Kurt Schwitters’ Bild Mit Heller Mitte (Picture With Light Center) is a painted collage that measures 33 1/4 x 25 7/8 inches and is housed at The Museum of Modern Art in New York. Created in 1919, the artwork is an example of Schwitters’ famous Merz Pictures. It is made using cut-and-pasted colored paper, printed paper, oil, and pencil on paperboard.
Schwitters was influenced by Constructivism, Surrealism, poetry, sound, painting, sculpture, graphic design, typography and installation art. The themes present in this artwork are Dadaism (a movement of the early 20th century that rejected traditional values and championed irrationality), Constructivism (an artistic and architectural philosophy that originated in Russia), Surrealism (an artistic movement emphasizing the subconscious) and Merz.
The main techniques used to create Bild Mit Heller Mitte are collage and assemblage. Collage involves sticking different elements together while maintaining their identity while assemblage creates sculptures by combining found objects from everyday life. This piece highlights Schwitters’ practice of repurposing discarded materials or “Merz”, resulting in a new meaning being given to ordinary things.
Overall, Kurt Schwitters’ Bild Mit Heller Mitte showcases his unique artistic style through his use of various techniques and influences from other art movements.
