Serpentins I

1915–1917

Leading New York Dada with Duchamp

Throughout his three years in New York Picabia mixed closely with avant-garde artists and, together with Marcel Duchamp, headed the New York section of the Dada movement.

1916

Founds the Dada magazine 391

In Barcelona, among a small circle of artists who had fled the war (Gleizes, Marie Laurencin, Robert and Sonia Delaunay), Picabia started his magazine 391, modelled on Stieglitz's periodical, and continued it in the United States with Duchamp's help. Other accounts say it was founded in New York and later published in Zürich and Paris until 1924.

c. 1919

Treatment in Zürich and meeting Tzara

While seeking treatment in Zürich for depression and suicidal impulses, Picabia met Tristan Tzara, whose radical ideas thrilled him. Back in Paris with his mistress Germaine Everling, he found himself among the Dadaists — Breton, Éluard, Soupault and Aragon, who met at Certa, a Basque bar.

15 September 1919

Son born: Vincent Martinez-Picabia

1920

Edits the magazine Cannibale

In 1920 Picabia edited the magazine Cannibale, even more radical than his own review 391.

1921

Renounces Dada

In 1921, having developed an interest in Surrealism, Picabia publicly denounced Dada. Of his changes of course he wrote: “If you want to have clean ideas, change them like shirts.”