Surrealism & Dada in World War I

Daniel

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Mar 31, 1998, 3:00:00 AM3/31/98

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I am a student in Providence RI looking for documented relations between
Dada and Surrealism as an effect of WW1. If anyone can point me in the
right direction, and maybe suggest some good ideas, I would be greatful.

-dan

Ya...@florida.com

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Apr 3, 1998, 3:00:00 AM4/3/98

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I have never heard that neither of these artistic mouvements had any influence on the First World
War. It actually was quite the opposite. I think (am I wrong?) that Dada and Surrealism went into
full bloom after the Great War and it is obvious that most of their first proponents who had lived
thru' that experience were influenced by it (besides those who did not come back...)
Actually, I would think that, if any influence at all, rather World War Two would have been more
influenced than WW1 by Dada and Surrealism, as these mouvements supported the then growing
anti-militarist and anti-patriotic attitudes in most european countries (except of course in Germany
where it was taken care of in the efficient manner we know) The influence on the moral of the troops
of countries like Belgium (Magritte) France (Eluard, Aragon, plus expatriates from all over, Man
Ray, Dali...) can be clearly seen in the flashy german victory.
Paradoxally, most of those artists who had, if we accept that theory, helped to the defeat of their
respective countries for Non-Engagement reasons, entered very actively the Resistance.
It is only under the influence of some of the "leaders" that these mouvements took a sort of a
political direction, which actually was the begining of the end.
These were primarily artistic mouvements. Like the Impressionist or the Neo-Classical of other
times. Not meant to be political.
One could make the analogy with the Flower Children and the Viet Nam War.
There is an excellent book treating of that period (1938_1940) by J P Sartre, of course not properly
speaking a Surrealist, called Les Chemins de la Liberté "The paths of freedom" I don't know if it is
the actual title in English and if it is available in this country (they did not make a recent movie
out of it!) but I'm sure you could get it from the UK.

Good Luck,
Yann

Dadanoise

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Apr 3, 1998, 3:00:00 AM4/3/98

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>These were primarily artistic mouvements. Like the Impressionist or the
>Neo-Classical of other
>times. Not meant to be political.

the surrealists were often very political-- communists. in fact dali was
"kicked out" of surrealism by breton for not embracing communism.

Paul Kinsler

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Apr 3, 1998, 3:00:00 AM4/3/98

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Why embrace jst communism, when you can lie with many
other political doctrines too?

--
#Paul.
------------------------------+soluble fish+------------------------------
Inst Microwaves & Photonics, University of Leeds, UK. (ph) +44 113 2332089

"You people, you do not see the grandeur in the wind and stone and stars,
in the blood and fire and iron - but paint only the flowers."

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Sam Tregar

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Apr 4, 1998, 3:00:00 AM4/4/98

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Daniel (skim...@cris.com) wrote:
: I am a student in Providence RI looking for documented relations between
: Dada and Surrealism as an effect of WW1. If anyone can point me in the
: right direction, and maybe suggest some good ideas, I would be greatful.

HEY RI. I AM RI TOO.

Look into Appolinaire getting shot in the head. I think that that's what
REALLY started it all. Actually, I doubt you can really trace any of that
stuff directly to "the war." A lot of them were military psychatrists and
doctors in the war... Many were also homeless bums however.

WHY DO YOU THINK THERE IS A CONNECTION? Anyway.

-sam
TELL ME ABOUT PROVIDENCE FOR A DOLLAR.
-sam

HeWhoGetsSlapped

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Apr 4, 1998, 3:00:00 AM4/4/98

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Dadanoise wrote:
> the surrealists were often very political-- communists. in fact dali was
> "kicked out" of surrealism by breton for not embracing communism.

As well as Antonin Artaud, George Hugnet and Yves Tanguy to name a few.
Artaud declared that surrealism died the day Breton and his associates
joined the communist movement. 'To try to reconcile freedom with
constriction is impossible'

bunbury

Paul Kinsler

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Apr 5, 1998, 4:00:00 AM4/5/98

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Jarett Kobek <jwk...@is8.nyu.edu> wrote:

> Paul Kinsler (kin...@bloch.leeds.ac.uk) wrote:
> > Why embrace jst communism, when you can lie with many
> > other political doctrines too?

> Because, sad-boy, the MAJOR THRUST of SURREALISM was Andre Breton, and
> Andre Breton wanted to be accepted and loved by Trotsky and the communists
> of the day in Paris.

Your subtlety detector is broken.