Liberating, a manifesto

[amanda]

I found this recently in an entirely different search. Nevertheless, it's quite liberating

Le Manifeste du surréalisme (A Manifesto of Surrealism)

Written in 1924 by Andre Breton and then signed by such artists as Louis Aragon, Antonin Artaud, Jacques Baron, Joe Bousquet, J.-A. Boiffard, Andre Breton, Jean Carrive, Rene Crevel, Robert Desnos, Paul Elaurd and Max Ernst. Released to the public on January 27th 1925.

A SURREALIST MANIFESTO

With regard to a false interpretation of our enterprise, stupidly circulated
among the public, we declare as follows to the entire braying literary,
dramatic, philosophical, exegetical and even theological body of
contemporary criticism:

1. We have nothing to do with literature; but we are quite capable, when
necessary, of making use of it like anyone else,

2. Surrealism is not a new means or expression, or an easier one, nor even a
metaphysic of poetry. It is a means of total liberation of the mind and of
all that resembles it.

3. We are determined to make a Revolution.

4. We have joined the word surrealism to the word revolution solely to show
the disinterested, detached, and even entirely desperate character of this
revolution.

5. We make no claim to change the mores of mankind, but we intend to show
the fragility of thought, and on what shifting foundations, what caverns we
have built our trembling houses.

6. We hurl this formal warning to Society; Beware of your deviations and
faux-pas, we shall not miss a single one.

7. At each turn of its thought, Society will find us waiting.

8. We are specialists in Revolt. There is no means of action which we are
not capable, when necessary, of employing.

9. We say in particular to the Western world: surrealism exists. And what is
this new ism that is fastened to us? Surrealism is not a poetic form. It is
a cry of the mind turning back on itself, and it is determined to break
apart its fetters, even if it must be by material hammers!

Bureaus de Recherches Surrealistes,
15, Rue de Grenelle

[zero]

Originally posted by amanda

Le Manifeste du surréalisme (A Manifesto of Surrealism)

3. We are determined to make a Revolution.

and they surely did succeed

nowadays television, video, advertising, cinema and the internet are all flooded with surrealist images. the "photoshopography", faked composites and collages that appear in the tabloid media every day are surrealism in it's purest form. the simple act of performing a google image search could even be considered a grand surrealist gesture

what would the artists say now - eighty years later, if they could see the extent to which popular culture has been shaped by the ideas in their manifesto?

something like "the limpidity of your objections ever motivates my hunger", probably