George Baker's 'The Artwork Caught by the Tail' Reimagines Dada Scholarship Through Francis Picabia

In his 2008 publication, 'The Artwork Caught by the Tail,' George Baker offers a critical examination of traditional art history, centering on Francis Picabia and the Dada movement. He argues that Picabia's 1922 exhibition at the Dalmau Gallery in Barcelona has been largely ignored. Employing a post-structuralist lens and referencing theorists such as Bataille, Lacan, and Derrida, Baker categorizes his chapters by media: 'Dada Painting', 'Dada Drawing', 'Dada Photography', and 'Dada Cinema'. He explores concepts like patricide and counterfeiting, suggesting a reevaluation of Picabia as an artist who discovers joy beyond Dada's disruptions. The book concludes with a sixty-page epilogue featuring perspectives from Picabia and others. Although it received acclaim in Artforum, its intricate style prompts debate over its accessibility and the clarity of its insights.