A. Zieleniewski

100096323

BPA 400

Alex Ferguson

Wednesday June 11th, 2014

Manifesto Essay- Part I

The notion of artistic freedom is one to which the world still struggles to clarify, in a

time of war the only place to look to for a sense of understanding was in the freedom of

expression brought about by art. Andre Breton, leader of the French Surrealists, created a

manifesto following the First World War after serving on the front lines as a “stretcher

bearer”(Han, 3830). Breton’s manifesto of Surrealism is a poetic platform that describes the

concept of surrealism as a dreamlike state of the free mind allowing the discovery of truths

through automatic writing. The concept of surrealist automatism inspired a French Canadian

group of artistes to form a group called “Les Automatists”, they created their own manifesto after

the second world war inspired by Andre Breton’s. The Refus Global Manifesto created in 1948

is described as being an integral part of Quebec’s artistic society (Cronin,23), denouncing the

Catholic church's rule over art as well as a persistent need for liberation. At the same time

another French Canadian group of artists called Prisme D’Yeux lead by Alfred Pellan were

debating with Les Automatists over their definition of liberalism in the Québécoise society.

Prisme D’Yeux regarded automatism as the antithesis of freedom (Ince, 40) in their manifesto

challenging Les Automatists entire artistic view. Artistic organizations from the early twentieth

century created manifestos which reflect modernist art as liberation from state, discipline and

mind.

Andre Breton was both a student of medicine and poetry; his medical studies began in

1913 and continued into the First World War (Haan, 3830). Breton grew an interest towards

mental disease and psychiatry from his medical work during WWI leading him to look further

into the practice of Sigmund Freud ( Haan, 3832) . The Surrealist Manifesto conveys a strong

Freudian influence in it, this is reflected in the fact Freud and his work were mentioned at

various points throughout it. His interest in the mind was influenced by his experiences during

the war through the mentally distraught soldiers and the many horrors witnessed. It became

apparent that mental instability resulted in violence on the individual man which served as a

source of inspiration into the study of the human mind and neurology (Becker, 2000). Breton

intended to use the analysis of his own mind as a source of artistic production with his interest in

automatic writing.

The First Surrealist Manifesto reflects the practice of automatic artistry as one that is of

Surrealist nature “And just as the length of the spark increases to the extent that it occurs in

rarefied gases, the Surrealist atmosphere created by automatic writing (Breton, 1924)”. In a time

where fear and constraint were so real to the entire world, the Surrealists used their manifesto to

bring about a sense of freedom in expression. Surrealism itself created through automatic writing

is described as being psychic automatism of expression through any form without concern for

aesthetics (Walter, 13). In a world where aesthetics has always been held in high regard, whether

visual or conceptual, Breton was leading the way for a new era of indulgence. As a medical

practitioner Andre Breton came about surrealism as a form of psychiatric healing to the madness

of the mind through art. How liberating it could be for the mind to have the fears created by war

be washed away through artistic exposition.

Many times throughout the manifesto Breton touches the concept of madness that

comes from the human mind, he views it as a source of honesty. It also becomes coherent a few

pages in that perhaps Breton himself was in fact mad, though it is what allowed him to freely

expression himself “There remains , the madness that one locks up, as it has aptly been

described. That madness or another…. (Breton, 1924)”. The manifesto’s intentions appear to be

geared towards educating about Surrealist practices as well as using automatic writing to

describe them. Many times Breton challenged the reader through the use of imagery (Walter,

12). A childhood like state of mind is also of utmost important to the surrealists, it is said that a

child’s mind lives without boundaries or worries allowing for the freedom of imagination

(Walter, 5). This childlike state of mind would be beneficial to a surrealist artist in allowing their

imagination to not be restricted by the limitations developed during adulthood.

Refus Global is described as a truly interdisciplinary document because of the various

supporters of the artistic world that stood behind its message (Cronin, 23). A total of sixteen

signatures made the Refus Global a unique French Canadian document of the avant-garde world.

The signatories include painters, writers, dancers, designers, sculptures and teachers. One of the

most recognized signatures is that of the famous painters Paul-Emile Borduas who is known to

be the artist behind the words of the document ( Cronin, 23). A group of young painters gathered

around Borduas and created Les Automatistes, they were inspired by the work of Andre Breton’s

French Surrealists and united against Montreal’s cultural conservation (Cronin, 23). Le Refus

Global manifesto takes more of a political stance in its approach rather than an artistic one like

the surrealists, even though their view point of modern art was greatly influenced by them.

Le Refus Global was created as a response to international modernist movements

around the world in recognition of Quebec’s lack of movement on the abstract artistic front

( Smart, 991). The manifesto speaks largely at world war two which had ended three years before

its creation. Looking at war as an influential factor has an impact on the way the manifesto was

challenging the countries view. It displayed a yearning for cultural community without reason

and intention. The main goal of Le Refus Global was to encourage spontaneity in art and

discourage the conservative direction in which art had been lead to through Quebec’s traditions

“To hell with holy-water-sprinkler and the tuque!”(Borduas, 1948). The manifesto campaigned

for liberation from the government and church to help pave the way for a “collective new hope

(Borduas, 1948)”. The anti-catholic approach is made very apparent (Cronin, 24)“We are a small

and humble people clutching the skirts of priests who've become sole guardians of faith… who

distorted the great facts of history whenever they found it impractical to keep us totally ignorant

(Borduas, 1948)”. Le Refus Global manifesto was used to try and create a freedom and new way

of life for French Canadian artists.

Another avant-garde group of artists were created in Montreal around the same time as

Les Automatistes called “Prisme d’Yeux”. The collective was said to be a collaboration of

fifteen artists, though Alfred Pellan was recognized as the front runner of the group (Guy, 49)

“The admission of a new member is not decided by the voice of any leader (Prisme d’Yeux has

no leader)( Pellan, 1948)”. Pellan’s visual art techniques were also inspired by the modernist

movement; he believed modern art was “art free of all shackles and academicism (Pellan,

1948)”. Though created in the same place and same year Prisme d’Yeuxs’ manifesto

aggressively opposed that of Les Automatistes in terms of their aesthetic disposition.

Ce Manifeste de Prisme d’Yeux was written with a more traditional approach to art.

Instead of only considering that which is spontaneous and without reason a great artistic

endeavor, Prisme D’yeux made art open to all of “inspirational or traditional expression (Pellan,

1948)”. They didn’t want to form a tight box around expression but wanted it to be liberating.

“We seek a painting freed from all accident of time and place…without interference of literary,

political, philosophical, or other influences…(Pellan, 1948)”. The group’s core intension through

the manifesto was to preserve the independence of art in whatever form that may be as long as it

was made from true human expression and not made from the political and religious powers that

be( Guy, 50). What set the group furthest apart was the simplicity of their manifesto. It was not

full of imagery or poetics but simply a statement of being.

After both French Canadian manifestos were released in 1948, a debate broke out

between the opposing avant-garde groups in regards to their definitions of freedom. Prisme

d’Yeux released their manifesto first defining themselves as the most progressive avant-garde

group in Montreal (Ince, 36). Their views were conventional; they followed an “arts for art's

sake” approach and believed in aesthetic freedom separate from political concerns. The new

position Prisme d’Yeux took on the artistic stage in Montreal was the drive which created Le

Refus Global (Ince, 40). Les Automatistes were looking to take their role back in the modern art

world, to do this they created a radical manifesto that not only opposed Prisme d’yeux’s views

on freedom, they also took a stab at their leader and his staple art creation plastic art. “We refuse

to be confined to the barracks of plastic arts - it's a fortress, but easy enough to avoid (Borduas,

1948).” Les Automatistes made it known that automatic creation was the ultimate freedom

which took a stab at the opposing manifesto which told of art being more then automatic. By the

end of the battle Prisme d’Yeux was left with little credibility due to their claim of “art being

created without the influence of literature (Pellan, 1948)”, contradicting to the fact their

manifesto was literature made as a source of inspiration to art.

This essay was aimed to provide insight into the manifestos of the French Surrealists,

Les Automatistes and Prisme d’Yeux to show the importance of artistic freedoms in various

forms being state, discipline and mind. They offered perspectives into the ways these freedoms

can be used in the creation of art, and the ways artistic liberation can be challenged by opposing

mindsets. Though the views towards freedom are different in each manifesto they are still

adamant on advocating the same message towards how it can be used and abused. Both world

wars, even through tragedy, lead artists to revolutionize the way art is view and written about in

society.

Part II

In my own manifesto I intend to reflect my own passion for creating liberating

performing art in Canada. Not only is creating art free from all boundaries important, but so is

making art that supports the country which has given me the opportunity to study it. In many

countries around the world the freedom of expression is highly restricted by strong political

presence and religious organizations. I am lucky that living in Canada has provided me with the

opportunity to be trained in many forms of art as well as the chance to utilize these artistic

disciplines freely in self-expression. Le Refus Global reprimanded Montreal for its conservative

art and religious reign over the arts in 1948. Over 60 years later the country has been freed from

the chains that has held down artistic liberation and given young artists the funding and training

to freely express themselves.

I want to be Fulfilled through artistic expression that allows me to use my own creative identity.

I cRave to be on stage in Canada and recognized as a Canadian artist.

I wish that the future work of Canadian theatre artists will be rEcognized on the same level as

our American neighbours.

I thirst to inspirE young artists who fear the vulnerability of the stage.

I desire to open a company Dedicated to the musical theatre works of Canadian playwrights

I hunger to develop mOre knowledge towards my practice through professional experience.

I aM proud to live in a country that advocates expression and culture.

Works Cited

Becker, A.. "The Avant-garde, Madness and the Great War." Journal of Contemporary

History: 71- 84. 2000. Print.

Cronin, J. Keri. "Refus Global." Imagining resistance visual culture and activism in

Canada. Waterloo, Ont.: Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 2010. Print.

Haan, Joost. "Neurology and surrealism: Andre´ Breton and Joseph Babinski." Brain: A

Journal Of Neurology 135: 3830–3838. EBSCO. Web. 4 June 2014.

Ince, Judith. “The Politics of Freedom: The Montreal Avant- Garde in 1948” ( 2010).

OAlster, EBSCOhost, viewed June 6th 2014.

“Prisme d'Yeux manifesto (untitled)”, cited by Guy ROBERT in Pellan, His Life and His Art.

trans. George LACH (Montreal: Editions du Centre de Psychologie et Pedagogie, 1963), p. 49,

51.

“Refus Global” in Paul Emile Borduas: Ecrits/Writings 1942-1958, ed. Francois-Marc

GAGNON and trans. Dennis YOUNG (Halifax and New York: Nova Scotia College of Art and

Design, 1978), p.54.

Robert, Guy. Pellan; sa vie et son oeuvre, his life and his art.. Montreal: Editions du Centre

de psychologie et de pedagogie, 1963. Print.

Smart, Patricia. "Refus Global (1948)." Oxford Companion To Canadian Literature (1997):

990-991. Literary Reference Center. Web. 8 June 2014.

Walters, Gordon. "Manifesto Of Surrealism." Masterplots, Fourth Edition (2010): 1-

3. Literary Reference Center. Web. 7 June 2014.