Ambassade de Suisse au Japon
Dada Festival Tokyo
Dada100.jp
Ambassade de Suisse au Japon
Ambassade de Suisse au Japon
Dada turns 100….
One February evening in 1916, Cabaret Voltaire was
born in Zurich with a primal scream that still
resonates today: «Dada, Dada, Dada». Tristan Tzara,
Hans Arp, Hugo Ball, Emmy Hennings, Marcel Janco,
Sophie Taeuber and Richard Huelsenbeck roared,
danced, sang and stomped «Dada».
From that point onward, Cabaret Voltaire evolved
into a melting pot of nationalities, art genres and
styles. Dada was hypermodern, provocative,
inventive and dissolved the boundaries that
separated life from art. By the beginning
of the 1920s, Dada had become a worldwide
network.
By way of their «movement international» and
«world congresses», the protagonists occupied and
roamed through the world’s big cities with the aim of
turning the globe into a branch of Dadaism. Dada
became avant-garde’s primal expression without
which surrealism, pop art, Fluxus, mail art or punk
would not have seen the light of day and which
continues to galvanize artists, writers and designers
to this very day.
The movement also reached the shores of Japan. A
prominent dada group was «Mavo», founded in July
1923 by Tomoyoshi Murayama and Masamu Yanase.
Other prominent artists were Jun Tsuji, Eisuke
Yoshiyuki, Shinkichi Takahashi and Katsue Kitasono.
The 100 years anniversary of the birth of Dadaism
will be celebrated around the world. In Japan, various
cultural institutions, including Super Deluxe, Spiral,
Image Forum and Dommune are planning to mark
the occasion with special activities and events in July
2016.
www.dada100.jp
source: www.dada100zuerich2016.ch
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Dadaism, key Dates:
 5. February 1916
Opening of the Cabaret Voltaire, known as the birthplace of Dadaism, with artists from all
over Europe, including Tristan Tzara, Hans Arp, Hugo Ball, Emmy Hennings, Marcel Janco,
Sophie Taeuber and Richard Huelsenbeck. From that point onward, Cabaret Voltaire
evolved into a melting pot of nationalities, art genres and styles.

14 July 1916
First «Dada» evening, Dada Manifesto recited by Hugo Ball.

From 1918
After the fighting of the First World War had ended, most of the Zürich Dadaists returned
to their home countries, and some began Dada activities in other cities. By the beginning
of the 1920s, Dada had become a worldwide network.

July 1923
The movement reaches the shores of Japan. Dada group «Mavo», founded by Tomoyoshi
Murayama and Masamu Yanase. Other prominent artists were Jun Tsuji, Eisuke Yoshiyuki,
Shinkichi Takahashi and Katsue Kitasono.

2004
Reopening of the Cabaret Voltaire as an Art space in ist original location in Zürich

2016
100 years anniversary
Ambassade de Suisse au Japon
Dada Anniversary in Japan:
Objective:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Inspire the public and the Japanese art scene with the ideas of Dadaism in a positive, thoughtful
and humorful way
Focus not only on the past but also on the relevance of the movement today
Highlight the Japanese contribution to the Dada movement
Bring together artists and art institutions to collaborate on the Dada theme

Open to all institutions, artists and art spaces, each on their own initiative

Common communication efforts/ joint program
Role of the Embassy:
Coordination and promotional support. Design a platform to communicate the Dada anniversary.
Allow people to experience a piece of Zurich in Tokyo in the form of a recreated “Cabaret Voltaire”.
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Project partners
(as of January 2016)
Curation:
Each partner institutions’ own curation teams
Yukiko Shikata, Director AMIT
Academic advice:
Prof. Toshiharu Omuka, Tsukuba University
Prof. Fumi Tsukahara, Director Waseda
Museum
Juri Steiner, Director, dada100zuerich
Partner institutions:
Super Deluxe
Image Forum
Dommune
Spiral
Waseda University
Tsukuba University
Watari museum of Art
Institut français Tokyo
Coordination and communication support:
Culture & Press section, Embassy of
Switzerland in Japan
Sponsors:
Presence Suisse
…
Graphic design:
so+ba (Alex Sonderegger, Susanna Baer)
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Anniversary Events in Japan:
March 1, 2016:
Reception at the Residence of the Ambassador of
Switzerland with Experts, Museum Directors and Curators,
Artists and Media representatives. Announcement of the
public events.
April 2016:
Press conference, promotional activities. Radio shows at
Dommune.
July 2016:
Dada Festival
Various activities and events open to the public
Experience the Cabaret Voltaire at Super Deluxe Tokyo
Talk events, performances and workshops at verious
location including Spiral Hall, Zou-no-hana, Institut français Tokyo
Film screenings at Images Forum
Exhibition and symposium at Waseda University
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Experience the Cabaret Voltaire in Tokyo
•
The art space « Super-deluxe », which is located in Roppongi in the center of Tokyo, will be
transformed to recreate the atmosphere of the original « Cabaret Voltaire » from 12 to 18 July
2016.
•
Super Deluxe is a well-established and well respected art space which activities are in many
ways inspired by the spirit of Dadaism.
•
It will be one of the central spaces of the Dada Festival in Japan and will be decorated
accordingly.
•
The program will feature performances inspired by the origins of Dada and “Mavo” and original
performances by contemporary artists. There will be space for spontaneous artistic interaction,
performances, workshops and poetry.
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The Cabaret Voltaire on Spiegelgasse 1 in Zurich
photographed around 1930. In 2004, the cabaret reopened
with the support of the Zurich population as an art space
with an extensive program of events.
Hugo Ball in costume at the Cabaret Voltaire
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The Cabaret Voltaire as it is today
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Sponsorship of the “Dada Festival Tokyo”
The 100 anniversary of Dadaism is an unique opportunity to celebrate the legacy of the first truly
international art movement, which to this day inspires artists around the world. The Dada festival aims at
inspiring the Japanese art scene and highlighting where it all started: in Zurich’s multicultural art scene.
The Dada Festival Tokyo will also be a platform to build relationships with the up-and-coming cultural
leaders of the Japanese creative scene.
To realize this ambitions project, we are seeking sponsors for the communication efforts and to support
the various activities planned. Sponsors will benefit from a wide visibility through various channels. In
addition to the usual advertisements, there are many original ways in which a brand can be featured and
contribute to the festival, including initiating workshops, costume parties or presenting products at the
festival venues.
Ambassade de Suisse au Japon
Sponsorship of the “Dada Festival Tokyo”
Depending on the size of grant, Sponsors will benefit from:
 Advertisement on the Dada Festival program (10,000 copies or more, to be distributed for free at
various venues in Tokyo).
 Your company’s logo will be put on printed announcements (flyers, invitations, catalogues).
 Your company’s logo will be put up on the wall of the entrance area of the venue .
 Your company’s name and logo will be displayed on the official website.
 Your company will be mentioned in all pre/post-event official newsletters.
 Sponsors can use the term “sponsor of the Dada Festival Tokyo”.
 Your products will be sold at venues.
Contact for Sponsorship of “Dada Festival”:
Culture & Press section
Embassy of Switzerland in Japan
5-9-12 Minami Azabu, Minato-ku
Tokyo 106-8589
Japan
Tel.: +81 3 5449 8437 (direct)
Fax: +81 3 3473 6090
[email protected],ch
Embassy of Switzerland in Japan
Tomoyoshi Murayama , one of the key figures of the
japanese «Mavo» mouvement
Self-Portrait of Swiss dada artist Sophie Taeuber-Arp
with Dada-head. Taeuber is considered as one of the
most important artists of geometric abstraction of the
20th century and is featured on the Swiss 50-franc note.
（Nic Aluf Studio, 1920, Courtesy of the Foundation Arp）
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