The term Merz originated from a fragment of the name Commerz Und Privatbank, which Kurt Schwitters incorporated into a collage in 1918. Born in Hanover in 1887, Schwitters became a multifaceted creator, working as a painter, sculptor, writer, composer, and graphic designer while navigating the volatile artistic landscape of early twentieth-century Germany through his unique approach to assemblage.
Early Development and the War Years
Schwitters studied at the Dresden Academy from 1909 to 1915 before returning to Hanover. His initial creative efforts were rooted in Post-Impressionism, though his style shifted toward expressionism as the First World War progressed. Exempted from military service until 1917 due to epilepsy, he spent the later years of the conflict working as a factory drafter. This industrial experience proved formative, as he began to perceive mechanical components as abstract metaphors for human activity.
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The collapse of the German state in 1918 catalyzed a radical transition in his methodology. Abandoning academic traditions, he began constructing art from discarded fragments and found objects. His 1919 one-man exhibition at the Der Sturm gallery in Berlin and the publication of his Dadaist poem An Anna Blume established his reputation. While he moved in circles that included figures like Raoul Hausmann and Jean Arp, he maintained independence, focusing on his own Merz philosophy rather than formalizing membership within the Berlin Dada group.
Artistic Legacy and Exile
Schwitters continued his creative output across diverse fields, including his complex sculptural installation known as the Merzbau and the sound poem Ursonate. Following his exile from Germany in 1937, he lived in Norway and later moved to the United Kingdom, where he spent his final years in the Lake District. He remained active as an artist until his death in 1948 in Kendal. He was eventually buried at the Engesohde city cemetery in Hanover.
Fast facts
- Born: 1887, Hanover
- Died: 1948, Ambleside
- Citizenship: Germany, Norway, United Kingdom
- Primary Movement: Dada
- Key Works: An Anna Blume, Ursonate, Merzbau
- Member of: Deutscher Werkbund
- Occupations: Artist, writer, composer, graphic designer
Questions readers ask
What does the term Merz mean?
It was a term coined by Schwitters after he discovered a fragment of the phrase Commerz Und Privatbank in one of his own collage works.
Where did Kurt Schwitters spend his final years?
After leaving Germany in 1937, he lived in Norway and eventually relocated to the United Kingdom, residing in the Lake District.
Achievements
- Notable work: Merzbau
- Notable work: An Anna Blume
- Notable work: Ursonate
- Movement: Dada