The magic bishop

The present study takes a new look at Hugo Ball (1886-1927), poet, musician, dancer, impresario, philosopher, one of the brilliant literary figures of the early twentieth century. Ball worked with some of the great artists of his time, including Kandinsky, von Laban, Tzara, and Hans Arp. He was at the cutting edge of modern thought as theater director, Dada agitator, and leading member of the luminous Bern circle.

He urged a new relationship between life and art, one that derives from the full range and depth of aesthetic emotion. White provides above all a close reading of Ball's texts.