The term “art” has been understood for centuries to be the portrayal or imitation of surfacely beautiful or significant objects. But the modern definition of art is regarded as any product of imagination or creativity; some examples include paintings, sculptures, photography, installations, performances, and even memes that we express as communications.

In this case, developments of the definition of art itself can be seen explicitly throughout history. There have certainly been some objections to the traditional idea in terms of the displays of art, and the movement of Dadaism is one of the most influential of them.

Afflicted by the beliefs of cubism, expressionism, and futurism that had risen by the mid-1910s, the Dada movement was founded by refugee intellectuals and artists.They believed that World War I called into question all facets of a society’s  artistic endeavors, with the hope to eliminate established artistic ideals and replace them with new ones.

And that movement arose in response to the inner upheaval caused by World War I.  Due to similar conditions in recent years, its applications may be revived. The unpredictable events that happened in the year during 2020 and 2021, such as COVID-19, the Capitol Riot, and the Black Lives Matter movement indicated that life has become uncertain for many people like those in World War I.

Tremendous memes have been created to reveal objections, specifically the rising protests upon those tragedies on social media. It is important to consider memes as a neo-Dadaist art movement that, in some ways, represents the identity of the current generation. They all saw no end to the craziness, and so do we, the people who experienced the year 2020. Within the factors surrounding the widespread use of social media and perspectives of different individuals, it’s difficult to discuss the rebirth of the Dada art movement without including meme culture.

However, when memes inspire action and protests, their “entertainment” value may be limited, which was included in accordance with the modern definition of art. By exemplifying a trend and pop art, it serves as a Dada descendent that opens a new perception to people.

Arcadia High School (AHS) sophomore Chloe Liewald sees memes as a “humor and easier  translation” of “certain serious topics or art” especially during the pandemic time when “everyone feels isolated.”

In addition, AHS sophomore Andrea Garcia indicates memes are included in art.

“Memes, especially the humorous [ones], express their sense of humor to connect to other people,” Garcia stated. “You can convert a meme into something educational by using funny pictures and captions to get your point across. And all of those pop cultures are a part of art.”

The underlying desire of Dada artists was to subvert societal standards and purposely create art that shocks, confuses, or outrages people. By establishing more pop arts and modernized implicit objections, it is crucial to recognize Dadaism as a major movement that influences the way people react with social events in modern days.

Photo Courtesy of WIKIMEDIA COMMONS