Le Coeur à barbe (The Bearded Heart)

<p>This two-page, single issue magazine is a perfect example of the interpersonal drama that often took place within Dada and Surrealist circles. Designed by Marcel Duchamp, with contributions by various other artists and writers of the time, the small but mighty booklet constituted a response to the Surrealist founder Andre Breton’s critique of Dadaist founder Tristan Tzara’s unwavering nihilism. The magazine’s title, meaning “the Bearded Heart,” comes from Tzara’s play entitled <em>Le coeur a gaz</em> (The Gas Heart), which Breton attended and at which he caused a scene by leaping on stage and assaulting an actor with his cane. The writing in this issue is combative and direct, making Tzara and Breton’s later reconciliation under their shared opposition to Nazi oppression that much more meaningful. Design-wise, the flyer is now iconic of the Dadaists’ fractious aesthetic and community.</p>