About
Tristan Tzara, born Samuel Rosenstock in Romania, is a central figure of the European avant-garde. Co-founder of the Dada movement in Zurich in 1916, he became its main theorist with his manifestos and chance-based poems. Settled in Paris in 1919, he participated in Dada's literary phase before moving toward Surrealism. Politically engaged, he joined the French Communist Party in 1936 and resisted during the Occupation. His work evolved toward a lyrical humanism, marked by poems such as L'Homme approximatif.
* 1896-04-16 — † 1963-12-25
Major works
- La Première Aventure céleste de Monsieur Antipyrine (1916)poetry
- Vingt-cinq poèmes (1918)poetry
- Sept Manifestes Dada (1924)manifesto
- L'Homme approximatif (1931)poetry
- Parler seul (1950)poetry
Key milestones
- 1916Co-founded the Dada movement at the Cabaret Voltaire in Zurich.
- 1936Joined the French Communist Party.
- 1947Became a French citizen.
Themes
DadaSurrealismChance and creationPolitical engagementLyrical humanism
Sources: britannica.com · poetryfoundation.org