Hannah Hoch- Was a key figure in the Berlin Dada movement and also a founder of photomontage, I particularly was drawn to her work because I am intrigued by her collage techniques and processess.  Within my own work I enjoy including a variety of superimposed negatives…..I also began working with photo transfer methods over the summer. Similar to Hoch, I like to fragment photographs on canvases. Hoch exploits the absurd qualities through photomontage as other Dadaists were doing during the early 20th century.

I admire Hoch for being a pioneer and feminist during a male dominated world. Originally form Germany, she died at 88 years old and went into hiding later in her life. Her many talents include painting, woodblock, illustration and printmaking . She makes reference though her artwork that suggests that everyday objects from life may be collected and arranged in meaningful ways as she re configures images from mass media, very intriguing as I am currently researching material culture studies.

Her early life in Berlin included designing patterns for embroidery, textiles and other woman crafts ( as seen in the Red Textile Page 1952).  However, she embraces the photograph as the dominant medium in her montages while also juxtaposing images that reflect hardships of the postwar era. She pays special attention to detail in her art work often advocating for feminist rights, ethnic differences and social rights, which I admire greatly especially during this political turmoil we are currently experiencing. Her art seems non objective but radiates passion and meaning.

Her works titled” From an Ethnographic Museum” is a series of 20 figures that challenges stereotypes. I feel like Sally Mann is making similar references to the woman’s role in society through her photographs, as Hoch represents woman as mannequins and puppets ( Sally Mann comes to my mind she purposely chooses subjects that seems to like to make people uncomfortable and reexamine their reasoning for seeings things in such a singular way, similar to Hoch’s decisions for subject matter choices).