The Ecuadorian Dada Cenacle of Portoviejo

Abstract

This paper is the result of an investigation that set out to understand the emergence of Dada-ism in 1922 in the city of Portoviejo, capital of the province of Manabí, Ecuador. Considering that this city on the Ecuadorian coast was at that time predominantly rural and was the scene of violent disputes between liberals and conservatives, it was unlikely that an artistic manifestation of this type might be possible, far from the great cultural centers and industrialized metropolises. To explain the emergence of this poetic current, the author explores the histori-cal and aesthetic development of Dadaism and its transmission through cultural magazines that established the link between large European cities such as Zurich, Paris and Madrid with Ecuador and the city of Portoviejo. In addition, the author suggests a possible unveiling of the real names that have so far been concealed by the pseudonyms under which the Portoviejo Dadaists presented themselves.