Mz. 252. Colored Squares

1919

First solo exhibition at Der Sturm

His first solo exhibition opens at the Der Sturm gallery in Berlin in June 1919; together with the poem published that August, it makes him a well-known artist by the end of the year.

August 1919

The poem ‘An Anna Blume’ is published

The Dadaist, nonsensical love poem ‘An Anna Blume’ is published in August 1919, with the word ‘Dada’ on its cover.

from 1920

His work is regularly shown in the United States

Thanks to his lifelong patron and friend Katherine Dreier, his work is exhibited regularly in the United States from 1920 onwards.

1920s

Lecture and recital tours across Europe

Together with other members of the international avant-garde — Jean Arp, Raoul Hausmann and Tristan Tzara — he organises and takes part in tours of provocative evening recitals and lectures in Czechoslovakia, the Netherlands and Germany.

1922–1923

Dada evenings in the Netherlands with Van Doesburg

In 1922 Theo van Doesburg organises Dada performances in Amsterdam, Leiden, Utrecht and The Hague: the Dadaists he invites decline, and the programme is carried by Theo van Doesburg, Nelly van Doesburg (performing as Petrò van Doesburg), Schwitters and sometimes Vilmos Huszár. Schwitters’s solo evening takes place on 13 April 1923 in Drachten, where he later stays often with the local painter Thijs Rinsema and makes collages, probably together with him.

1923–1932

Publishes the periodical ‘Merz’

The periodical appears from 1923 to 1932, each issue devoted to a central theme: no. 5 (1923) is a portfolio of prints by Jean Arp, and double issue 8/9 (1924) is edited and typeset by El Lissitzky, whose friendship proves particularly influential and brings Schwitters’s pictures closer to Constructivism. In all, 21 issues appeared; by numbering, the last is no. 24.