Illustration for Tristan Tzara's "Vingt-cinq poèmes" 1918

Jean Arp, a prominent figure in the Dadaist movement, created this illustration for Tristan Tzara's "Vingt-cinq poèmes" in 1918. This black and white woodcut demonstrates the core principles of Dadaism: absurdity, chance, and a rejection of artistic conventions. The abstract, almost biomorphic figure, formed through a seemingly random arrangement of lines and shapes, embodies the movement's anti-rational and anti-aesthetic approach. The simplicity of the composition and the use of stark contrast between black and white enhance the artwork's striking and unconventional nature.