Manifesto

Constant

Reflex #1 (September-October 1948)

Translated by Leonard ri!"t

T"e dissol#tion of $estern Classical c#lt#re is a p"enomenon t"at can be #nderstood only a!ainst t"e bac%!ro#nd of a social e&ol#tion '"ic" can end in t"e total collapse of a principle of society t"o#sands of years old and its replacement by a system '"ose la's are based on t"e immediate demands of "#man &itality( T"e infl#ence t"e r#lin! classes "a&e 'ielded o&er t"e creati&e conscio#sness in "istory "as red#ced art to an increasin!ly dependent position) #ntil finally t"e real psyc"ic f#nction of t"at art 'as attainable only for a fe' spirits of !eni#s '"o in t"eir fr#stration and after a lon! str#!!le 'ere able to brea% o#t of t"e con&entions of form and redisco&er t"e basic principles of all creati&e acti&ity( To!et"er 'it" t"e class society from '"ic" it emer!ed) t"is c#lt#re of t"e indi&id#al is faced by destr#ction too) as t"e former*s instit#tions) %ept ali&e artificially) offer no f#rt"er opport#nities for t"e creati&e ima!ination and only impede t"e free e+pression of "#man &itality( ,ll t"e isms so typical of t"e last fifty years of art "istory re-resent so many attempts to brin! ne' life to t"is c#lt#re and to adapt its aest"etic to t"e barren !ro#nd of its social en&ironment( Modern art) s#fferin! from a permanent tendency to t"e constr#cti&e) an obsession 'it" ob.ecti&ity (bro#!"t on by t"e disease t"at "as destroyed o#r spec#lati&e-ideali/in! c#lt#re)) stands isolated and po'erless in a society '"ic" seems bent on its o'n destr#ction( ,s t"e e+tension of a style created for t"e social elite) 'it" t"e disappearance of t"at elite modern art "as lost its social .#stification and is confronted only by t"e criticism form#lated by a cli0#e of connoisse#rs and amate#rs( $estern art) once t"e celebrator of emperors and popes) t#rned to ser&e t"e ne'ly po'erf#l bo#r!eoisie) becomin! an instr#ment of t"e !lorification of bo#r!eois ideals( 1o' t"at t"ese ideals "a&e become a fiction 'it" t"e disappearance of t"eir economic base) a ne' era is #pon #s) in '"ic" t"e matri+ of c#lt#ral con&entions loses its si!nificance and a ne' freedom can be 'on from t"e most primary so#rce of life( #t) .#st as 'it" a social re&ol#tion) t"is spirit#al re&ol#tion cannot be enticed 'it"o#t conflict( St#bbornly t"e bo#r!eois mind cl#tc"es on its aest"etic ideal and in a last) desperate effort employs all its 'iles to con&ert t"e indifferent masses to t"e same belief( Ta%in! ad&anta!e of t"e !eneral lac% of interest) s#!!estions are made of a special social needs for '"at is referred to as *an ideal of bea#ty)* all desi!ned to pre&ent t"e flo'erin! of a ne') conflictin! sense of bea#ty '"ic" emer!es from t"e &ital emotions(

,s early as t"e end of $orld $ar 2 t"e 3ada mo&ement tried by &iolent means to brea% a'ay from t"e old ideal of bea#ty( ,lt"o#!" t"e mo&ement concentrated increasin!ly on t"e political arena) as t"e artists in&ol&ed percei&ed t"at t"eir str#!!le for freedom bro#!"t t"em into conflict 'it" t"e la's t"at formed t"e &ery fo#ndations of society) t"e &ital po'er released by t"is confrontation also stim#lated t"e birt" of a ne' artistic &ision( 2n 1944 t"e S#rrealist Manifesto appeared) re&ealin! a "it"erto "idden creati&e imp#lse - it seemed t"at a ne' so#rce of inspiration "ad been disco&ered( #t reton*s mo&ement s#ffocated in its o'n intellect#alism) 'it"o#t e&er con&ertin! its basic principle into a tan!ible &al#e( 5or S#rrealism 'as an art of ideas and as s#c" also infected by t"e disease of past class c#lt#re) '"ile t"e mo&ement failed to destroy t"e &al#es t"is c#lt#re proclaimed in its o'n .#stification( 2t is precisely t"is act of destr#ction t"at forms t"e %ey to t"e liberation of t"e "#man spirit from passi&ity( 2t is t"e basic precondition for t"e flo'erin! of a people*s art t"at encompasses e&eryone( T"e !eneral social impotence) t"e passi&ity of t"e masses) are an indication of t"e bra%es t"at c#lt#ral norms apply to t"e nat#ral e+pression of t"e forces of life( 5or t"e satisfaction of t"is primiti&e need for &ital e+pression is t"e dri&in! force of life) t"e c#re for e&ery form of &ital 'ea%ness( 2t transforms art into a po'er for spirit#al "ealt"( ,s s#c" it is t"e property of all and for t"is reason e&ery limitation t"at red#ces art to t"e reser&e of a small !ro#p of specialists) connoisse#rs) and &irt#osi m#st be remo&ed( #t t"is people*s art is not an art t"at necessarily conforms to t"e norms set by t"e people) for t"ey e+pect '"at t"ey 'ere bro#!"t #p t"ey 'it") #nless t"ey "a&e "ad t"e opport#nity to e+perience somet"in! different( 2n ot"er 'ords) #nless t"e people t"emsel&es are acti&ely in&ol&ed in t"e ma%in! of art( , people art is a form of e+pression no#ris"ed only by a nat#ral and t"erefore !eneral #r!e to e+pression( 2nstead of sol&in! problems preconcei&ed aest"etic ideal) t"is art reco!ni/es only t"e norms of e+pressi&ity) spontaneo#sly directed by its o'n int#ition( T"e !reat &al#e of a people*s art is t"at) precisely beca#se it is t"e form of e+pression of t"e #ntrained) t"e !reatest possible latit#de is !i&en t"e #nconscio#s) t"ereby openin! #p e&er 'ider perspecti&es for t"e compre"ension of t"e secret of life( 2n t"e art of !eni#s too) $estern Classical c#lt#re "as reco!ni/ed t"e &al#e of t"e #nconscio#s) for it 'as t"e #nconscio#s '"ic" made possible a partial liberation from t"e con&entions '"ic" bo#nd art( #t t"is co#ld only be ac"ie&ed after a lon!) personal process of de&elopment) and 'as al'ays seen as re&ol#tionary( T"e cycle of re&ol#tionary deeds '"ic" 'e call t"e e&ol#tion of art "as no' entered its last p"ase6 t"e loosenin! of stylistic con&entions( ,lready 'ea%ened by 2mpressionism) laid bare by C#bism (and later by Constr#cti&ism and 1eo-7lasticism)) it si!nifies t"e end of art as a force of aest"etic idealism on a "i!"er plane t"an life( $"at 'e call *!eni#s* is not"in! else b#t t"e po'er of t"e indi&id#al to free "imself from t"e r#lin! aest"etic and place "imself abo&e it( ,s t"is aest"etic loses its stran!le"old) and 'it" t"e disappearance of t"e

e+ceptional personal performance) *!eni#s* 'ill become p#blic property and t"e 'ord *art* 'ill ac0#ire a completely ne' meanin!( T"at is not to say t"at t"e e+pression of all people 'ill ta%e on a similar !enerali/ed &al#e) b#t t"at e&eryone 'ill be able to e+press "imself beca#se t"e !eni#s of t"e people) a fo#ntain in '"ic" e&eryone can bat"e) replaces t"e indi&id#al performance( 2n t"is period of c"an!e) t"e role of t"e creati&e artist can only be t"at of t"e re&ol#tionary6 it is "is d#ty to destroy t"e last remnants of an empty) ir%some aest"etic) aro#sin! t"e creati&e instincts still sl#mberin! #nconscio#s in t"e "#man mind( T"e masses) bro#!"t #p 'it" aest"etic con&entions imposed from 'it"o#t) are as yet #na'are of t"eir creati&e potential( T"is 'ill be stim#lated by an art '"ic" does not define b#t s#!!ests) by t"e aro#sal of associations and t"e spec#lations '"ic" come fort" from t"em) creatin! a ne' and fantastic 'ay of seein!( T"e onloo%er*s creati&e ability (in"erent in "#man nat#re) 'ill brin! t"is ne' 'ay of seein! 'it"in e&eryone*s reac" once aest"etic con&entions cease to "inder t"e 'or%in! of t"e #nconscio#s( 8it"erto condemned to a p#rely passi&e role in o#r c#lt#re) t"e onloo%er 'ill "imself become in&ol&ed in t"e creati&e process( T"e interaction bet'een creator and obser&er ma%es art of t"is %ind a po'erf#l stim#lator in t"e birt" of t"e creati&ity of t"e people( T"e e&er !reater dissol#tion and e&er more o&ert impotence of o#r c#lt#re ma%es t"e str#!!le of today*s creati&e artists easier t"an t"at of t"eir predecessors - time is on t"eir side( T"e p"enomenon of *%itsc"* "as spread so 0#ic%ly t"at today it o&ers"ado's more c#lti&ated forms of e+pression) or else is so intimately inter'o&en 'it" t"em t"at a demarcation line is diffic#lt to dra'( T"an%s to t"ese de&elopments) t"e po'er of t"e old ideals of bea#ty is doomed to decay and e&ent#ally disappear and a ne' artistic principle) no' comin! into bein!) 'ill a#tomatically replace t"em( T"is ne' principle is based on t"e total infl#ence of matter on t"e creati&e spirit( T"is creati&e concept is not one of t"e t"eories or forms) '"ic" co#ld be described as solidified matter) b#t arises from t"e confrontation bet'een t"e "#man spirit and ra' materials t"at s#!!est forms and ideas( 9&ery definition of form restricts t"e material effect and 'it" it t"e s#!!estion it pro.ects( S#!!esti&e art is materialistic art beca#se only matter stim#lates creati&e acti&ity) '"ile t"e more perfectly defined t"e form) t"e less acti&e is t"e onloo%er( eca#se 'e see t"e acti&ation of t"e #r!e to create as art*s most important tas%) in t"e comin! period 'e 'ill stri&e for t"e !reatest possible materialistic and t"erefore !reatest possible s#!!esti&e effect( :ie'ed in t"is li!"t) t"e creati&e act is more important t"an t"at '"ic" it creates) '"ile t"e latter 'ill !ain in si!nificance t"e more it re&eals t"e 'or% '"ic" bro#!"t it into bein! and t"e less it appears as a polis"ed endprod#ct( T"e ill#sion "as been s"attered t"at a 'or% of art "as a fi+ed &al#e6 its &al#e is dependent on t"e creati&e ability of t"e onloo%er) '"ic" in t#rn is stim#lated by t"e s#!!estion t"e 'or% of art aro#ses( Only li&in! art can acti&ate t"e creati&e spirit) and only li&in! art is of !eneral si!nificance( 5or only li&in! art !i&es e+pression to t"e emotions)

yearnin!s) reactions and ambitions '"ic" as a res#lt of society*s s"ortcomin!s 'e all s"are( , li&in! art ma%es no distinction bet'een bea#tif#l and #!ly beca#se it sets no aest"etic norms( T"e #!ly '"ic" in t"e art of past cent#ries "as come to s#pplement t"e bea#tif#l is a permanent complaint a!ainst t"e #nnat#ral class society and its aest"etic of &irt#osity; it is a demonstration of t"e retardin! and limitin! infl#ence of t"is aest"etic on t"e nat#ral #r!e to create( 2f 'e obser&e forms of e+pression t"at incl#de e&ery sta!e of "#man life) for e+ample t"at of a c"ild) '"o "as yet to be socially inte!rated)) t"en 'e no lon!er find t"is distinction( T"e c"ild %no's of no la' ot"er t"an its spontaneo#s sensation of life and feels no need to e+press anyt"in! else( t"e same is tr#e of primiti&e c#lt#res) '"ic" is '"y t"ey are so attracti&e to today*s "#man bein!s) forced to li&e in a morbid atmosp"ere of #nreality) lies and infertility( , ne' freedom is comin! into bein! '"ic" 'ill enable "#man bein!s to e+press t"emsel&es in accordance 'it" t"eir instincts( T"is c"an!e 'ill depri&e t"e artist of "is special position and meet 'it" st#bborn resistance( for) as "is indi&id#ally 'on freedom becomes t"e possession of all) t"e artist*s entire indi&id#al and social stat#s 'ill be #ndermined( O#r art is t"e art of a re&ol#tionary period) sim#ltaneo#sly t"e reaction of a 'orld !oin! #nder and t"e "erald of a ne' era( 5or t"is reason it does not conform to t"e ideals of t"e first) '"ile t"ose of t"e second "a&e yet to be form#lated( #t it is t"e e+pression of a life force t"at is all t"e stron!er for bein! resisted) and of considerable psyc"olo!ical si!nificance in t"e str#!!le to establis" a ne' society( T"e spirit of t"e bo#r!eoisie still permeates all areas of life) and no' and t"en it e&en pretends to brin! art to t"e people (a special people) t"at is) set to its "and)( #t t"is art is too stale to ser&e as a dr#! any lon!er( T"e c"al%in!s on pa&ements and 'alls clearly s"o' t"at "#man bein!s 'ere born to manifest t"emsel&es; no' t"e str#!!le is in f#ll s'in! a!ainst t"e po'er t"at 'o#ld force t"em into t"e strait.ac%et of a cler% or commoner and depri&e t"em of t"is first &ital need( , paintin! is not a composition of color and line b#t an animal) a ni!"t) a scream) a "#man bein!) or all of t"ese t"in!s to!et"er( T"e ob.ecti&e) abstractin! spirit of t"e bo#r!eois 'orld "as red#ced paintin! to t"e means '"ic" bro#!"t it into bein!; t"e creati&e ima!ination) "o'e&er) see%s to reco!ni/e e&ery form and e&en in t"e sterile en&ironment of t"e abstract it "as created a ne' relations"ip 'it" reality) t#rnin! on t"e s#!!esti&e po'er '"ic" e&ery nat#ral or artificial form possesses for t"e acti&e onloo%er( T"is s#!!esti&e po'er %no's no limits and so one can say t"at after a period in '"ic" it meant 1OT821<) art "as no' entered an era in '"ic" it means 9:9=>T821<( T"e c#lt#ral &ac##m "as ne&er been so stron! or so 'idespread as after t"e last 'ar) '"en t"e contin#ity of cent#ries of c#lt#ral e&ol#tion 'as bro%en by a sin!le .er% of t"e strin!( T"e S#rrealists) '"o in t"eir re.ection of t"e c#lt#ral order t"re' artistic e+pression o&erboard) e+perienced t"e disill#sionment and bitterness of talent become #seless in a destr#cti&e

campai!n a!ainst art) a!ainst a society '"ic") t"o#!" t"ey reco!ni/ed its responsibility) 'as still stron! eno#!" to be considered as t"eirs( 8o'e&er) painters after $orld $ar 22 see t"emsel&es confronted by a 'orld of sta!e decors and false fa?ades in '"ic" all lines of comm#nication "a&e been c#t and all "ope "as &anis"ed( T"e total lac% of a f#t#re as a contin#ation of t"is 'orld ma%es constr#cti&e t"o#!"t impossible( T"eir only sal&ation is to t#rn t"eir bac%s on t"e entire c#lt#re (incl#din! modern ne!ati&ism) S#rrealism and 9+istentialism)( 2n t"is process of liberation it becomes increasin!ly apparent t"at t"is c#lt#re) #nable to ma%e artistic e+pression possible) can only ma%e it impossible( T"e materialism of t"ese painters did not lead) as bo#r!eois idealists "ad 'arned) to a spirit#al &oid (li%e t"eir o'n@)) nor to creati&e impotence( On t"e contrary) for t"e first time e&ery fac#lty of t"e "#man spirit 'as acti&ated in a fertile relations"ip 'it" matter( ,t t"e same time a process 'as started in '"ic" ties and specific c#lt#ral forms '"ic" in t"is p"ase still played a role 'ere nat#rally t"ro'n off) .#st as t"ey 'ere in ot"er areas of life( T"e problematic p"ase in t"e e&ol#tion of modern art "as come to an end and is bein! follo'ed by an e+perimental period( 2n ot"er 'ords) from t"e e+perience !ained in t"is state of #nlimited freedom) t"e r#les are bein! form#lated '"ic" 'ill !o&ern t"e ne' form of creati&ity( Come into bein! more or less #na'ares) in line 'it" t"e la's of dialectics a ne' conscio#sness 'ill follo'(