Jean Arp

In 1916, Hans Arp (1886–1966) was invited by Hugo Ball to take part in the Cabaret Voltaire at Spiegelgasse 1 in Zurich. This now iconic occasion marked the birth of Dadaism, as well as the beginnings of a long-overdue creative breakthrough for Arp. Ovi Bimba explores these early years of Arp’s practice, focusing on his time in Zurich during the birth of Dada and looking at his Dada drawings, sculptures, prints, collaborations and book covers, through to his sculptures of the 1940s and 1950s. It also contextualizes these works alongside those of Arp’s fellow artists, including his wife, Sophie Taeuber-Arp, and Kurt Schwitters. Featuring texts by renowned Dada scholar Juri Steiner, archival photographs from Arp’s Dada years and more than 100 color plates, Ovi Bimba is a beautifully produced and revelatory publication.