With a selection of one hundred Surrealist documents, ‘Subversive Pages’ commemorates a centenary of Surrealism. Since October 1924, when André Breton fired his first Manifesto of Surrealism, Surrealist ideas were launched through books, pamphlets, and magazines.
Surrealism was conceived as ‘a revolution of the mind,’ aiming at overthrowing Western rationalism and liberating mankind. The movement not only tapped into dreams but also produced poetic and polemical discourse, resulting in printed documentation. Breton and his fellow poets considered straightforward publications most adequate to disseminate disturbing content. As a result, the publication strategies of the Surrealists reveal a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Focusing on the first three decades and on the hotspots France, Belgium, and England, ‘Subversive Pages’ unravels the expanding international network of Surrealist poets, painters, and publishers. The exhibition aims at representativity, showing a wide variety of printed output. These subversive pages, usually slumbering in the silent shadows of archives, occasionally pop up to inform, inspire, and—why not—irritate us.
From the Collection for Research on Artists’ Publications
Curated by Johan Pas
Wednesday 23 October:
- 19:00: Lecture ‘Object, Dream, Thought: Marcel Broodthaers, Pense-Bête and Surrealism’ by John C. Welchman, in collaboration with S.M.A.K.
- 20:30: Panel discussion ‘Subversive Surrealism’ with John Welchman, Vincent Van Meenen, Liesbeth Decan, Kurt De Boodt, Quinten Ingelaere, Johan Pas
This exhibition is part of the research festival ARTICULATE 2024 I ANONYMOUS CREATIVITY - ART WITHOUT ARTISTS
image: Les livres surréalistes ainsi que les publications surréalistes, Librairie José Corti, Paris, 1931 (cover image by Max Ernst), detail
