Georges Ribermont-Dessaignes (1884-1974) was a French multi-talented artist, most famous for his writing and art. Ribermont-Dessaignes was affiliated with the Dada movement, a collection of Modernist artists who used their work and performances as a reaction to World War I and nationalism. The movement had many platforms from performance art to photography. They were influenced by other genres in modernism such as Futurism, Cubism, Expression and Constructivism.
Description from museum: “In Ribemont-Dessaignes’s machine pictures, painted gears, shafts, and wires create osbscure contraptions suggesting that the forces of production have run amok.” When I first saw painting, its abstract fashion is what drew me. However, I was even more interested after reading the portion of the aforementioned description. It reminded of the argument of modern technology and the worries of artificial intelligence. “the forces of production have run amok,” is basically the fear of the advancement of technology in our generation, and the fact that this painting’s meaning is extremely similar to our worries now, when it was painted a little over 100 years ago is eye opening.
Modernism is a form of deviance, being that it was against social norms. Dadaism rejected the aestheticism of a capitalistic society, making them activists in their own right.
Even though the painting, which was influenced by Dadaism, is in opposition to World War I and nationalism, the significance is still relevant.
The painting looks like the blue print of an unorganized, unidentifiable machine. To me, it looked like a mockery to technological advancements at the time. Technology such as the Bell’s vacuum amplifier which enabled long distanced calling from coast to coast in the U.S.
What does each particular part in the painting mean? Does any of it signify any particular machine or technological advancement that was made at that time? Why is a Hungarian city “Szegedin,” mentioned when Dada was apparently created in Switzerland? Although I can identify portions of the painting, the magic question is what does it all mean?
Rolando, You have chosen an interesting work and make some great observations about how this painting is connected to larger cultural and political critiques being made by Modernism during this period. I love the idea of technology or capitalism “running amok.” When I first looked at the painting, I thought that the trumpet shape suggested a gramophone or old record player and that that somehow was connected to the work’s title. Like you, I am puzzled and intrigued by the reference to Szegedin! Nice job!
JS