The Situationist International was the bastard child of Dada and Surrealism. Determined to resolve the contradiction that was at the heart of those movements, namely that though they were resolutely anti-art they ended up (through the process of recuperation) being a chapter in art history, they jettisoned art altogether to concentrate on ‘The Revolution of Everyday Life‘. Oh, and Liberation Marxist theory, a lot of Liberation Marxist theory.
But as its members all started as artists in various avant-garde micro movements (the movement was formed by the coalition of the Lettrist International, an offshoot of the Lettrist movement, the International Movement for an Imaginist Bauhaus, an offshoot of COBRA and the London Psychogeographical Association, I kid you not), talents had to be put to use. Guy Debord, top theoretician and de facto leader of the Situationists developed the practise of detournement (examples of detourned art above and below) which consisted of ‘turning expressions of the capitalist system against itself’. Personally I find these comic strips with their earnest Marxist dialectic speech and thought bubbles very funny, though I am not sure that is their main intention.
The Situationist International and Enrages (whom they influenced) played an important part in the May 1968 uprising in Paris. The walls were daubed with Situationist and Surrealist slogans, Luis Bunuel in his autobiography My Last Sigh comments on his shock of seeing painted everywhere ‘All power to the imagination’ and ‘It is forbidden to forbid’.
I find the comics fun/ny as well. And they have me thinking of Tom Tomorrow and Zippy the Pinhead as their inheritors.
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I love the dialectic…sooooo heavy…the SI were much better writers then the structualists and their ilk anyway
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De-mystifying the mysterious and decoding the coding and recoding it .. better than being coddled, like an egg. Another good one.
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Thank you Roger, I think you might like my previous post on the Olympia Press, I am ranging far and wide lately.
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I did enjoy it, and commented on it. I am beginning to come back to life … we have sun and tulips … two lips.
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Lovely and a lovely pun as well Roger.
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Sorry for the delay in replying to your email… when the reply comes it will become clear
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No problem. Things starting to clear up now. The warm weather has helped … and a flower or two in the garden. I just did a post on le mot juste https://rogermoorepoet.com/2017/05/04/le-mot-juste/
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Excellent post!
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Thanks Chris, it seems like a different world to when the Situationist dreamed of their impossible Utopia.
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That’s true!
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I’ve missed these situationist comics, so good
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There were indeed I couldn’t agree more. Thanks for commenting.
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Certainly evocative and ironic.
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I love the title to the header image that is very funny.
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The situationists provided a revolutionary language that middle-class art and design students could use on their career paths. Unless I’m missing something!
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You must certainly are not. The Situationists were co-opted and recuperated by academia and the dreaded late stage capitalist quicker than the Surrealists were. By the way I have to thank you Jeff, your comment regarded the photographer Heinz Hajek-Halke resembling Helmut Newton was spot on and it led me to a bit of research and I got the connection with one degree of separation, which I am posting about now.
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I find all that dada and surrealist stuff which I’m told was an effect of, or reaction against, the First World War, quite fascinating although what influence it still has and where it’s all going seems something of a mystery.
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That is the big question whether it was all just a small chapter in art history or whether its influence on advertising and movies mean that it is still a living presence and has something to say. Thanks for the comment.
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That picture is incredible, seems impossible, even…
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Which one, the header image. I think it is very funny.
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Funny, so so.
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Are you being sarcastic…are you enjoying your visit in Cakeland? Thank you for the likes!
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Haha, yes. Always, Mr Cake… Very Welcome, my likes are yours for sure, always.
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Please look around and comment, I always appreciate comments.
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I will.
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Please do… I look forward with anticipation to your comments.
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Yes, and I hope my comments will be both sensible as pensieve.
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I am sure they will be.
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Yes I meant the picture, she looks like she was licking her nipple,is that even possible?
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I am sure it is could be…but while spouting Marxist dogma?
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I think it could be possible! Crazier things happened…
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Hmmm I am not so sure… though maybe in an early Godard movie
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And another thing I got to check out…
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I am full of recommendations.
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Very true, just keep them coming…
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I will indeed
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I hope so, cakeland will never lose its many wonders, so it seems. And I wonder what there will be coming up soon.
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I love this situationist lunatics
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I know they are great. The micro avant garde movements are a hoot as well. Thanks
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