Page 69 - Studio International - July August 1974

the group around Puteaux (Picabia, the
Supplement Duchamp brothers, Kupka, Gleizes and Breton and led him to a violent controversy,
the origin of one of the most percussive texts
Summer1974: Metzinger), Georges Ribemont-Dessaignes in this volume: 'Papologie d'André Breton' in
which the pope of Surrealism is treated as
(born in 1884) appears throughout this
`policeman and priest'. In a gripping abridged
new and recent anthology as one of the most integrated account, and with extraordinary poetic intensity,
personalities of the period 1915-193o. The
Ribemont-Dessaignes defines in a few striking
art books texts chosen illustrate the moral and phrases the moral drama of his artistic epoque :
philosophical crises of his generation. One is
struck by the quality of his unpublished poetry, `A cette heure oil sont maitresses de la rue ces
which appears as some of the most original deux ordures : la littérature et la police, il ne
Resurrecting Dada of the period. It is a pity that the poems of the faut s'étonner de rien.. . . Cette impunité
Dada by Georges Ribemont-Dessaignes, years 1916-1918 do not precede the Dada prouve également le mépris dans lequel un
Manifestes Poèmes Articles Projects 1915-193o, manifestoes, for one would understand easily Etat, quel qu'il soit, tient justement les
Presented, biography and bibliography by how these manifestoes constitute the intellectuels. Principalement ceux qui, comme
Jean-Pierre Begot, Editions Champ Libre, transposition of the same preoccupations in the l'inspecteur Breton, mènent la vie sordide de
Paris 1974. intimate sphere of poetry in the abyss of the l'intellectuel professional.' (p. 124) .
Dadaist row. From among several famous This text alone binds the reader to the whole
Having been dominated by the omnipresent manifestoes of the years 1920-1921, that of volume. It is a passionate testimony of the
influence of André Breton, serious Dadaist Ribemont-Dessaignes is certainly responsible intellectual drama of our century, and is not
studies began in France only in 1965 with the for the striking poetic fury (furor poetica) of his only of historic interest. Its actuality in 1974 is
thesis of Michel Sanouillet (`Dada a Paris', proclamation. The electric force of his language more than flagrant, as the morals of an epoque
Paris 1965). If studies on Surrealism have threatens the limits of moral and philosophical which he denounces are still alive. The
suffered until today from Breton's prohibitions, provoked essentially by society's detoxication from 'art and fashion' which this
sectarianism, Dadaist studies in France are passivity. In refusing sociocultural frontiers of book proposes should be a source of fresh water
victims of a similar sectarianism which style (and Breton would not arrive at this stage), for the numerous young creators of our epoque
consequently demand a comparison with Ribemont-Dessaignes raises himself to the who seek to escape the sterile formalism of a
Surrealism. Jealous of a fief which he built level of the true Dadaist — he is concerned with false 'avant garde'. In affirming that 'the essence
with remarkable tenacity, Breton managed to creation and not with contestation 'stylized itself of existence is existence', Ribemont-
cripple all studies on Dadaism for many years, in Dada'. He opposes himself to the Dessaignes does not submit to the scholarly
and forced them in a direction which falsified transformation of the Dadaist activity into game of polished words, but touches the
the proportions and tendentiously displaced an 'art of insults and of spittle'. living reality and dismisses words to the museum
the frontiers between French Dada and The question of 'style' and that of the 'image' of art, that 'public edifice (edified) to the glory
Surrealism (French only!). This almost totally which constitutes the alpha and omega of of death'.
eliminates the creativity of the Belgians whose surrealist rhetoric (it failed in the domain of Augmented by a rich critical apparatus, of
work constitutes one of the most valid chapters painting and was incapable of establishing itself biography and bibliography, this little volume
of the history of Surrealism. in the field of music) are briefly touched on by constitutes a doubly profitable reading. All that
While having the merit of bringing to light Ribemont-Dessaignes and merit a longer study. we can regret is a certain austerity in the
a remarkable quantity of documents, Michel There is found one of the touchstones of the preliminary commentary. Hopefully this
Sannouillet's thesis is still responsible for the surrealist dogmatism — its force and the `purist' sensibility will be eliminated in the works
longevity and continuation of the confusion reason for its deficiency at another moment. which follow in the collection 'Projectoires' ;
created by Breton between Dada and The reconciliation with Marcel Duchamp the Dada novels of Ribemont-Dessaignes
Surrealism. With an obstinancy worthy of a (his good friend) is richly instructive in the (`L'autruche aux yeux clos' ) and the writings
better cause, Breton succeeded in relegating the diversity of the two artistic attitudes which of Eric Satie. q
Dadaist creation to the shadows, as its true separate not only the artistic temperament but ANDREI BORIS NAKOV
evolution risked qualifying the role of also these same stylistic qualities. Duchamp's Translated from the French by Patricia Railing
Surrealism. He bitterly remembered the literary 'style' — formalist jokes on the surface
reproaches of his old comrades of the twenties, and refined divertissement of this 'artist of 1Georges Ribemont-Dessaignes, Dada: Manifestes
Poèmes Articles Projets 1915-193o, presented by
and by way of reply erected the wall of silence, artists' — can be cruelly put to the test by an Jean-Pierre Begot, Champ Libre, Paris 1974.
the typical surrealist image; it is certainly time attitude 'without distance' which abolishes the 119 pages.
to dig a bit more deeply into the foundations. `large glass' by which Duchamp protects
Adopting the evil strategy of totalitarian himself from the reality of the world. This
organizations, Breton 'excommunicated' his reality constitutes a drama and provocation Second best spokesman
old friends without pity, to such an extent for Ribemont-Dessaignes and his sting is cruel Matisse on Art edited and introduced by
that several of them were buried alive by the and indelible, while it offers the occasion for Jack D. Flam. 199 pp, 49 illustrations.
oblivion of the critics. Painters like Popazoff stylistic variations for Duchamp, remarkably London, Phaidon, 1973. £4.25.
disappeared from artistic documents for having inventive but hardly committed and somewhat
had the courage to oppose themselves to the disillusioned, if not superficial. Matisse died twenty years ago. Since then he
adoration of the 'guide', and writers were Disenchanted by an avant garde which was has become one of the most convincing heroes
reduced to silence in order not to disrupt the going the wrong way, Ribemont-Dessaignes of modern art, even the 'tribal deity' that,
harmony of the Breton myth. This is why the adopts Duchamp's defeatist ideology. One according to Roger Fry, Cézanne had been to
resurrection of the Dadaist posterity in a truer phrase characterizes all his socio-artistic an earlier generation. Even those who question
perspective offers numerous surprises. The philosophy : 'a revolution which succeeds is an the validity of painting and sculpture as media
collection 'Projectoires', which is being launched enterprise which goes wrong.' for the seventies accept him as the great
by the Parisian publishers, Champ Libre, Yet despite the tragic vision of the idealist culminating professional figure in those
begins with an anthology on Georges destiny of his century, he never abandoned the traditions. What remains to be determined is
Ribemont-Dessaignes' which will certainly search for a certain verity in contestation. This the nature of his contribution. For that we
surprise many readers. An active member of is why his path soon branched from that of need perspective and knowledge and, if only

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