Sophie Taeuber-Arp

Sophie Taeuber-Arp was one of the most important figures of early twentieth century art. Her work was highly influential to the major artistic developments of her time and was a precursor to several art movements of the 20th century, including concrete, serial and minimalist art. 

Sophie Taeuber and her husband, artist Jean Arp, were artistic collaborators in the Surrealist and Dada movements throughout their lives. Taeuber-Arp worked as a professor at the Zurich School of Arts and Crafts and would attend Dada soirées in disguise, so as not to jeopardize her teaching career.  The use of disguise and masquerade would figure prominently into her artistic production, to the extent that Taeuber became known for her veiled self-portraits.

Taeuber was equally known for her "Dada heads".  These puppet-like, oval wooden heads, brightly painted, functioned both as sculptural portraits and hat-stands for everyday use.  

Along with her artistic production, Taeuber was a radical writer who created her own constructivist journal "Plastique" and had works published throughout Europe.  After living briefly in Paris, Taeuber and her husband, Jean Arp, returned to Switzerland following the Nazi invasion.  She died shortly thereafter in 1943.