What is CoBrA
The movement was put together during a 1948 conference at the International Center for the Documentation of Avant Garde Art in Paris. During the convention Ager Jorn, Joseph Noiret, Christian Dotremont, Corneille, Constant and Karel Appel met to discuss their views on the current state and future of the art world. It was during this meeting they realized they were no longer in agreement with French artists; these artists rejected surrealism and wanted to use their art for a more expressive and free platform. Dotremont drafted the manifesto, La Cause Était Entendue(The Case Was Heard), which was signed by the present artists. The artists felt that art should be expression without a pre-conceived notion of life. The name CoBrA was a compilation of the names of the cities in which their founders had come from: Copenhagen, Brussels and Amsterdam.
What do we mean by Avant Garde?
Something that is avant garde is considered to be experimental and innovative. There is a general dismay towards mainstream arts, high culture and mass produced culture. Artists who lean towards the avant garde typically possess strong political and social views which may borderline neurosis in the eyes of the status quo.
What did they do?
Cobra was an ephemeral movement, lasting only four years. However, during that short period of time, the artists involved managed to do exactly what they had hoped to when they first signed the manifesto. Cobra artists incorporated many mediums into their works, including literature and poetry. The group published a periodical named Cobra which displayed different collaborations and exhibitions.
The ultimate goal was to access the fantasies stored away in the human subconscious through vivid colors, abstract paintings and sculpture, violent brushstrokes, distorted figures and fantastical, or childlike, imagery. Human and animal figures were common subjects, along with mythological inspirations such as masks, fairy tales, and children’s drawings. Word paintings were also common, showcasing collaborations between painters and poets. The Cobra artists were not only artistically avant garde, many of them were communist or socialist and strongly believed in Marxism.
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What happened to Cobra?
In 1949, Cobra changed their name to Internationale des Artistes Expérimentaux (Experimental Artists International), seemingly a much more fitting name; however, the name did not catch on and many continued referring to the group as Cobra. By 1951 there had been many internal disruptions, as well as, external pressures and the group disbanded. Despite the dispersion of the group, many of the artists maintained friendships and continued collaborative projects. The works of Cobra artists have been displayed juxtaposed with the primitive art works of Africa and New Guinea to show contrasts and comparisons between primal imagery. Their efforts have been considered revolutionary to the art community and the cause for the rejuvenation of Dutch modern art.
