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LITERATURE

AVANT-GARDE LITERATWB IN

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THEAVANT-GARDE MOVEMENTS HAVE PROVIDED THE MOST VIBRANT, IMPASSIONED AND RICHEST AESTHETIC ADVENTURES OF THIS CENTURY. THENEED TO BREAK WITH TRADITIONAL AESTHETICS AND THE SPIRIT OF AVANT-GARDE RESEARCH VERY SOON MADE THEIR APPEARANCE IN CATALONIA.

lSlDOR CONSUL LITERARY CRITIC

n the first third of the twentieth vided the most vibrant, impassioned a term that was to be tremendously im- century, Catalonia played a and richest aesthetic adventures of this portant amongst the early avant- leading role in the development century. The spirit of avant-garde re- gardes, even if Alomar's did and diffusion of the avant-gardes. But search, along with the fever of interior not have the same meaning as that put little is known about this role beyond rebellion and the need to break with forward by T. de Marinetti from 1909 our own borders, in spite of the fact that traditional aesthetics, very soon made on. But we now know that Marinetti bor- leading avant-garde artists such as their appearance in Catalonia. On 18 rowed the newly-coined term without Joan Miró or Salvador Dalí were Cata- April 1904, the Maiorcan writer Gabriel acknowledging it. The ltalian writer lan and the importance that Catalonia Alomar used and defined the term "Fu- heard of Alomar and his talk through an came to have in the work and training turism" for the first time, in a talk at the article published in de of Picasso. Ateneu Barcelones which was published and, almost certainly, through the Casti- The avant-garde movements have pro- in 1905. He thus became the inventor of lian translation published in the maga- LITERATURE

m

JUANMIRÓ GiTAiAN COUNTRYMAN'S HEAD, 1 925 ,

zine Renacimiento. Rubén Darío, in a and later by J.V. Foix, appeared from well as texts by Marie Laurencin, Max commentary on Marinetti's "Futurist Ma- 1917 to 1918. It published poems by Jacob, Max Goth and Picabia himself, nifesto", pointed out in the Buenos Aires , and who also contributed drawings and newspaper La Nación, that "Futurism , translated by J.V. Foix illustrations. had already been founded by the great and Joaquim Folguera. Amongst the The situation in Catalan avant-garde Majorcan Gabriel Alomar". Neverthe- illustrations there are some outstanding publications is far more complex and no less, he also points out the differences drawings by Frank Burty and Albert description would be complete without and remarks on the similarity in the Gleizes, as well as contributions from the three magazines inspired by Joan name, though not in the spirit of the Pere Ynglada, Joan Miró and Joaquim Salvat-Papasseit: Un enemic del poble movement. Whatever the case, in Cata- Torres-Garcia. (1917-19191, Art Voltai'c (19181 and lonia between 1907 and 1910 there The other magazine, 391, became Ca- Proa (1921 1, the last two of which fol- were a total of three literary magazines talonia's contribution to the internatio- lowed futurist lines, as did Columnti de incorporating the word "Futurisme" in nal avant-garde. during Foc (191 81, published in Reus. Of similar the title. became a haven for artists interest are the three publications that In Barcelona, the gallery owner Josep fleeing from their own countries, appeared in Sitges: Terramar (191 9- Dalmau i Rafel ( 1867- 19371 became a amongst them , Robert 1920), Monitor (192 1 - 1922) and L 'Amic leading promoter of the new avant- Delaunay, Albert Gleizes, Jean Metzin- de les Arts ( 1926- 19281, which became garde aesthetics and made an enor- ger and . Picabia contri- the most important magazine in Catalan mous contribution with his work in two buted to the magazine 291 founded by avant-garde art. Also Helix complementary fields: organising exhi- in New York, and 391 ( 1929- 19301, in Vilafranca del Penedes, bitions of avant-garde art and suppor- became a sort of continuation. It was of a Surrealist nature and co-ordinated ting publishing ventures linked to the the result of an initiative by Francis Pica- by Joan Ramon Masoliver; or La Nova new awareness. Of the exhibitions, I bia, financed by Josep Dalmau, and in Revista (1 927- 1929), directed by J.M. would stress the irnportance of "Art Cu- Barcelona four issues appeared, in Junoy. And neither can we leave out the bista" ( 19 1 21, "Art Frances d'Avant- 1917. Afterwards Picabia continued to eclectic role played by La Revista be- guarda" (19201 and "Art Modern i Es- publish the magazine until 1924 in New tween 1915 and 1936, a publication of tranger" ( 19291; of the publishing ven- York, Zurich and . The Barcelona a more conventional type, but in close tures, the magazines Trossos and 391. issues contain a calligramme by Guillau- touch with the new aesthetic move- Trossos, directed first by J.M. Junoy me Apollinaire, L 'horloge de demain, as ments. To al1 this should be added the LITERATURE

JOAN MIR~.AVIAT 1 'INSTANT. 191 9

proclarnations and rnanifestos pub- Catalan literature took quickly to the J.V. Foix, for his part, has becorne a key lished during these years. Amongst the force, the vitality and the heterodoxy of author of the Catalan avant-garde, on best-known are "Against poets with a the new aesthetics. Amongst the writers account both of the quality and the luci- small 'p'. First Catalan futurist manifes- and groups of rnost interest are J.M. dity of his own work and of his pro- to" (191 91, signed by Joan Salvat- Junoy ( 1887-1 9551, who introduced cu- grarnrnatic work as an analyst and in- Papasseit, and the "Yellow Manifesto" bist literature into Catalonia, or the former of European culture. He was one (19281, signed by Salvador Dalí, Sebas- Grup de Sabadell (Joan Oliver, Arrnand of the pillars of L'Amic de les Arfs and tia Gasch and Lluís Montanya. The se- Obiols, Francesc Trabal, Joaquirn Fol- his poetry takes in a range of avant- cond of these, in which Joan Miró, Joan guera and Carles Sindreul, who played garde styles. He was attracted by Prats and Federico García Lorca were the garne of and piercing and also let hirnself be seduced by the also involved, made quite an impres- against the of the time. It is futurist calligramrnes. In spite of this, his sion, provoked a brief but intense con- also irnportant to rnention the literary most consistent contribution belongs to troversy within Catalan culture and has work of Salvador Dalí and, especially, the world of drearns and the eddies of been the subiect of attention and study of Joan Salvat-Papasseit (1894-1 924) the unconscious, and follows paths that in the general historiography of the and J.V. Foix í 1893- 19871, the leading lie close to Surrealisrn. Outstanding in avant-gardes. names in the Catalan literary avant- his work, with its great originality and Another result of the activisrn set off by garde. rigour, are the volurnes Gertrudis ' the proliferation of exhibitions, rnani- Joan Salvat-Papasseit, as well as the (19271, KRTU (19321, Sol, i de do1 festos and magazines was the irnpor- programrnatic activisrn which led hirn to ( 19361 and Les lrreals Ornegues ( 1 948). tant presence in Barcelona of some of direct rnagazines and sign rnanifestos, After the , J.V. Foix, the fundamental narnes in the avant- is the author of an innovative poetry faithful to the spirit of the avant-garde, garde rnovements. Apart frorn those al- charged with dynarnism, of which Poe- connected with the Surrealist-inspired ready rnentioned, there were visits by mes en ondes herfzianes ( 19 1 91, L 'irra- "" group, which brought to- André Breton, Filippo T. Marinetti and diador del port i les gavines ( 1 92 1 1 and gether painters such as Tharrats, Tapies Le Corbusier, al1 this without counting El poema de la rosa als llavis (1923) and Joan Pong, alongside the poet J. the friends Dalí brought to Cadaqués in stand out. The three collections al1 dev- Brossa. He thus became a bridge and a the second half of the twenties: René elop an idea of rnodernity, rnechaniza- point of reference between the Catalan Magritte, Paul Eluard, Luis Buñuel or Fe- tion and movement that comes close to avant-gardes of before and after the derico García Lorca. Futurism and to words in freedorn. war. ¤