Kurt Schwitters

Directly affected by the depressed state of Germany following World War I, and the modernist ethos of the Dada movement, Kurt Schwitters began to collect garbage from the streets and incorporate it directly into his art work. The resulting collages were characterized by their especially harmonious, sentimental arrangements and their incorporation of printed media. He produced artistic journals, illustrated works, and advertisements, as well as founding his own Merz journal. His multiple avant-garde efforts culminated in his large merzbau creations—collaborations with other avant-garde artists that started with one object to which others were added, causing the whole piece to change and evolve over time, growing to great proportions that forced the viewer to actually experience, rather than simply view, the art. Text courtesy of The Art Story