what to make of the idea of a
proclamation, but then upon further reflection he said today's world might
need a dose of Dada.
"I could almost see a reason to do this to bring some levity into all the
polarization that is going on in our world today," Pultz said, mentioning
the sharply divided opinions on the war in Iraq and the debate over
evolution. "It is almost like it is kind of an unhappy time."
So, did Pultz hit on Highberger's motivation? Not exactly.
"I wish I was that profound," Highberger said.
The mayor also said he wasn't trying to make a political statement about the
war in Iraq, though he is interested in the parallels between today's times
and Dada's birth in World War I.
Highberger said his motivation isn't quite as complicated.
"It might just be a prank," Highberger said.
Joel Olson
In Kansas, they take their nonsense seriously.
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I continue to believe that the worthy Scrooge had a good point when he described the
season's activities as "humbug", and that he should not have been persuaded to change
his mind by that layabout Cratchit family. - J. Copeland
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