Hannah Höch worked as a painter and graphic artist, and also developed and practised the technique of photomontage. In the year 1912, she moved from Gotha to Berlin, intending to study at the College of Art and Crafts. In Emil Orlik’s class of graphic art at the State College attached to the Museum of Art and Crafts, she met Raoul Hausmann, together with whom she subsequently lived and worked for seven years. In 1916, she began creating abstract compositions and material collages, followed by photomontage in 1919. Höch was the only woman in the Berlin Club Dada, and she participated in numerous Dada events. During the early twenties, she made several trips through Europe and met artists including Piet Mondrian, Theo van Doesburg and El Lissitzky. She and Kurt Schwitters remained friends all their lives. Condemned by the National Socialists, Höch withdrew to a secluded life in Berlin-Heiligensee. After 1945, her work was frequently shown in Berlin; later (after 1948) she was also represented at international exhibitions (e.g. in New York). In 1965, Höch became a member of the Academy of the Arts in Berlin.
After the artist’s death, Eberhard Roters was able to acquire her extensive archive. During recent years it has been augmented by several generous donations from the artist’s heirs. The Hannah Höch Archive contains works of art, biographical material, her album, manuscripts, photographs, books, magazines, posters, programmes, invitation cards, exhibition documents, the artist’s extensive correspondence, and also texts and manuscripts by third parties.
The Hannah Höch Archive has been published in a several-part edition by the Berlinische Galerie entitled Hannah Höch. Eine Lebenscollage (A Collage of Life).