1879-1953 French Painter early pioneer of the Dada movement.
He began his artistic life as an Impressionist painter. Then spent a brief time painting in the Cubism style. It was after his first visit to America that he abandoned Cubism.
In 1913, he had a show in the Armory Show 1913. He traveled to New York for the opening. He was completely amazed at the machinery and the architecture. For some reason, the Queensboro Bridge really impressed him. He was good friends with Marcel Duchamp who he met in Paris. They remained friends for decades.
From 1915 to 1917 he lived in New York where he continued to be active in the New York Dada group. There he met Alfred Steiglitz with whom he developed the art form of "object portraits". In this group he also met Man Ray, Walter Arensberg and Beatrice Wood.
He was involved with a number of Dada publications, including the one he founded: 391 which managed to last from 1917 to 1924.
He travelled between the members of New York Dada, Zurich Dada and Paris taking ideas from one place to the others.
In 1919, he went to Zurich to join the Zurich Dada group.
He wrote the tract manifeste cannibale dada.
In the 1920's he gave up on Dada and joined the forces of Surrealism. He collaborated with Erik Satie on the ballet, "Relāche" in 1924.
People associated with Picabia:
Also see:Gallery 291
His work is held in the Permanent collections of the following museums:
Related:
Sources:
Motherwell, Robert "The Dada Painters and Poets: An Anthology", Harvard University Press, 1951
Rubin, William S., "Dada, Surrealism, and Their Heritage", Museum of Modern Art, NY, 1968.
Last Updated 04.07.04 | 
