UCTOR BRAUNER

desenedrawingsqraaurzbtchingsobiecteobjectseaenimenteeuents

sNRPUc

Margaret Montagne

Victor Brounea Dublurq gi

"Anti-Eul" / Victor Brounet TheDouble And The ,Anti-Me"

Erwin Kessler

Pictopoezia co motor al releleiovongordiste /

Picto- poet ry os C orpo ra teN etwo r ki n g Avo nt-G a rd e

Midilina Lascu

Victor Brouner - octivitateaexpozi,tionqld din Romdnio/ Victor Brouner - The

Romo n io n E x h i b itio n Activity

TEXT

Mandolina, 75HP,Fotografi e Cismigiu, Colaiunu foaie verde, unu estival

/The Mandolin, 75HP,

Cismigiu photo, unu foaieverde collage, unu estival

p46

Desene, acuarele

Drawings, watercolors

p62

Litografii, grar,uri,documente

/Lithographs, etchings,

documents

plB

CATALOG

CRONOLO

pl22

I. Evenimente

I. Events

p13B

II.IlustratiiCARTI, PERIODICE, hI,TELE

/II. Ilustration

BOOKS, PERIODICALS, OTHER

p159

III. Bio:[GRAPHIC]

GIEp26l p347 p397

c

Yvonne Hasan

Note Despre Victor BrounefRevue Roumoine nr 3 - 1967 /Notes On Victor Brounec Revue

RoumainenrS-1967

Yvonne Hasan

Propunere pentru EdituroMeridione ,/ Proposol For

Meridiane Publishing House

-..rG

EN

Dominique Rabourdin

Victor Brouner Fi dctivitateosuprorea listd din Fro n,ta/ Victor Brouner ond the

Surreolist activity in Fronce

Florin Colonas

V icto r-Vi ctorel, d i bdcimenestrel /

V i ctor-Vi ctore, s k i I lf u I m i n stre I

STTNo

p76

Prezenta in miscareasuprarealisti francezi

Participation in theFrench Surrealist

movement

pB7

Afise de pullicatii din epoci/

Vintage magazine posters

p94

Cdrti ilustrate

Illustrated books

plo4

Invitatii, afise deexpozitie, cataloage

Invitations, exhibitionposters, catalogres

p2U p22l p226 p234

Margaret Montagne

Doctor in Istoria artei si autoare a unei teze despre opera gralicd a lui Vctor Brauner, Margaret Montagne, a

studiat mai mul(i ani la Universitatea LYON 2 si la Saint-litienne (Universitatea Jean Monnet), unde este si

acum conferenliar Dupi numeroase publicafii despre Victor Brauner gi o cunoaqtere aprofundati a vietii

sale, imbogitite prin interviuri cu Sarane Alexandrian, prieten gi biogral al artistului, lucreazi in present la

realizarea catalogului raisonnd al picturilor artistului (perioada 19371966).

Numerele lucririlor la care se face referire in text sunt cele din sectiunea Catalog a volumului.

Doctor in History of Art and author of a thesis on the graphic work of Vctor Brauner, Maryaret Montagne

studied for several years at LYON 2 University and SaintEtienne (Jean Monnet Llniversity), where she is still

Iecturar After numerous publications on Victor Brauner, with an in-depth knowledge of his life, enrichecl by

interviews with Sarane Alenndrian, friend and biographer of the arlist, she devotes lter research to writing the

Catalog raisonn( of the painterJ work of the artist (hom 1937 to 1966).

The illustration numbers in text refference the numbers in the Catalogue section of the book.

IB

,,ANTI_EU lj' THE'AIVTI-MB"

ln toate cdutdrile mele se In all my searches one can see

intrevede problemo dublurii, core the problem ofthe double u,thichvo deveni dromo dublurii: dublurilemerg pdnd in strdfundurileextremelo4 precum copul (acesta)

uill become the drama of thedouble: the doubles go to thebottom ofthe ertremes, such as

cu pdrul care se prelungegte (this) head zohose hair prolongedpdnd in dreptul felei (care) se infront oftheface (uhich) turns

VICTORBRAU N ER,

DUBLURA SI

transformd intr- u n o ni mo I ogresiv.Toote aceste personaje se uitd

ocelogi personoj. Victor Braunerl

,,Lesat doar in seama resurselor proprii,efortul reflexiv de dedublare ajunge la egec.Eu sunt mereu redobandit de cetre mine",scrie Sartre2. Aici este diferenta dintreexistentialism gi suprarealism: evadareal Oanalize psihologicA ce scoate in evidenldcopileria lui Victor Brauner o abordaresocio-culturala care denuntd influenle

1 Toate citatele din acest artist reproduse aici suntextrase din scrierile sale pAstrate in Arhivel€ Victor Brounerde 16 Centrul Cultural ,,Georges Pompidou" de la Paris. Elesu nt menlionate in italice, ca $ititlurile lucrdrilor sale. Aceastercme a Dublurii a lecut obiectul unei publicalii personale incatalogul de expozilii dedicat lui Victor Brauner in 2001,9u rreo list H ierogl yp hs, Menil Foundation, Houston.

2 Jean--Paul Sartre, L'Etre et ]e N6ont, callimard, Paris,1943.

VICTORBRAU1NER,

THE DOUBLE AND

into an aggressiae animal.Allthese characters look at each.

unul lo altul inointeo prelungirii other infront qftheir entensionlor care devine un olt personajtronsformqt in onimal si care este

which becomes another characterchanged into animal and being thesame character. Victor Braunerl

"Confined to its own resources, thereflexive effort towards duplication leads tofailure. I am always reclaimed by myself,"writes Sartree. Here lies the differencebetween Existentialism and Surrealism:the breal<away! A psychological analysishighlighting the childhood ofVictor Brauner,a socio-r"ull ural approach. denounci ng

1 All the quotes of th€ atist reproduced here are from hiswdtings preserved in th€ Archives Llxtot Btauner, CnltwalC€nt€r 'ceoryes Pompidou," Paris. The thene of The Doublehas been the subject of a pexsona.l publication in the exiibitioncatalogne dedicated to Victor Brauner in 20O7, SunealistH i*o s lt p h *, M cnil F otndation, Houston.

2194A.

Jean Paul Sartre,l,'/rre et le .tant, callinad, Paris,

19

semnificative, un studiu formal al operei caresubliniaze o problematice ontologice, toateacestea aratd cA artistul a incercat se rezolveconflictul fundamental al fiinleijuxtapunandpe panza lui un profil terestru s,i un profilspiritual, opunandu-se astfel doctrinelorcare pretindeau ce stabilesc o separareabsolut6 intre trup si suflet. Suprarealismul

- suprarealismul seu propriu imbogd.tit cuo cautare permanentd a Cunoasterii - l-aajutat sd realizeze, in universul formal al uneipicturi calificate de el drepl dutobiogroficd,sinteza contrariilol; singura care, potrivitdefiniliei date de Lautrdamont3 gi preluate deAnd16 Breton, poate crea Frumuselea.

Fiecare lucrare a anilor 20 prezinte creaturiin luptd, renite, decapitate, precum cdlelul dinunu. Existenla lor se datoreazd adesea doarumbrelor lor: cAteva trdseturi care dovedesccum corpul de carne este in lumina, legitimatintr-un fel de privirea celuilalt. Umbrele saureflexiile omniprezente in opere reprezinte oprime manifestare a sufletului sau a spirituluidetagat de corp (se ne amintim ce vampirii,morli vii, nu au nici umbrd, nici reflexie)4.

Putem recunoagte foarte devreme in operalui Victor Brauner marca acestui dualismstabilit intre forma uman6 muritoare, vizibilds,i cea a Celuilalt.

in numeroasele desene realizate cu panegi tug din anii 29 9i 30, de multe oricarnea pelegte, membrele se estompeazdin favoarea liniilor subliri, trasate cu ochiiinchigi, in conformitate cu cerinlele scrieriiautomate; conturul unui 8, simbol al

infinitului, preluatln semneturd in anii 1948-1949, pare a fi devenirea urmei umbrite infiinle propulsate in universul cosmologic( nr.18 @.Locul reprodus este adesea doar un pasaj,

3 ,,Frumos ca intalnirea intampletoare pe o masede diseclie a unei umbrele cu o magine de cusut", scrieLa utnt6 mont ln cel de-al $aselea d intre Cdntu rile lui Maldoror.

4 in 1932, Victor Brauner a ilustrat Petre Schtemihl,llarieVoronca, Tipografi€ Bucovina, Bucuregti. Povestea lui PeterSch/emrhl de Chamisso evoc6 un persona.j care qi-a vandutumbra diavolului.

uimportant influences," a formal study ofthework highlighting an ontological questioning,show that the artist tried to solve thefundamentaJ conflict of being b1 ju-xtapositrg

on his carrvas a terrestrial profile and aspiritual profile, thus opposing the doctrineswhich claimed to establish arr a.bsoluteseparation between the body and the soul.Surrealism - his own Surrealism enriched bya constant quest ofKnowledge - led him torealize in the formal universe of a paintingdescribed by him as autobiographical, tll-.e

synthesis ofopposites which alone, accordingto the definition ofLautr6amont3 taken overby Andr6 Breton, can engender Beauty.

Each work done during 1920's showsstruggling creatures, wounded, beheadedlike the little dog in zzz. Their existence isoften due only to their shadow: a few traitsthat prove that the body of flesh is in the light,legitimized in some way by the gaze oftheother. Shadows or omlipresent reflectionsin the work represent a first manifestationofthe soul or the spirit - detached flom thebody (remember that vampires, living dead,have neither shadow nor reflection).4

We can identify in the early works ofVictorBrauner a mark ofthis dualisn establishedbetween the mortal human form, which isvisible, arrd that of an Other.

In the marry drawings in pen and Chinaink, done in 1929 and 1930, often the fleshfades, the limls fade, in favor ofthin lines,nade with closed eyes, in accordance withthe requirements of the automatic writing;the outline of an 8 sign of infinity, takenover in the years 1948-49, seems to markthe becoming ofthe shadowed trace beingpropelled into the cosmological universe(zo.18EX).

3 "Beautiful as the chanc€ meeting on a dissection trble o{a sewing rnachine and an unbrclla", wdtes Laut#amont in thesixlh sory ot Chants de Maldnro".

4 In 1932, Victor Brauner illustnted Pelrd S.ilemihl,IlarieVoronca, Tipographia Bucovina, Bucharest. The Story ofPeterScilemiil by Chamisso evokes a characler who sold his shadowto the Devil.

z0

pragul Ugii (Lo porto) al cdrei zeu lanus arenumeroase chipuri; in acest tablou, ca gi

in Autoportret (Autoportroit), ambele din1931, Victor Brauner se picteaze cu un ochismuls, premonitie a accidentului pe care-l vasuferi la ochi in 1938,9i expune astfel chipulviitorului.

Dace in desenele din anii 20 Victor Braunerdescrie, nu ferA violent6, personaje cu ochiiscosi, cele din U9o au ceva gi mai tulburdtor.Catargul steagului ca un maner de sabiedeseneazd un D: cel al lui 6scar Domingu6z,artistul care va fi responsabil pentru ranapricinuite in timpul unei inceiereri peBulevardul Montparnasse caliva ani mailerziu.

Chiar dacd e greu de identificat data la cares-au fecut addugirile la aceaste fotografie(nr.5 EEID din 1924, in care Victor Braunereste insotit de poetul llarie Voronca (in anulacela, cei doi prieteni au creat revista ZsHP),se poate observa totusi geometria liniilorcare il incadreaze pe pictor intr-o silueteduble, ceea ce nu ne dlstanleaze de anii 20.Artistul gi-a pdtat cu cerneala neagrd ochiul,ca pentru a-l orbi.

Pe lenge faptul cd actul de a distrugevederea este premonitoriu la Victor Brauner,aceastd obsesie personald a artistului trebuiecorelatd cu intrebarea care se punea spresfars,itul anilor 2O:trebule sA distrugemvederea pentru a trece dincolo de aparentede la realitate la suprarealitate?

Actualitatea artisticd ne ofe16 multe citate,ca ochiul strepuns de o lam6 de ras dinChien Andolou (C0inele ondoluz) al luiBufiuel din 1929, picturile lui Ernst (OedpusRex), L'histoire de I'eil (lstorio ochiulula lui Bataille sau, in fine, Lo po inte d l'@il(Vdrful in ochi) al lui Giacometti: in aceastdlucrare, artistul asociazd actul sexual,penetrarea unei forme ascutite intr-o formagoale si rotundd, cu rana vizuald. Aceastdmetafore va fi purtatA de Victor Braunerprintr-o intreagd simbolistica, precum inRencontre du creux plein dvec le plein

The drar.rm place is often merely a passage,the threshold of Zi e Door (La Porte\ ofwhich the god Ja-nus has many faces; in thispainting, as in the Selfportrait,I:oth of793l,Victor Brauner painted himself with a torn-offeye, premonitory ofthe accident in theeye of 1938, a-nd thus exposes the face ofthefuture.

If in the drawings ofthe 1920s, VictorBrauner describes, sornehow violently,characters with their eyes torn off, thosein The Door have an even more disturbingelement. The flagpole, like the handle ofthe sword is drawn in a D: that of6scarDominguez, the artist who will be responsiblefbr the injury during a brawl on Boulevard deMontparnasse. a few years later,

Ifihile it is difrcult to date the additions madeto this photograph (zo. 5IEE]) taken in 1924,showing Victor Brauner accompanied by thepoet Ilarie Voronca (that year the two lliendscreated the rnagazine 75HP1,we canhowevernotice the geometry ofthe lines inscribingthe artist in a double silhouette, which doesnot take us away from the '20s. The artist hasstained black ink in his eye, as ifto blind him.

In addition to the fact that the act ofdestroying vision is premonitory in VictorBrauner, we rnust link this personal obsessionofthe artist to the question posed towards theend ofthe 1920s: must we destroy our sightto go beyond appearances, from reality tosurreality?

The artistic scene provides us with numerousquotes, such as the razor-sharp eye oftheBunuel's Chien Andalou (Andalusian Dog\ of192$ the paintings ofErnst (Oed.ipus Rer\,Batatlle's L'histoire de lbil (Story ofthe Eye)or finally Giacomellls La pointe d. I'nil (Tipin the Eye\: inthis work, the artist associatesthe sexual act, the penetration ofa pointedform in a hollow and rounded form, with thevisual wound. This rnetaphor will be spun byVictor Brauner through an entire symlolicvision such as fiencontre du creu:r pleinaaec le plein creuz (Encounter ofthe Hollow

2t

creux \ntAhired plinului got cu golu! plin)sau in lucrarile anilor 30: ochii vor fi inlocui-ticu coarnele de taun care reprezinta oputernicd sugestie sexual6, la fel ca in multedesene pestrate in fundul atelieruluis [artistulle numeste Lunettes comes dux yedux(Ocheldri codrne fa ochi)l. Datand din 1997,ele aratd o interogare asupra creatiei: VictorBrauner este reprezentat ca un artist carepicteaze (lucru unic in opera sa), cu paletagi gevaletul pe care le intruchipeazd. in alt6parte, el lasd ochiul fizic pe marginea unuidrum lDernier voyoge (llltimo cdldtorie)], intimp ce ochii-coarne strdpung panza gi veddincolo de aparen!5.

Artistul ne ofere deseori o viziune a uneireni prin penetrare (sexua15, virild [armd],

i violentd). Si intotdeauna asociazA actul de a

I vedea cu suferinla (taurul din desenele sale

: pare oferit ca sacrificiu): crealia artisticec este Crealia lui Dumnezeu si sugereaza> imaginea ini!ial66. in desenul nr..l3 ffi nu

; este prezent garpele falic, in timp ce barbatul: se mis,ce cu greu, cletinandu-se, suslinutb! de o femeie din marmure cu o secer6? lar€ acesta nu-l acuzd, ardtandu-l pe garpeZ cu degetele? in depdrtare, tn plan secund,

artistul, fere cap, deci gi fere ochi, traseaze

" in nori un ochi unic care nu face decat sd* evoce ochiul Providentei. Pictorul se afle pe

- un piedestal ln care apare o roate, simbol alhazardului, dar gi al schimbdrii.

ln anii 20, Victor Brauner a reprezentat inmod repetat ziua crealiei in care femeia senagte din coasta lui Adam. intr-un stil grafic7,

el dezvdluie formele negre pe un fundalalb, apoi pe cele negre pe alb gi astfel le ddnastere: trupurile se gdsesc adesea in mare

5 Aceasta coleclie este pdstrata la l\ruzeul de Artel\iloderna din Saint-Etienne. Cf.: Margaret Montagne, Operogrdficd o lui Victot Rrauner (1903-1966). Studiu 9i cdtolog olcolecliei de otoliet pdstrote ln Muzeul de Artd Modernd dinSoint-ttienne, Presses Universitaires du Septsntion, Lille,1999.

6 Geneza, lll,7: "Atunci li s-au deschis ochii l€ amandoi giau cunoscut cd erau goi". Vederca le este date o€menilor capedeapsa penlru pacatul origin€r!

7 A se vedea ilustraliile din 75HP suprapunerilegeometrice specific€ pictopoeziei se autofecundeazg astfel.

Full u:ith the Full Hollou) or in the works ofthe 1930s: the eyes will be replaced by bullborns. a sl rong sexual suggestion, as in ma nydrawings kept in the back ofthe studios (theartist calls them Zunettes conles au.e: yeaur -Eyeglass Horns). Dating from 193f, they showa questioning ofcreation: Victor Braunerrepresents himself as a painting artist (whichis unique in his work), with his palette andhis easel that he incarnates. Elsewhere, hedrops the physical eye on the edge of a road(Dernier uoyage) (Last Journey),while hishorn-wearing eyes pierce the canvas and seebeyond appearance.

Often, the artist offers us a vision ofa woundpenetration (sexual, virile weapon, violent).And he a-lways associates the act ofseeingl-o suffering (the bull in his drawings seemsoffered in sacrifice): the artistic creation isDivine Creation, and returns to the originalscene.Bln dranting 22e. 731Ets , is the phallicserpent not present when the man staggers,supported by a marble woman with a siclde?Does he not accuse the serpent by pointinghis fingers at it? F\.rrthermore, in thebackground, the artist, deprived ofhis head,thus also ofhis eyes, traces a single eye in theclouds that does not else but evoke the eye ofProvidence. The artist stands on a pedestal inwhich a wheel appears, symlol of chance butalso ofchange.

In the 1920s, Victor Brauner repeatedlyrepresented the day of Creation wherethe womal was born from Adam's rib. In agraphicT, he unfolds the black forms on awhite background, then the black ones on thewhite and gives them birth: the bodies oftenare in great imlalance, penetrate each other,

5 This collection is currendv kept in the Museum ofModernArt of Sai!1-Etienne. Cl Margaret Montagne, fi e g"aphic uo"kofl4ctor Btaune" (1903-1966I Stadt, and catalog of the studioco ection hzld at the Museum of Mod.ern Art in SaintEdenne,Univeruity Presses of the Septentrion, LiIe, lggg.

6 Genesis III. ?'Then their eyes werc opened and they knewthey were naked". The sight is given to humais as a punishmenrfor the odginal sinl

7 See the illustrations of 751{Pt the geometdc overlaysspecifrc to pic topo esie tbts self-fertilize.

5 (detotiu)

26b (detqliu)

22

5 (revers)

dezechilibru, se intrepetrund, uimite cd seafld acolo, pe pemant! (desenele nr, 1O si nn22m)in desenul nr. 1O ffi , Victor Braunersubliniazd marele pericol de a exista cuacegti doi echilibrigti: femeia, cu sexul bineconturat, acrobata, dd nastere bdrbatului,care vine cu capul inainte, printr-un cerccare ar putea fi de foc!

Din anii 20 si din prietenia sa cu scriitori sipoeli avangardigti, Victor Brauner pdstreazadragostea pentru cuvinte si pentru poezie.Cuvintele notate, titlurile lucrdrilori scrierilesale dezvaluie bogelia imaginaliei sale. Lafel ca Voronca, el va da viala obiectelor;va contopi cuvinte pentru a fecunda fiinteextraordinare: dace unul vorbeste despreun ,,telefon cu barbe"8, celdlalt deseneazd oplontd cu perie cu gduri, precum mai tarziuinstrumentul magic lunosoll El va crea astfelle chopoule, apoi le poicholit- Din aceastefamilie pare se se fi ndscut c6lelul dindesenul nr. 14 @, cu coadd de salamandrd,cu fundul ridicat, dar cu vedere dubl6!

Cu ochiiinchigi, intrem in lumea suprarealistaa anilor 30, pentru ce doar aga, cu ochiiinchis,i, visem, mintea ni se lasa invadatd,eliberat6 de orice constrangere, de peisajeonirice populate de dorinlele noastresatisfecute in cele din urme.

in 1934, Victor Brauner era introdus decel pulin doi ani in grupul suprarealistilor,creat in jurul lui Andr6 Breton, cu careimpArt6gea disculii de seard in cafenelelepariziene. Locuia pe strada Moulin Vert, inaceeagi clddire cu Tanguy gi Giacometti,gi se afla in centrul ideii de eliberare detoate constrangerile prin procedee precumhipnoza sau scrierea automat6 sau visele,pentru a lesa eul interio[ Sinele, sd seexprime.

Diferili psihanaligti care au studiat tulburerilede personalitate legate de sentimentul du-

8 in: reproducerea 75HP, prefa\ePerahim, Jean-Michel Place, 1993, p. 15.

astonished to be there, on earth! (drataingsno, 1O ar.d no. 22EB)In drauing no. 1O EX, Victor Brauneremphasizes the great danger of existingwith these two equilibrists : the woman,with a well-draum sex, a tightrope walker,gives birth to the man who arrives head firstthrough a circle that could be offire!

From the 1920s and his friendships withAvant-Garde writers and poets, VictorBrauner keeps the love ofwords and poetry.The inscribed words, the titles ofhisworks, his writings reveal the richness ofhis imagination. Like Voronca, he will givelife to objects, unite words to impregnateextraordinary beings: ifone spea-ks of"bearded phone,"8 the other draws a p/azllDith brush with holes like the later magictool of lunasol! He will create the chapouleandthe poichalil From this family this littledog seems born inthe drauing no. 14EB, with a salamander tail, with the rear endraised, but provided with double vision!

Eyes closed, we enter the surrealist universeofthe '30s because it is with closed eyesthat we dream, that our spirit is allowed tobe invaded, free from all constraint, by thedreamlike landscapes populated with ourfi nally satisfi ed desires.

In 1934, for at least two yeaxs, Victor Braunerwas introduced to the group of Surrealistsaround Andr6 Breton. whose eveningdiscussions he shared in Parisia.n caf6s.Living in rue du Moulin \/ert, in the samebuilding as Tanguy ald Giacometti, he is atthe heart ofthis subject: freeing himself fromall restraint by processes such as hypnosisor automatic wdting or dreams to allow hisinnei Selfto express itself.

Different psychoanalysts questioning thepersonality disorders related to the feelingof the double in the individual (paranoia.

8 In &ploduction ot 75HP, prehcePerfirn, Jean,Michel Place, 1993, p. 15.

de Marina Vanci- by Marina Vanci-

23

5

Fotograliealb-negruMctor Brauner qillarie Voronca inCiqmigiu

13 x 8,5 cm(provenienla LenaConstante)

ti

t,,,,i',

6

lirplicatiile Lcnci Consta te privin(lfblogralia \iictor llrauncr li llrric\bronca,,Fotografie apartinlnd famll ei Brauner(llarie Voronca cu Victor Braunet'1924) Fotografie pe care VictorBrauner a desenat in tug stilizarea. -brslb d s I rerF Lr De oos-l lo' ool"dschite in creion tot de Victor BraunerLena Constante, sotia lul HarryBraune[ frate e artistu ui."

7

Ilaric \brorrca (autor: Nledi Dinu)Tablou co or 67 x 47 cm

150

l3l

')

{8 :J"!

13

PROI'ETIEDesen alb-negru,20,5 x 25 cm (inedit,temd repetatd ulterior in rnai multelucrd ri)

40