THE 'DADASOPH' IS BACK: RAOUL HAUSMANN RETROSPECTIVE

The "Dadasoph" is back: Raoul Hausmann is considered one of the most important multimedia pioneers of the avant-garde, who revolutionized the visual habits of his time with collage, sound art, and photography. This opulent catalogue for the major exhibition in Berlin now pays tribute to the entire body of work of this artist, whose provocative creations are more relevant than ever today.

Vision. Provocation. Dada. – The Major Retrospective at the Berlinische Galerie

Raoul Hausmann (1886–1971). Vision. Provocation. Dada. is a new, comprehensive publication on the work of one of the most radical innovators of the artistic avant-garde. The book, which accompanies the retrospective of the same name at the Berlinische Galerie (November 8, 2025 – March 16, 2026), highlights Hausmann's role as a central forerunner of Modernism who operated against all conventions throughout his life.

His credo, to be "unreservedly honest" in both art and life, made Hausmann a sharp-tongued critic of society and a multimedia artist from the very beginning. The self-proclaimed "Dadasoph" was a co-founder of Berlin Dadaism and developed a wide repertoire of new forms of expression. His work constantly moved at the intersection of visual arts, photography, literature, philosophy, and technology.

The Opulent Exhibition Catalogue with Numerous Essays by International Experts

The publication sheds light on Hausmann's groundbreaking role as a co-inventor of collage and photomontage as well as a pioneer of performative presentations (Happenings). Hausmann is credited with developing synaesthetic devices such as the "Optophone" and positioned himself as an important photography theorist who connected sight with the haptic sense, demanding a "new view of the world." Now, Hausmann's visionary work can be experienced in its entire breadth.

The lavishly designed, 304-page volume brings together numerous essays by international experts from art and literary history, media studies, and psychoanalysis. With over 360 illustrations, the publication presents a multifaceted overview of Raoul Hausmann's astonishingly contemporary work. It spans from early Expressionist works to iconic Dada pieces and the groundbreaking photographic œuvre, all the way to his late work, which is rarely shown and was created in French exile after the artist was defamed as "degenerate" and emigrated.

With this publication, a long-overdue and comprehensive tribute to the complete works of Raoul Hausmann is finally available, underscoring his significance as a pioneer of collage and a founder of many modern art forms.

Header: Raoul Hausmann, OFFEAH, Typographische Anordnung (Plakatgedicht), 1918, © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2025, Repro: © Berlinische Galerie/Anja Elisabeth Witte