MUTE CRIES LOUIS ALTHUSSER BETWEEN ROBERTO ÁLVAREZ RÍOS and WIFREDO LAM Bécquer Seguín

DOCUMENT/INTRODUCTION

MUTE CRIES LOUIS ALTHUSSER BETWEEN ROBERTO ÁLVAREZ RÍOS AND WIFREDO LAM bÉCQuer seguín

On August 18, 1977, Wifredo Lam wrote a two-page letter to Louis Althusser. By 1977, Lam had established himself as the most important Cuban artist not only of his generation, but perhaps of the 20th cen- tury. Lam was born in Cuba in 1902 to a Chinese father and a mother of African and Spanish ancestry. He left the island to study art in Spain, fi ghting for the Republican side during the Spanish Civil War and eventually seeking exile in France, where he would meet important fi gures in the art world, including Pablo Picasso and André Breton. Through Breton’s Surrealist group, Lam’s work reached an international audience, and Lam maintained close personal and intellectual ties to artists in the School of Paris and the New York School. But, in keeping with his multifaceted heritage, his style—which blended such disparate themes as orisha from the Yoruba religion, Cubism, and Surrealism—never fi t comfortably in either school.1 Even before Lam and Althusser corresponded in 1977, it is likely that they had already met in the 1960s. Lam had held three individual exhibitions at the gallery La Cour d’Ingres, run by Althusser’s friend Inna Salomon; his fi rst exhibition there ran from May to June of 1961,

1 Lowery Stokes Sims, “African American Artists and Postmodernism: Reconsidering the Careers of Wifredo Lam, Romare Bearden, Norman Lewis, and Robert Colescott,” in African American Visual Aesthetics: A Postmodernist View, ed. David C. Driskell (Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1995), 110–11.

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94 artmargins 6:2 Letter fromWifredoLamtoLouisAlthusser, August18,1977.ImagecourtesyofLouisAlthusser/IMEC. Pasado yPresente Pasado as such to journals Thanks borders. European, even essays from Étienne Balibar and Jacques Rancière, among others. among Jacques and Rancière, Balibar from Étienne essays included which thesecond, collective, individual; first, essays: the Capital 1965, of For Reading and Marx in November both thepublications, following figure intellectual leftist influential He to become an Rousseau. had from Machiavelli ranging on subjects seminars and courses lecture involved giving Supérieure of job whose someÉcole day philosopher at Normale renown, the aMarxist was Althusser Lam’s unusual. was request outside Paris. just Nanterre, in Culture de la Maison at the spring following the tive retrospec for upcoming an catalog exhibition to an for acontribution 4 3 2 from May to June of 1976. last, his Paul Sartre. Paul baton from Jean- the taken he effectively had Marxism, French Within (Leiden: Brill, 2005), 1–53. 2005), Brill, (Leiden: Theory of Detour The Althusser: his in Merleau-Ponty, Maurice and Lévi-Strauss Claude includes also which history, intellectual this outlines masterfully Elliot Gregory 2016). Verso, (London: Fernbach David and Brewster Ben trans. [1965], Edition Complete The Capital: Reading eds., Rancière, Jacques and Macherey, Pierre Establet, Roger Balibar, Étienne Althusser, Louis 2005); Verso, (London: Brewster Ben trans. [1965], Marx For Althusser, Louis See iii. 1970), Abrams, N. York: Harry (New Lam Wifredo Leiris, Michel 4 But Althusser’s work circulated well beyond French, or beyond French, well work But circulated Althusser’s 2 Lam asked Althusser in his letter letter his in Althusser asked Lam . These were two collections of collections were two . These , 2nd ed. ed. , 2nd 3

- , Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/ARTM_a_00179 by guest on 30 September 2021 the French Communist Party (PCF), of which Althusser had been a been had Althusser of which (PCF), Party Communist French the with connections fraught, often though strong, shared also Carpentier and Césaire, Lam, to Paris. trips many one of their during writers the met had Althusser that It likely is request. the order to sweeten in were included Carpentier and Márquez, García ences to Césaire, refer the though catalog.” as It to the appears contribute will Jouffroy Alain and Gash, Sebastián Carpentier, Alejo Márquez, García Césaire, “Aimé letter, the in He writes not on lost Lam. was of subjects range on anarrow wrote only respects, who, many aphilosopher in asking the fact that he had very rarely written on art. written rarely he very had that fact the from T. Foster, to Hal despite J. Clark ranging historians, of art tions or anti-Stalinist readings of Marx. readings or anti-Stalinist of Gramsci, reception the debates over populism, important reshaped and America Latin in Left New of the broad reached swaths translated, second half of the 1960s onward. of the second half from the intellectuals” Cuban Chilean, Argentine, Mexican, among reading required as “circulated essays and books his XXI, Siglo as such ySociedad or Historia Argentina, in 8 7 6 5 in 1990, he had only penned five essays on thesubject. essays five on 1990,in penned he only had (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003), 136–49. 2003), Macmillan, York: Palgrave (New Althusser Louis ed., Montag, Warren in Statkiewicz, Max trans. Marx,” and Brecht “On Althusser, Louis and 51; Marx For in [1962], Brecht” and Teatro’: Bertolazzi ‘Piccolo “The Althusser, Louis See period. same the during theater on essays several published Althusser art, on essays his to addition In 229–42. 221–28, 1971), Press, Review York: Monthly (New Brewster Essays Other and Philosophy and Lenin in Abstract,” the of Painter “Cremonini, and Daspre” André to Reply in Art on “A Letter Althusser, Louis See here. translated are which of last and first the (1977), “Lam” and (1977), Fanti” Lucio (1966), “On Daspre” André to Reply in Art on (1966), “A Letter Abstract” the of Painter (1962), “Cremonini, Álvarez-Ríos” Surrealism: before Painter “A Cuban Young include art on essays The 1–32. 1996), Press, MIT MA: (Cambridge, Real the of Return The Foster, Hal 23–24. (1997): 79 October International,” Situationist the Kill Can’t Art “Why Nicholson-Smith, Donald and T. and Clark J. 4 (1991): no. 985–99; 22, History Literary New Art,” of History Social the and P. Keith F. Moxey, “Semiotics also See 9–20. 1982), Press, University Princeton NJ: (Princeton, Revolution 1848 the and Courbet Gustave People: the of Image T. See Clark, J. Althusser’s. from Marxism of version his distance to desire his to deal agreat owes history art social of development T. Clark’s J. 203–22. 1 (2014): no. 49, Review Research American Latin Left,” New Argentine the of Culture Political the and “Althusserianism Popovitch, Anna and 35–53; (2011): 11 Izquierda Revista (1965–1983),” yPresente Pasado de experiencia la en Althusser incómodo: marxismo “El Starcenbaum, Marcelo 4 (2015): 129–53; no. 2, Diversa Raíz De Cuba,” en Althusser de recepción(es) la(s) sobre Notas océano: el “Incendiar Reyna, Ortega Jaime see Argentina, and Mexico, Cuba, in reception For Althusser’s (2015): 25 143. Izquierdas Revista mexicanas,” revistas tres en Althusser pasión’: la de cerebro “‘El Reyna, Ortega Jaime Althusser’s structural Marxism would also influence later genera influence also would Marxism structural Althusser’s 5 6 His writings, which were quickly were quickly which writings, His , in Mexico, and publishing houses houses publishing and Mexico, , in 7 By the time of his death death of his time Bythe 8 The irony of The , trans. Ben Ben , trans. , 129– - - 95 S e g u í n | A lthusser between Álvarez R í o s a n d L a m Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/ARTM_a_00179 by guest on 30 September 2021

96 artmargins 6:2 of Cornell UniversityLibrary. Art review, LesLettresfrançaises , Nov. 29–Dec.6,1962.Image courtesy “Un jeunepeintrecubaindevantlesurréalisme:AlvarèsRios,”1962. 11 11 10 9 of Art Library. Art of Museum Ringling Mable and John the of courtesy program; exhibition 1962), d’Ingres,” Peintures Ríos: Álvarez diacritics. proper with corrected have we translations, English our In article. Althusser’s of title the in Rios” “Alvarès as incorrectly spelled was surname Ríos’s Álvarez Roberto 213–14. 34–38, 30, 1977), Press, University NY:Cornell (Ithaca, Home at Pilgrim The Carpentier: Alejo Echevarría, González Roberto See Paris. from and to travels his of some narrates and attaché” cultural “roving a as duties his describes Echevarría González Roberto France. to Minister-Counselor Cuba’s as 1967 in there himself establishing before often, Paris visited also Carpentier Alejo 65–67. 1997), Press, University Cambridge (Cambridge: Césaire Aimé Davis, Gregson example, for See, Assembly. National French the to adeputy as served he while often Paris visiting 1956, to 1948 from PCF the in Althusser with coincided Césaire Aimé , exhibition organized by Géo Dupin (Paris: Galerie “La Cour Cour “La Galerie (Paris: Dupin Géo by organized , exhibition five of his his works. five of twenty- displayed Rahon—and Alice Surrealist French-Mexican of the Dupin—sister Géo by organized was 20, December November 21through from lasted which solo exhibition, member since1948. member La Cour d’Ingres. Cour La gallery the took place in which major exhibition, Ríos’s first Álvarez reviews Rios” Alvarès Surrealism: “A Young before Painter Cuban essay Althusser’s 1962, edition, November its 29, in françaises Lettres Les periodical literary Communist the in Published Álvarez-Ríos. Roberto painter the Surrealist, Cuban another was subject first 1962, his and in appeared art earlier. years fifteen he’dsubject about nearly thought to a asense, in to return, a petition challenge— asubtle meantas been have also might to Althusser letter to the catalog, highlighting highlighting catalog, to the preface group, the wrote Surrealist Breton’s ofmember André postwar Althusser’s first writing on writing first Althusser’s 11 10 José Pierre, a José Pierre, The eponymous eponymous The 9 But Lam’s

Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/ARTM_a_00179 by guest on 30 September 2021 15 14 13 discard the scum of humanity.” scum the discard would which renaissance, “a true metaphors; seeks creation he instead of rape conscience,” and genocide conceitsings, so common to many “does burn by to impose not seek he writes, Ríos, scension. Álvarez Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris. Ville de la d’ArtMusée Moderne the at art curator of contemporary influential become an later would who Gaudibert, Pierre and Adolfo Westphalen, Emilio and Arguedas Jose María writers Peruvian of the translator aFrench Fitte, Claudine Hélène, wife, were Althusser’s dinner at the attendance in Also Crisis. 27,about Missile Cuban earlier,ofa month on the height October at the over dinner Althusser met had whoyer worked Paris, for in UNESCO Ríos’s brother, alaw Álvarez met. already had late November, two the in print in essay appeared Althusser’s that time of 1962. Bythe winter the in d’Ingres 1959 Cour at La 1961, and solo before exhibition the both in Paris in Jeunes des Biennale the in part taking Beaux-Arts, des École Supérieure at Nationale the painting and drawing study from 1949 to 1955.Alejandro order 1958, In in to he moved to Paris San Artes de Bellas Nacional Academia at the 1932,in he studied for creation. ametaphor as forms” innocent and Ríos’s of “primordial use Álvarez 12 12 room (he’s married), with no space, almost no light.” no space, almost room (he’s with married), universitaire Cité at abasement the works in “Rios that learn and over for dinner wife his and Ríos Álvarez invite would Althusser tions in the present issue. present the in tions transla the to refer Althusser, to letter Lam’s of as well as essays, Lam and Ríos Álvarez World Visual Wilson, in referenced is dinner The 54–56. 41, 2006), Press, University Cambridge (Cambridge: 1968 after France in Display Artistic of Politics The Art: Contemporary and Establishment Museum The DeRoo, J. Rebecca World Visual Wilson, See work. Wilson’s to part large in thanks late, of attention more received has in France curating art contemporary on influence Gaudibert’s 51. 2010), Press, Yale University CT: Haven, (New Figurations Theory: French of World Visual The Wilson, Sarah See art. on essays his of one of subject the Cremonini, Leonardo including ists, art of anumber to Althusser introducing in instrumental was Gaudibert Pierre Italian. àFranca Lettres Althusser, in 1962, 10, December and 1962, 1, December Madonia, Franca to Althusser Louis See Ríos. Álvarez with relationship Althusser’s reference collection this in letters more Two 1995), 261. STOCK/IMEC, (Paris: Boutang Moulier Yann and Matheron François (1961–1973) àFranca Lettres 27, 1962, October Madonia, Franca to Althusser Louis “A colibri.” du l’étonnement Pierre, Álvarez Ríos Álvarez in “A colibri,” du l’étonnement Pierre, José Álvarez Ríos had recently moved to Paris from Havana. Born Born from Havana. moved to Paris recently had Ríos Álvarez , 25, 36, 104–6, 192–93. For a study focused more on institutional history, see see history, institutional on more focused For astudy 192–93. 104–6, 36, , 25, 12 Yet, for Pierre, the artist avoids the temptation of conde temptation avoids the artist Yet, the for Pierre, , 289, 294. The second of the letters was originally written in in written originally was letters the of second The 294. , 289, 13 , 222. All citations of Althusser’s Althusser’s of citations All , 222. 14 Not long after that meeting, meeting, that Not longafter . 15 , in a single asingle , in , ed. , ed. - - - - - 97 S e g u í n | A lthusser between Álvarez R í o s a n d L a m Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/ARTM_a_00179 by guest on 30 September 2021

98 artmargins 6:2 The Visual World of French Theory World French of Visual The in she writes France. As in on art writing world the of philosophical in to Althusser from Sartre Althusser, meanwhile, was writing on Álvarez Ríos at the time that the the that time at the Ríos on Álvarez writing was meanwhile, Althusser, war. Algerian the and torture depicted of that pieces exhibition an Lapoujade’s preface for for the Robert catalog written just had time, at the Sartre, Althusser. and Sartre connected art to describe ulary “socialist humanism” developed in the Soviet Union Khrushchev. under Soviet the in developed humanism” “socialist of policy new at the than humanism versionSartre’s of existentialist less at aim take later, would 1964,and years in two until published be not would Humanism,” and pronouncement debate, on “Marxism the public first Althusser’s Althusser. ambitious and young the against Sartre iconic implicitly, but aging the and, Marxism against tialism du humanisme aquerelle become embroiled had in PCF 1960s, the early the During critique. centered on ideology Marxism astructural embracing yet from humanism, on to terms holding still of self-criticism, midst the in Althusser essay captures Ríos Álvarez The Marxism. structural in culminated Hegel,and through before passing Christianity, in began which history, intellectual own to his points toreaders most of Althusser, peculiar sound “peace,” might which of “freedom”and language humanist The art. in intervention political Ríos’s Álvarez guided for Althusser, that, principles structuring the to be peace.” appear Freedomto invoke peace, especially, and afuture . ; struggle revolutionary the to exalt to slavery; denounce “[f]reedom 16 16 the role of theory was important: Narrative Figuration. Narrative important: was rolethe of theory where painting of a“critical” advocacy to the late Surrealism a“colonial” with experiment early moved from an contrast, by 1970. in Althusser, of Rebeyrolle Paul expressionism politicized work the Lapoujade by and informel semi-abstract the but also theand 50s in 1940s andsculpture painting figurative metti’s embraced not Giaco only which humanism existentialist of an mode the within continued writing art Sartre’s epochs. different two indeed, of and, modes representation two between change a marks Sartre’s, compared with on art, writing Althusser’s Visual World Visual Wilson, Sarah Wilson has framed the early 1960s as a passing of the baton of the apassing 1960s as early the framed has Wilson Sarah the Ríos work of the Álvarez in sees essay, his In Althusser Yet, in 1962 a specific kind of anticolonial art and humanist vocab and humanist art anticolonial kind of Yet, 1962 in aspecific , 40–42. , pitting existen , pitting : 16 - - artist’s home country of Cuba was standing between more than a cen- tury of US colonial aggression and the nascent expansion of the Soviet Union’s satellite states during the Cold War. Sartre’s and Althusser’s language for describing art prized the blending of concepts such as peace, freedom, and struggle, and was based on their shared understanding of Hegel and, by extension, the fundamental role of aesthetics in philosophy. Just several years later, however, Althusser’s stance on the so-called “humanist controversy” would shift dramatically, directly impacting his writing on art. Where “Marxism and Humanism” had focused on USSR policy, Althusser increasingly clashed with the Central Committee of the PCF over what he called his “theoretical antihumanism.” The controversy came to a head in a meeting during the spring of 1966 and, by the time Althusser’s most well- known piece of art criticism, “Cremonini, Painter of the Abstract,” was published in the winter of 1966, he had changed the ending of the article. Wilson notes that its Roberto Álvarez Ríos in front of the Maison de Cuba in Paris, 1960. Photograph. original conclusion, written Artist’s collection. Image courtesy of Sarah Wilson, The Visual World of French Theory in 1964, had referred to (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2010), 55. “man,” whereas the new ending instead substituted “ideology” and structural concepts such as “element.”17 “Peace” and other words from the Álvarez Ríos essay would quickly drop out of Althusser’s vocabulary,18 while “freedom” would

17 Wilson, Visual World, 62–63. 18 There existed in the PCF a growing resistance to the word “peace” following the Twenty- Second Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1961. This resistance primarily stemmed from those members whose politics more closely aligned with those of the Communist Party of China, which viewed Khrushchev’s policy of “peaceful coexis- tence and competition” as a capitulation to imperialism. Though Althusser was careful to distance himself from Maoism, Gregory Elliot has argued that he was largely sympathetic to this critique. See Elliot, Althusser, 5–11.

100 artmargins 6:2 [Roberto] Matta—a Chilean—and other Latin Americans have bor Americans Latin other Chilean—and Matta—a [Roberto] not to mention Ríos, as such of Cubans Cárdenas, [Agustín] of Lam, essay, freedom the the should in he “Why asks As vocabulary. artistic an as Surrealism’s persistence with to away comeessay was to grips His atrophied. politically and intellectually thus, and, institutionalized become had prayers.” its words, . it has Surrealism even lary, other In vocabu its and syntax its Latin, its and masses its with achurch like “is essay, Ríos Álvarez the in writes France, Althusser in 1962, Surrealism In critique. and of organization models Cuba, for political new indeed, or, Algeria as such contexts, to colonial looking began whereby artists name. another by question Algerian the was ers, and others as signatories. as others and ers, entertain unionists, trade journalists, philosophers, writers, 200 than more included 121,” of the that “declaration astatement so-called the wrote of 1960, them anumber in so that, so much Surrealists, French conscience of the into of anticolonialism importance 1952, the pressed violence into from escalated had war, which Algerian The political. above all was crisis The crisis. in to be appeared 1960s, Surrealism early the Yet, France during household names. in were becoming ists art other and Varo, where Matta, Remedios Roberto Chile, and Mexico 21 21 20 19 on Jean-Jacques Rousseau. 1967, in publication, essay of his the following on meaning anew take question of surrealism of question the anew Althusser, “pose[d] (Towardfor aTransfiguration), figuration trans Vers works une as such featured which d’Ingres, Cour attion La Ríos’s exhibi Álvarez shift. intellectual important an undergoing was structuralism. toward shift intellectual this solidify would University of Chicago Press, 2002), 592–94. 2002), Press, Chicago of University Movement Surrealist the of History Durozoi, Gérard original. in Emphasis 113–60. 1972), Left, New (London: Brewster Ben trans. Marx and Hegel Rousseau, Montesquieu, History: and Politics in Contract,” Social The Books of Review Angeles Los Goshgarian, M. G. trans. [1972], Nature” Pure of State “Rousseau’s Althusser, Louis also See 90. 1997), Writings Early Hegel: of Spectre The in [1947], W. G. of F. Hegel” Thought the in Content “On Althusser, Louis achieve. to impossible as freedom treat 1970, from Apparatuses” State Ideological and “Ideology in argument his with consistent 70s, and 60s late the during writings his subjection,” his from ject asub “delivers freedom of concept the Hegel on writings earlier Althusser’s in Whereas Althusser underscores an intellectual shift within Surrealism Surrealism within shift intellectual an underscores Althusser In the Álvarez Ríos essay, Althusser argues that Surrealism itself itself Surrealism that argues essay, Ríos Althusser Álvarez the In .” 20 Surrealism was thriving in countries such as as such countries in thriving was Surrealism 19 Capital volumes For Reading and Marx The 21 In a sense, the “question of Surrealism” “question the of Surrealism” asense, In , trans. G. M. Goshgarian (London: Verso, Verso, (London: Goshgarian M. G. , trans. , 15 May 2016; Louis Althusser, “Rousseau: “Rousseau: Althusser, Louis 2016; , 15 May , trans. Alison Anderson (Chicago: (Chicago: Anderson Alison , trans. - , ------Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/ARTM_a_00179 by guest on 30 September 2021 essay, he describes a painting’s “great harmony among men, skies, skies, men, among “great harmony apainting’s essay, he describes At one moment the in paintings. Surrealist their in history” nascent of “discourse a the and language” “natural used telling, Althusser’s in Americans, World. Latin Third of the exoticism routine the in partook day, of his Althusser intellectuals and philosophers many Like and Europe. America Latin between hierarchies intellectual the reified unwittingly freedom.” and typologies Such of death masters, slaves and of of “men nature, and materialism fundamental the with grappling asubject. aprocess without was history that instead argued Althusser to history. asubject posited that Marxism in strains of various critique (1961) his to sketch Young the Marx” began “On as tory. such Essays of his view this of disowning midst the in was Althusser detachment. institutional against agency human of Surrealism, French church the against artists American Latin other and Ríos Álvarez pits which schematic, Althusser’s in especially this motor. its see as can One agency human posits humanism, others’ and Sartre’s with line in Ríos, essay on Álvarez the in World. of history use Althusser’s Third the concerning time France at the in discourse intellectual acertain with consistent though problematic, certainly is of history view embodied an Such of institutions. detachment not from the experience, and ment, embodi from intimacy, came order history reversed of knowledge: a America He Latin saw in America. Latin and Europe as regions such between differences material the register might Althusser, for time, across of language meanings shifting the It if as is them. against who struggled individuals of the those than rather ments arrange of institutional analyses by guided explained, as so much not lived was that something he notes, Europe, was in costs.” History at all to tame one wanted whose meaning history “a perverse lost, suffered he writes, Europe, Europe. in memory adistant is history rial mate that here argues why is Althusser This decade. of the middle the during develop he would relations approach to capitalist structuralist to the next It uneasily sits behind. process of leaving the in still is Althusser that humanism with conceptstinged one as of those appears it here.” had essay, meaning the In same the not history have there does language that by: close is that life class of aworking matter the with of a past world, living the with profoundproduced affinities the by effect of the adoubt because “Without answer: His it?” to transform able freedom that was it, borrowed having And, language? rowed this In the Álvarez Ríos essay, he still praised Latin American art for art American Latin praised essay, Ríos he still Álvarez the In - - - - 101 S e g u í n | A lthusser between Álvarez R í o s a n d L a m Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/ARTM_a_00179 by guest on 30 September 2021

102 artmargins 6:2 Image courtesyofSarahWilson,TheVisualWorld ofFrench Theory(NewHaven:Yale UniversityPress,2010),54. Roberto ÁlvarezRíos,TheUniversalDoveofPeace,Paris,1960.Oiloncanvas.130x197cm.1961.Artist’scollection. claim about Álvarez Ríos. about Álvarez claim play of concepts.” dialectical the uses “constantly Wilson, writes text,” “His structure. is its argument humanist curiously be a to glance, appeared at first of what, to framing note about Althusser’s important what remains presence. Yet overwhelming 1940s not 50s, and and from their the during of them rejection society’s Cuban from mainstream stemmed to have said be can to kinship from cosmology ranging subjects Afro-Cuban in interest His argument. an such challenge to first the have been would fact, in Lam, like artist ism’s An dystopia. alienated capital utopia amidst primordial of apreserved apicture paints Ríos aword, women; in happiness.” and essay onbirds, Álvarez Althusser’s world.” the modern of dialectic the reflecting art Cremonini’s “engaged was 1963. For in Althusser, Révolution monthly the in anonymously lished pub Cremonini, Leonardo of with conversations he shared aseries art: to related atext in year following work the Althusser’s in appeared again dialectic The Marx. to astructuralist early, Marx Hegelian from an shift Althusser’s to understanding central appears themes, 23 22 22 Visual World Visual Wilson, in cited 1963): 76–79; (November Révolution colonisé,” artisanat et populaire “Artisanat “X,” and Cremonini Leonardo Visual World Visual Wilson, 23 It is safe to assume that Althusser would have made the same same have the made would Althusser that It to assume safe is 22 The dialectical structure, albeit filled with Hegelian Hegelian with filled albeit structure, dialectical The , 55. , 57. - - Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/ARTM_a_00179 by guest on 30 September 2021 why. It unclear is canceled. be eventually would April, for that scheduled Nanterre, in retrospective The simply “Lam.” log essay, he titled which cata requested of the manuscript typed two-page his only contained ter let return Althusser’s it. receiving after months 1977,13, over two just decade. end of the the by outthinking of his but fall all would that language—assumptions as of society aspects structural such to transform of individuals ability singular the as such assumptions, some humanist basic essay retains the invention.” Thus, semantic and syntactic accent, his his speech, his in [of Surrealism]: Ríos’s] language voice [Álvarez of his cation to that L’Afrique question as en such works through struggles African and American Latin the connected for Ríos’s example, 1962 Álvarez exhibition, to them. owes deal agreat Surrealism in turn anticolonial The movement’sthe evolution Paris. in with acquainted well became and extensively who traveled Surrealists American Latin other and Cárdenas, Matta, of Lam, said be might Thesame more the significant. of it all transformation adoption and his makes Surrealism French with familiarity Ríos’s intimate Álvarez For conditions. Althusser, material disparate role connecting in tant impor here an plays of language history, view embodied his Not unlike before him.” born alanguage as French: he ‘speaks’ that way same the in surrealist “He continues. ‘speaks’ Althusser charm,” Ríos’s moving is “Such both. in Ríos’s fluency Álvarez is claim to Althusser’s Key Surrealism. American Latin and Surrealism to French it amount ing guage lan same the speaking of forms two between so astonishing, difference, singular of “the importance the He emphasizes language. concerns Alejo Carpentier. Lam, in fact, had reconnected with García Márquez Márquez García with reconnected had fact, in Lam, Carpentier. Alejo and Márquez, García Gabriel Césaire, from Aimé essays alongside 25 25 24 A rather different Althusser responded to Lam’s letter on October on October to responded Lam’s letter Althusser different A rather Perhaps Althusser’s most striking claim in the Álvarez Ríos article article Ríos Álvarez the in claim striking most Perhaps Althusser’s University of Texas Press, 2002), 149, 163, 190. 163, 149, 2002), Press, Texas of University (Austin: 1923–1982 Avant-Garde, International the and Lam Wifredo Sims, Stokes Lowery also see 1; (2009): 1–2 no. 3, Americas the and Surrealism of Journal Craven, David and Kattau Coleen (1980),” trans. Mosquera Gerardo by Lam Wifredo with Interview An Decolonization’: of Act an Is Painting “‘My Mosquera, Gerardo See then. until health good very in was he that however, It appears, Italy. Albissola, in working while body, his of side left the paralyzing stroke, amassive suffered Lam 1978, of August In original. in Emphasis 25 .” The exhibition catalog would have featured Althusser’s essay Althusser’s have featured would catalog exhibition The 24 The language here is Surrealism, and the two forms of speak forms two the and here Surrealism, is language The . Yet Althusser also writes about “the appli about “the writes also . Yet Althusser ------103

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artmargins 6:2 Image courtesyofSarahWilson,TheVisualWorld ofFrench Theory(NewHaven:Yale UniversityPress,2010),56. Roberto ÁlvarezRíos,HumanBeings,Wars, Invasions,etc.Enough!.Oiloncanvas.200x127cm.1965.Artist’scollection. affects him.” affects Lam meets Ríos] [Álvarez Havana, in “still 1950 “In referenced Lam. explicitly had Althusser Ríos, memorate celebrate and Lam’s work. to com Brussels and Paris, Madrid, in exhibitions three accompanying acatalog in were included 1982, Lam’s when in they death following of day light the see would Althusser’s, with together from Carpentier, 27 27 26 (1976). fantasma” buque del viaje último “El to accompany were latter’spoem created of the which some Havana, in Artes de Bellas Nacional Museo the in lithographs his of June of earlier, in exhibition 1977, months ofjust an occasion on the 28 28 Ríos’s formative experience and Lam’s towering presence in Cuban art. art. Cuban presence in Lam’s and towering Ríos’s experience formative Lam Lam Wifredo in Vidal, Aline trans. Untitled, Carpentier, Alejo volume. the in included not was essay Márquez’s García 118. 1983), Moderne, d’Art Musée (Paris: 1902–1982 Lam, Wifredo in “Lam,” Althusser, Louis 97. 1992), Harlem, in Museum York: Studio (New 1938–1952 Contemporaries, His and Lam Wifredo ed., Balderrama, Lam Wifredo Sims, Stokes Wifredo Lam Wifredo in Wifredo,” pour “Genèse Césaire, Emphases in original. in Emphases Wifredo Lam Wifredo in Wilson,” Mantonica avec “Conversation Césaire, Aimé , 31; 28 The word “Lam” is italicized, as if emphasizing Álvarez Álvarez emphasizing if as word italicized, is “Lam” The , 198. See also Lam’s photo next to Márquez in Maria R. R. Maria in Márquez to next photo Lam’s also See , 198. 26 A few poems from Césaire and an essay an and from Césaire poems Afew Wifredo . ,” Wifredo in Lam “Wifredo Césaire, Aimé , 29–30; 27 In his earlier essay on Álvarez essay on Álvarez earlier his In , 32. , whose exhibition deeply deeply , whose exhibition ,” he writes, ,” he writes, , 32; Aimé Aimé , 32; - Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/ARTM_a_00179 by guest on 30 September 2021 of his contemporary, Jacques Lacan. Lacan’s contemporary, voidof notion of his Jacques is the Lacan. thought the references he channeling Freud, is explicitly Althusser though that, void,” “the suggests oneparticular, in And humanistic. not and structural above all, uncanny”—are, void,” “the “the even and analysis—“infinity,” his guide void.” conceptsthat not the to be The rarefied too air an of infinity the in stretched beings enigmatic those as just perhaps, strange are birds, more and than night and “made of sun Lam’s uncanny. of birds,” the great he writes, familiarity, strange “Freud spoke of a terms. Freudian in Lam’s art for understanding on art.) impact his to comprehending key is Lam’s repeatedly, that humility (He argues, vanity. and ignorance own its back world, reflecting art international of the corners lated iso the bridges which that as suffering, of historical mon experience to a com all above draws attention which Lam’s language, identifies essay, Ríos Althusser Álvarez his in as Nevertheless, to none of them. belongs yet artistic, not all traditions, from numerous borrows which art, to Lam’s points syncretic language reference unknown his to an hints, few gives himself Althusser silently. Though language unknown an to speak ability the powerful: equally appears one that has Lam language, same the of speaking forms two had for Althusser, Ríos, him.” Whereas we Álvarez hear and language, unknown our silence in who speaks man foreign “this is Lam of language. use his is Althusser, ability, for Lam’s Ríos, distinctive most Álvarez with work. But, as center of at Lam’s the process of history the locates instead and forms” their and “beings on what he calls reliance previous his away with does He also humanity. and to nature connections safeguarded posed America’s sup or celebrates Latin ceived acquiescence to capitalism Europe’s hereEurope’s no longerlaments history.” per “lost Althusser from America’s “nascent history” Latin separated earlier had that tion distinc the relinquishes on Lam text Althusser’s Ríos, essay on Álvarez why it he Lam’s lays bare.” his world because Unlike at is once own: our is aviolence. This tension of such the peace in of humiliation, refusal a such humility In of history. centuries by of crushed apeople cry mute voice gives to “the Lam that He argues thought. for European art of Lam’s importance the of away as stating argument ahumanist be reinvention. its in partaking actively he was Surrealism; of kind for outmoded an not astand-in was Lam But, for Althusser, Althusser additionally makes the case, again by way of language, of way by language, again case, the makes additionally Althusser to of what use appears makes again Althusser essay on Lam, his In - - - - - 105

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106 artmargins 6:2 30 30 29 not of them.” knows itself by that into a worldintroduced are [thus] fullness and Emptiness it. of filling possibility the “creates void introduces thereby and the forvase, Lacan, The vase. of the example the concept void of his with the illustrates Psychoanalysis of Ethics The titled commonly from 1959–60, inar sem his In psychoanalysis. structural his for understanding important of Lacan, asserted the void as philosophy’s only object. As in Lacan’s in As void philosophy’s as the object. only asserted of Lacan, echo an in instead, and disposition philosophy’s scientific cerning con claim earlier his with he dispensed writings, these Throughout Hobbes, Heidegger, Montesquieu, Rousseau, Wittgenstein. and Spinoza, Machiavelli, Lucretius, Epicurus, Democritus, included which predecessors, materialist of his reading asubterranean through to overcome he sought that strand idealist an writings of Marx’s in some encounter,” identified of the Althusser “materialism the With 1990. in death his late 1970s until from the philosophy Althusser’s in majorbe a to shift appears what at superficially least name phrases two these to acontinuation, points evidence encounter.” much Though of the or “materialism materialism” “aleatory what he called with 1980s, become associated the by would, of conceptsthat incorporation his in mirrored also was of psychoanalysis language the with unease His at best. career—tepid of his much throughout it was was—as well. as consequentially nonetheless yet Europe, in to those imperceptibly of Surrealism, language the reinvented has Surrealists, American Latin other and Ríos of Álvarez that like Lam’s reverse: works in metaphor art, also The objects. other on of way by effect but its only directly, perceived be cannot that truth to a meaning give birds void. The the signify they for him, because, be may birds” “more than Lam’s in birds painting the calls Althusser reason The about statement Lam’s painting. cryptic reconsiderus his things. on other effects its but rather void itself, the see words, one cannot other In shape. its it revealing by inside emptiness to the form bolic Jean-Michel Rabaté (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003), 184–90. 2003), Press, University Cambridge (Cambridge: Rabaté Jean-Michel Lacan to Companion Zupancˇicˇ, Cambridge The in Lacan,” in Tragedy and “Ethics Alenka see void,” “the of concept Lacan’s of discussion lucid and For athorough 120. 1960 1959– Psychoanalysis, of Ethics The VII. Book Lacan: Jacques of Seminar The Lacan, Jacques Althusser’s adoption in the essay of the language of psychoanalysis of psychoanalysis language essay of the the adoption in Althusser’s 30 , ed. Jacques-Alain Miller, trans. Dennis Porter (New York: W. 1992), (New W. Norton, Porter Dennis trans. Miller, Jacques-Alain , ed. Understanding Althusser’s essay with Lacan in mind helps mind in Lacan essay with Althusser’s Understanding 29 The idea is that the vase gives sym gives vase the idea that is The , Lacan , Lacan , ed. , ed. - - - Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/ARTM_a_00179 by guest on 30 September 2021 over the development of Marxism.” over Cuban the loomed that forms Soviet orthodox with resource for “breaking lectual intel become avaluable would and Américas las de Casa journal to the 1966 as early thanks as particular, work His Cuba, in reached America. debates Latin across references for intellectual standard became texts view. Althusser’s this not share did apparently America Latin in als intellectu many appear. For they one thing, than however, less true are World. narratives, Such Third the in developments aesthetic and ical, histor political, to account absolutely for important that failed centrism Franco- aparalyzing with one associated most the perhaps is Althusser earlier. adecade just he championed had materialism dialectical the to even inherent ogy teleol replace the helped Marxism, within persisted that Hegelianism the defeating “encounter,” and the contingency him, foregrounding by For writing. Althusser’s over “entrance” in “encounter” prevail would term 1980s, the the into of “encounter.”rejection 1970s turned the As his essay, the reason in behind to the else however, in us clues Nothing of worlds.” familiar most of the spaces and nearest “the in exists concept this entry of that arguing by he justifies entrance,”of which the that “Better answer: His essay on Lam. the in encounter?” he asks the of language risky the we speak “[N]eed adopt. eventually he will that vocabulary new this from 1960, questioning Lam’s composition Grande at looking while him, essay finds The materialism.” “aleatory 1986, call by what toward he would, Marxism from structural time this tion, of atransi midst the in him catches again essay on Lam Althusser’s Nonetheless, encounters. chance by created worlds new thus and are for movement, basis its the is chance exists, that all is matter theses: three following were the bases Philosophy’s epistemological only itself. truth than rather of truth or patterns effects the to describing limited philosophy’s vase, was capacity, for of the Althusser, example 32 32 31 Harnecker in Chile or Emilio de ÍpolaArgentina. in or Emilio Chile in Harnecker Marta as such figure, intellectual one with identified often emerged, of thought schools Althusserian one ordebated more that so-called and translated work so widely was Althusser’s Brazil, and Chile, Ibid., 136. Ibid., 133. océano,” el “Incendiar Reyna, Ortega What follows are translations into English for the first time of his his time of first for the English into translations What follows are Of all his contemporaries, and even of predecessors such as Sartre, Sartre, as of such predecessors even and contemporaries, his all Of 31 In Mexico, Argentina, Argentina, Mexico, In 32 - - - - - 107

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108 artmargins 6:2 35 34 power relationships inherent in colonialism.” in inherent relationships power the accommodating implication by thus primitive, of the ownership aproprietary exercised artists Euro-American and “European argued, 33 Ríos. Álvarez correspondence with ongoing an he maintained that asserted even has Wilson World artists. of Third promotion discussion and the in Gaudibert, Pierre curator the alongside he participated, that true also it was China, contemporary in thought of revolutionary who foundareservoir had Maoist students, own his against PCF of the line party held the Althusser that example, know. never likely we will case, the be well very may this Though post? via from one of them petition or a received dinners, to particular invited was gallery, friend’s art his he frequented because Lam and Ríos Álvarez encounter only Althusser did For instance, subjects. their with relationships ambiguous often and perplexing own Althusser’s acknowledging while arguments, and absolute to complicate attempt such narratives asmall constitute These (“Lam”). Lam Wifredo and Rios”) Alvarès before Surrealism: Painter (“A Ríos Young Álvarez Cuban Roberto artists Cuban on essays the two pervaded other subjects of his writing. of his subjects other pervaded not have might they although thought, his WorldThird pervaded the in developments about concerns contemporary Althusser’s that it clear is Fanti, Lucio and Cremonini on essays Leonardo the including disparity largely holds true today. holds true largely disparity this and Marxism, philosophy Continental in influence Althusser’s despite margin; awide by Althusser’s 1977, dwarfed Lam’s celebrity In Lam. about Wifredo broke mold writing by the Althusser artists, minor on who very wrote philosophers, other Unlike subjects. his toward unequally subjects his and himself between relation the skew to was this did Althusser which in way important most Perhaps the relation. of acolonial continuation to upend this attempt were an ism, in primitiv trafficked sometimes they though Lam, and Ríos Álvarez Wifredo Lam Wifredo Sims, Stokes 99–125. and 40–63 World Visual Wilson, See conceptualism. Moscow to allusions Fanti’s of USSR way by the in gulag the of revelations the with as well as there, torture of images Cremonini’s of way by war Algerian the with engagement Althusser’s to pointed has Wilson Sarah Visual World Visual Wilson, But narratives are never so simple. While it was certainly true, for true, certainly it was so simple. never are While But narratives For many readers, what these two essays will offer, above all, is a is offer, above all, will essays two For readers, what these many , 222. , 2. 33 Throughout his writings on art, on art, writings his Throughout 34 As Lowery Stokes has Sims Lowery As 35 Althusser’s essays on essays Althusser’s , - Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/ARTM_a_00179 by guest on 30 September 2021 within French Marxism and so-called French Theory more generally. Theory French so-called and Marxism French within arts role visual of the order marginalized in to reconsider the Wilson Sarah as such work on of the writers to build opportunity an with present scholars also will essays of these translation the But hopefully subjects. other of among history, unfolding the and of language, nature the psychoanalysis, Lacanian on Althusser from reflections capture snapshots These or materialism.” “aleatory encounter” ofism the “material to the Marxism late 1970s, from structural the ond during sec the Marxism; to structural Marxism 1960s, from Hegelian early the during first thought—the Althusser’s in shifts key snapshot of two - - 109

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