Page 58 - Studio International - October 1970

group until then devoted exclusively to important not only on the Belgian level but also to be found those by Lefrancq, Simon" and
literature. Souris had met Nougé during a on the international one. In February 1935, Van de Spiegele. The war was to slow down the
`Pro Arte' concert where Schonberg's Peter in the group published a new magazine : activities of the members. New worries were
the Moon had its Brussels première. The Mauvais Temps; it contained not only the to bring desolation, unhappiness and barrenness.
audience was very excited (it should be noted group's manifesto but also illustrations by The Hainaut Surrealist Group was immediately
that a similar atmosphere reigned at Goemans's Magritte. The Brussels Group on several under suspicion; Dumont was threatened
and Lecomte's first meeting with Nougé) and occasions had shown its sympathy and because of his ideological stand and arrested
the two men met outside again to exchange a agreement with the attitudes of the Hainaut on 15 April 1942.'5 It was then Louis Van de
few ideas. This was the beginning of a long Group. Spiegele's turn and that of many others as well.
friendship. From then on, Souris was to On 33 April 1935, Mesens attended a Struck where it hurt most, the Surrealists were
participate in the activities of Correspondance. special meeting of the Rupture Group; then to diminish their activities for a number of
In it, he published two tracts? which he came Magritte, Colinet, Nougé, Scutenaire... years.
co-authored with Paul Hooreman, another The Walloons, in fact, wanted to round up all
musician. those who were favourable to the surrealist THE HAUTE NUIT GROUP
In a final announcement dated to September cause and Fernand Dumont, in a way, became With the end of the war, a renewed strength
1926 `Correspondance was to take leave of their spokesman. He contacted Breton who came to the Surrealists of Hainaut
Correspondance'. The union between poets and replied: 'It would be rather difficult for me not province; the meetings resumed and on
musicians had become very closely knit; to be in complete agreement with all of your 19 February 1947, a new group called 'Haute
there now remained only the task of establishing friends. A magazine such as Mauvais Temps, Nuit' was founded.
a bond between this group and other artists. really, in every way, answers my deepest It brought together, not only, Chavée, Simon,
This occurred with the founding by E. L. T. wish ... '.10 Then he solicited André Souris : Lefrancq, Van de Spiegele... who had been
Mesens of the magazine Marie whose first `As you can well imagine, we haven't stopped members of the Rupture and Hainaut surrealist
issue (1 June 1926) places Magritte's name thinking of you and we would very much like groups but also younger members : Holyman,
next to that of Lecomte. The cohesion was to you to accept working with us on this issue. To Marlier, D'Hondt, Dieu, Franck, etc. The
become still greater with the founding— avoid any misunderstanding, I will tell you group's stand was rapidly defined: 'Rejection
according to Waldberg—of the 'Société du frankly that as far as I am concerned, I of every kind of dogmatism; opposition to
mystère' 8 which grouped—around Magritte — subordinate my co-operation to Breton's conformism in art; faith in original and
Mesens, Lecomte, Goemans, Nougé, Souris approval ...'.11 'Your presence amongst us avant-garde artistic events'.16 Seeking Breton's
and Scutenaire. Colinet was to join them in seems to me to be of the utmost importance backing more than ever they were to break
193o. The surrealist group of Brussels was thus because for third parties it is a moral guarantee, away from Magritte and their stand at the time of
complete, ready to begin the creative activity to which we are extremely sensitive'.12 Again the 'Exposition Internationale de Surrealisme'17
we have already mentioned, ready too to keep it was the Rupture Group which, under the is significant. 'Magritte, his friends and their
up a steady relationship with France which auspices of `tendances contemporaines' Surrealism in full sunlight look very suspicious
resulted in tracts, manifestos, memberships or (contemporary trends) organised, from 13 to to us. We would, therefore, be happy to prove
excommunications that have become landmarks 27 October 1935, at La Louvière, the first to Magritte that there are other Surrealists in
in the history of the group. `Exposition Internationale du Surréalisme en Belgium than him and his herd. The
b) The role of Wallonia in the surrealist Belgique' which was also the second to be held International Paris Art Show seems to us to be
experience. anywhere in the world. At the time, this made the dreamed of occasion to do so ... '.18 To
This role came at a later date, but here as in some say that 'Surrealism has two capitals : this letter, Breton replied: 'I fervently hope that
Brussels it was the poets who, from the very Paris and La Louvière'. In the catalogue, the Mons Surrealist Group be represented at
first, set the style. There was Achille Chavée, Belgium is represented by Colinet, Magritte, the International Exhibition which will open
who issued instructions from his home in La Mesens and Servais whereas the foreign its doors around the 20th of June ... Cordially
Louvière; Fernand Dumont, who grouped the participation brought together the works of yours'.'`' At a meeting, a decision on the works
artists of Mons around him, led them and gave de Chirico, Dali, Ernst and Mire', to mention to be sent to Paris was made: four drawings by
them advice while simultaneously being but the most important ones. This artistic Simon for Les chants de Maldoror, two paintings
involved in creative activity interrupted by an event remains a landmark in the history of by Van de Spiegele, two others by Lefrancq,
untimely death. This prevents us from Surrealism and in that of the Rupture Group etc. What happened afterwards ? We do not
evaluating his contribution at its true worth. whose dismemberment was nevertheless to know, but the catalogue of the show does not
become inevitable and, in fact, earmarked the mention any of these names.
THE RUPTURE GROUP end of the year 1938.
The Rupture Group, which was the first to REVOLUTIONARY SURREALISM
group the Walloon Surrealists, was founded in THE HAINAUT SURREALIST GROUP Much was to be written about Breton's show
Haine St Paul on 29 March 1934 by Those who, with Chavée, brought on the which aroused reactions in the surrealist milieu,
Achille Chavée, André Lorent, Marcel dismemberment of the Rupture Group, the most violent of which were those of the
Parfondry and Albert Ludé in whose home the gathered under the name: Surrealist Group in Revolutionary Surrealist Group. This new
meeting was held. Hainaut. In it, we find again Dumont, Simon, movement can, truly, be considered as the
The purpose of the group was to 'mould Lefrancq, Van de Spiegele. The poet Lucien negative response of some Surrealists when
revolutionary minds, to participate in the André was later to join the new group. The confronted with the ideas Breton upheld in
formation of a proletarian morality and to artistic events and publications continued 1947. 'A quick critical study of the surrealist
co-operate as closely as possible in the despite the war which was dangerously near. condition, of the surrealist state of mind in the
development of the surrealist movement'.9 In 1940, a new magazine appeared : L'invention present world—in which the "S" of the dollar
Slowly new members were admitted into collective13 of which Magritte, assisted by sign has replaced the German SS —is enough to
the group: René Lefebvre, Marcel Havrenne— Raoul Ubac, was editor. The participation show that Breton's movement has finally denied
who was later to found Phantomas —the poet in it of the Hainaut Group was highly active: itself, placing—no one knows what childish idea
Fernand Dumont and artists such as Lefrancq, we find texts by Chavée, Dumont, next to those of "outdoing oneself" ... what artificial
Van de Spiegele or Simon. The activities of the of Lecomte, Mariën or Scutenaire. Among the generation at the height of Surrealism above
Rupture Group were numerous and often illustrations by Magritte and Delvaux were also revolutionary needs, above revolutionary
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