how "surrealism" is seen by SOME readers of alt.surrealism...

[Carlos Martins]

>>>Barrett wrote:

>>>>i'll forward this, the first response to the post of
>>>>"reanimation" in alt.surrealism, just to reinforce
>>>>the point.

>>>>=====================================================

>>>>>
>>>>>That's a fine little speech, sir, but we must face the
>>>>>facts. Surrealism is dead. The world has moved on. We
>>>>>can tell because "surrealism" has gone "mainstream." There
>>>>>might be a place for a "neo-surrealism," or somesuch. . .
>>>>>but you know what I'm saying and you know what I'm saying
>>>>>is true. Kick all the crap into the next realm, get to the
>>>>>next level, break the damn skin on the pudding and let's
>>>>>get a move on. . . in the 21st century, there is no room
>>>>>for tired, old college-student hobbies. . .
>>>>>

>>>>[i won't clutter the list with my response or any further
>>>>alt.surrealism exchanges]

>>>>it's up to us.

>>>>~~barrett
>Now the english translation:

>>It seems to me very clear that from a "pure" aesthetical point of
>>view, Surrealism (as William said) may be finished as movement.
>>But to say the same will be most probably wrong if we mean Surrealism
>>widely most a movement of thought and of a poetical rebellion against mind
>>opression to say the least. None of the
>>surrealist premises lost any actuality despite all has been said by the
>>different detractors. Surrealism has continued as movement of thought and
>>rebellion (in all senses even aesthetical) against stupidity, mediocrity,
>>massification and banalization of life. If that`s true that system and the
>>"nomenklatura" of any kind, socialist or comunist, liberal or fascist,
>>always applied every means to reduce the possibilities of Surrealism and by
>>own convenience call it as dead, the same is regularly doing by those
>>detractors even those that commonly use the flag in defense of a surrealist
>>aesthetical view. Every decrease of the surrrealist scope, such as against
>>the creative way in the artistic sense such as against the creative way on
>>philosofical, political social and scientific sense contributes to
>>mistificate the truly purposes of Surrealism. (Please note that this is
>>nothing to do with what William defended
>>- he`s totally free to argue in defense of the idea that Surrealism finished
>>as movement and i m also free to defend the opposite). Maybe he is totally
>>right on this if he wants to mean a movement as the existance of an
>>organized and hierarchic group. However most important than to defend the
>>existance of
> a concrete
>>movement as i do (made by individuals or groups) is to keep in mind the idea
>>that surrealism, contrarly what the person above said, is entirely alive and
>>active today but needs a little bit more action. Arriving here i have to say
>>that either as an idea or a movement the question is to act and work in
>>every fields, "a solo" or colectively, open or conspiratively depending the
>>circumstances. From my side i even can`t give any substantial contribution
>>for a track (well, mostly of times because , despite the differences, i
>>agree what you write and sign and despite what Barrett said about the better
>>of sending "a series of not- quite- perfectly written than ...", i would
>>prefer it more perfectly written much more than i can do but this don`t
>>means we can`t act even as a smaller group to give a continuous reply,
>>crying or vomiting, against the growth of stupidity and mediocrity around
>>Surrealism.
>>The lack of criticism out of the aesthetical field and
>>i think even in the aesthetical field maybe is one of the reasons for the
>>growth of such situation.

>>So, continuing with the translation...

>>So Barrett, i believe that from a petit-bourgeois and reactionary
>>point of view the person above is entirely right ... the new generations
>>will have nothing to do with surrealists aesthetics and they will tend
>>to face it as "tired" or even academic. But Surrealism that gone
>>"mainstream" it is not the Surrealism as we know it, rebel and
>>revolutionary, shipping on the waves of unconformity, but the surrealism on
>>aesthetical view packed, closed and perhaps dead on dead museums. Those
>>people tend to see the Surrealism exactly as it is nowadays - almost always
>>as a group of old artists mostly of them converted to the system and the
>>market and despite this keep some fidelity to the original principles but
>>denying any intervention out of the aesthetical field. However on concrete
>>there are not any differences between detractors. All contribute to reduce
>>the scope of Surrealism as a movement of poetical rebellion against slavery
>>of spirit but also against any kind of man`s exploration. Personally i don`t
>>believe Surrealism can be understood from only a aesthetical view (but this
>>don`t means that speaking in political or social intervention we mean any
>>compromise with groups or movements of any kind (right or left wing, doesn`t
>>matter). When i speak on political view i mean it not separated from the
>>other fields, that`s it.

>>In fact "Phases" it is not surrealist and less a surrealist movement
>>despite it has probably surrealists participating on its project.
>>However even "Phases" it is not all in concerning the surrealist movement
>>or at least the Surrealism as an idea (as William defended). This don`t
>>avoid the existance of groups that clearly (as the brazilian group) defend
>>Surrealism (and not only its aesthetical view) and expressed themselves as
>>surrealists. Many other groups (as Leeds group) seems to show that there
>>isn`t just one road to follow. They act also as a group even if working
>>creatively as individuals. This means that a movement don`t means just an
>>organized group or association but both ways, individual and collective,
>>organized or not. So, there`s a surrealist movement but not an international
>>organized group. The lack of activity out of the aesthetic work only define
>>what is surrealist movement nowadays but not define what surrealism is or
>>can do as on the past. So either as an idea or as a movement we need to
>>defend it against all attempts of its falsification and banalization. After
>>all and what is fundamental it is not to stop the wave of dream, poetry and
>>imagination and let it run through the future. Concerning the matter of
>>existing people from different ways of thinking about political
>>intervention, from right or left, this also shows a sort of confusion and
>>misunderstanding about the political position of Surrealism and the level of
>>abdication and conformity of many surrealist artists in particular and the
>>movement in general. In front of the horror but also "le charme discret de
>>la bourgeoisie" some abdicated of the revolutionary purposes and even
>>converted their artistic work to a kind of new academicism and to the
>>bourgeoisie to not say even as instruments of the system contributing for
>>alienating people
>>(at least here i would refer the use of automatism "surrealist" in publicity
>>by old surrealists).

>>greetings
>>carlos
Lisbon Surrealist Group/Portugal

Temporary Exhibition at http://www.openart.com/artistes/martins/accueil.htm