what does 'taeuber troupe' mean?
troupe, n.
\ˈtrüp\
1. A group of dancers, actors, or other entertainers who tour to different venues. ‘a dance troupe’, ‘a troupe of singers’
Origin: Early 19th century, from French, literally ‘troop’.
"Troupe" refers to the cast of animal-mask characters built and enacted by artist Michelle Lassaline.
Sophie Taeuber-Arp
Swiss, 1889 - 1943
Taeuber-Arp is known for her rich, interdisciplinary practice and for her involvement in the foundation of the Dada art movement in Zurich in 1916.
For a 2021 retrospective exhibition of her work, the Tate Modern published this description:
Sophie Taeuber-Arp was one of the foremost abstract artists and designers of the 1920s and 30s... She made embroideries and paintings, carved sculptures and edited magazines, created puppets and mysterious Dada objects. She combined traditional crafts with the vocabulary of modernist abstraction, challenging the boundaries separating art and design.
The Taeuber Troupe is named in honor of this significant artist, her contributions to Dada, and her mastery of craft and performance. In 2016, Michelle made a pilgrimage to Zurich to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Dada, seeking the spirit of Sophie Taeuber-Arp at the Cabaret Voltaire, but finding it unexpectedly in a fountain in Basel.