dadadandy.com, an introduction, 2006, Art 37 Basel.
DADADANDY
Dadadandy is born out of a collaboration between Simon Moretti and Paul Heber-Percy. Dadadandy is an artwork, an artist, a place for discussion and a curatorial agency.
DADADANDY, THE NAME
The name dadadandy was taken from a collage by Hannah Hoch, Da-Dandy, 1919, which shows a cluster of female bodies in stylish attire. The bust of a man is described in profile by the overlapping heads and upper bodies of the women modelling the latest fashions taken from glamour magazines of the time.
DADADANDY, THE LOGO
The logo was designed by Smith & Gilmour, London, and was conceived after a number of meetings and discussions about the nature of the internet, exchange and dialogue. The conception of the horse logo was also a way to refer to the origin of the word dada.
DADADANDY.COM
The first project is the creation of a company and website, dadadandy.com. The company functions as an umbrella for many curatorial activities, including the production of new works by artists as well as providing a forum for collaboration, exchange and discussion. The design of the website is by Platform 3, London.
DADADANDY, THE EDITIONS
The dadadandy editions are presented in the form of artists' instructions, or kits, in the spirit of DADA and in the mood of Fluxus boxes and Obrist’s Do It. The instructions range from the very simple to the extremely complex or even physically impossible. They also, in some cases, are instructions to perform an action rather than make an object. The works are produced in small editions. Issued with signed certificates of authenticity they are packaged in archival cloth bound black boxes.
Jonathan Monk, Three Sided Story, 2006.
DADADANDY ARTISTS
Pierre Ardouvin, John Armleder, Piero Golia, Goshka Macuga, Jonathan Monk, Simon Moretti, Jean-François Moriceau & Petra Mrzyk, Joe Scanlan, Vedovamazzei.
DADACHAT
DADACHAT is an area of the website devoted to interviews and dialogue between a number of artists, curators and writers. This is an exciting and important part of the project in that it provides a platform for not only contextualizing the project itself but also further opens up the idea of a fully collaborative venture.
DADADANDY PRESENTATION
Dadadandy's first public appearance will be at Art 37 Basel where a presentation will be made at Art Lobby on the 15th June at 13.30-14.30. as part of the fair’s series of special events. The presentation will include the distribution of the dadadandy biennale bag and a premiere screening of the dadadandy trailer.
DADADANDY BIENNALE BAG
Dadadandy has produced a 1000 cotton biennale bags, such as are given away at major international art events like the Venice Biennale, for catalogues etc. The bags in general have become an object of desire for visitors to such events, like mementoes or souvenirs while simultaneously functioning as subliminal advertising. The dadadandy biennale bag will be given away at ART 37 BASEL. The bag design is based on a Fluxus poster from 1970 for a Flux Amusement Centre event, This new version includes names of the artists participating in the project and information about the Basel presentation and is designed by Secondary Modern, London.
