Revisiting the art of F. N. Souza:
Dadaistic Perspectives in the Portrayal of Women

Mandakini Sharma

History of painting has numerous movements and isms, which contribute significantly in the arrival of modern art. Of all, Dadaism movement, which started in Zurich (Switzerland) in early 20th century, has carried a powerful fellowship, which is adopted by various contemporary art movements including pop art too. Dadaism had come into light during the First World War, when a group of some artists rejected the previous norms of aesthetic representation and started manifesting their anger through art works. This movement is also defined by the poet Tristan Tzara (1896-1963) as “Dada doubts everything/ Dada is an armadillo/everything is Dada too/ Beware of Dada”. The basic aim of dada artists would protest by using vandalized forms of surrounded objects in their art to shock the people. As like all other International movements, Dadaism also played a major role in the development of modern Indian paintings as the symbols of Dadaism can be seen in the works of many contemporary artists. Indian art has changed its way and jumped into the stream of modern world after Independence.