Obscure Objects of Desire - Surrealism, Fetishism, and Politics

In a speech given in Prague in 1935, André Breton asked, 'Is there, properly speaking, a left-wing art capable of defending itself?'. But despite his conviction that surrealism did indeed offer such an art, Breton always struggled to make a theoretical connection between the surrealists' commitment to the cause of revolutionary socialism and the form that surrealist art and literature took. Obscure Objects of Desire explores ways in which such a connection might be drawn, addressing the possibility of surrealist works as political in themselves and drawing on ways in which they have been considered as such by Marxists such as Benjamin and Adorno and by recent cultural critics. Encompassing Breton's and Aragon's textual accounts of the object, as well as paintings and the various kinds of objet surréaliste produced from the end of the 1920s, Malt mobilises the concept of the fetish in order to consider such works as meeting points of surrealism's psychoanalytic and revolutionary preoccupations. Reading surrealist works of art and literature as political is by no means the same thing as knowing the surrealist movement to have been a politically motivated one. The revolutionary character of the surrealist work itself, in isolation from the polemical positions taken up by Breton and others on its behalf, is not always evident; indeed, the works themselves often seem to express a rather different set of concerns. As well as offering a new perspective on familiar works such as the paintings of Salvador Dalí, and relatively neglected ones like Breton's poèmes-objets, this book recuperates the gap between theory and practice as a productive space in which it is possible to recontextualize surrealist practice as an engagement with political questions on its own terms. acprof-9780199253425-miscMatter-1 Title Pages Johanna Malt Title Pages (p.i) Obscure Objects of Desire Surrealism, Fetishism, and Politics (p.ii) (p.iii) Obscure Objects of Desire Surrealism, Fetishism, and Politics Title Pages acprof-9780199253425-miscMatter-4 (p.v) Acknowledgements Johanna Malt (p.v) Acknowledgements acprof-9780199253425-miscMatter-6 (p.viii) List of Illustrations Johanna Malt (p.viii) List of Illustrations (p.viii) List of Illustrations acprof-9780199253425-chapter-1 Introduction Johanna Malt Introduction Johanna Malt Abstract and Keywords Introduction Introduction Introduction Introduction Introduction Introduction Notes: acprof-9780199253425-chapter-2 Subjectivity and Revolutionary Commitment Johanna Malt Subjectivity and Revolutionary Commitment Johanna Malt Abstract and Keywords Subjectivity and Revolutionary Commitment Subjectivity and Revolutionary Commitment The Surrealist Revolution Subjectivity and Revolutionary Commitment Subjectivity and Revolutionary Commitment Subjectivity and Revolutionary Commitment Subjectivity and Revolutionary Commitment Subjectivity and Revolutionary Commitment Subjectivity and Revolutionary Commitment Subjectivity and Revolutionary Commitment Subjectivity and Revolutionary Commitment Subjectivity and Engagement Subjectivity and Revolutionary Commitment Subjectivity and Revolutionary Commitment Subjectivity and Revolutionary Commitment Subjectivity and Revolutionary Commitment Subjectivity and Revolutionary Commitment Subjectivity and Revolutionary Commitment Subjectivity and Revolutionary Commitment (p.31) Surrealism in the Object World Subjectivity and Revolutionary Commitment Subjectivity and Revolutionary Commitment Subjectivity and Revolutionary Commitment Subjectivity and Revolutionary Commitment Subjectivity and Revolutionary Commitment Subjectivity and Revolutionary Commitment Notes: Subjectivity and Revolutionary Commitment Subjectivity and Revolutionary Commitment Subjectivity and Revolutionary Commitment Subjectivity and Revolutionary Commitment Subjectivity and Revolutionary Commitment acprof-9780199253425-chapter-3 Archaeology and Mythology: Benjamin and Le Paysan de Paris Johanna Malt Archaeology and Mythology: Benjamin and Le Paysan de Paris Johanna Malt Abstract and Keywords Archaeology and Mythology: Benjamin and Le Paysan de Paris Passage Archaeology and Mythology: Benjamin and Le Paysan de Paris Archaeology and Mythology: Benjamin and Le Paysan de Paris Archaeology and Mythology: Benjamin and Le Paysan de Paris Archaeology and Mythology: Benjamin and Le Paysan de Paris Archaeology and Mythology: Benjamin and Le Paysan de Paris Archaeology and Mythology: Benjamin and Le Paysan de Paris Archaeology and Mythology: Benjamin and Le Paysan de Paris Archaeology and Mythology: Benjamin and Le Paysan de Paris Shop Window: Wish Image as Commodity Archaeology and Mythology: Benjamin and Le Paysan de Paris Archaeology and Mythology: Benjamin and Le Paysan de Paris Archaeology and Mythology: Benjamin and Le Paysan de Paris Archaeology and Mythology: Benjamin and Le Paysan de Paris Archaeology and Mythology: Benjamin and Le Paysan de Paris Archaeology and Mythology: Benjamin and Le Paysan de Paris Archaeology and Mythology: Benjamin and Le Paysan de Paris Archaeology and Mythology: Benjamin and Le Paysan de Paris Archaeology and Mythology: Benjamin and Le Paysan de Paris Garden: Archaeology and Mythology in the Buttes-Chaumont Archaeology and Mythology: Benjamin and Le Paysan de Paris Archaeology and Mythology: Benjamin and Le Paysan de Paris Archaeology and Mythology: Benjamin and Le Paysan de Paris Archaeology and Mythology: Benjamin and Le Paysan de Paris Archaeology and Mythology: Benjamin and Le Paysan de Paris Archaeology and Mythology: Benjamin and Le Paysan de Paris Archaeology and Mythology: Benjamin and Le Paysan de Paris Notes: Archaeology and Mythology: Benjamin and Le Paysan de Paris Archaeology and Mythology: Benjamin and Le Paysan de Paris Archaeology and Mythology: Benjamin and Le Paysan de Paris Archaeology and Mythology: Benjamin and Le Paysan de Paris acprof-9780199253425-chapter-4 The Surrealist Object in Theory Johanna Malt The Surrealist Object in Theory Johanna Malt Abstract and Keywords The Surrealist Object in Theory Automatism Versus Paranoia: Situation of the Surrealist Object The Surrealist Object in Theory The Surrealist Object in Theory The Surrealist Object in Theory The Surrealist Object in Theory The Surrealist Object in Theory The Surrealist Object in Theory The Surrealist Object in Theory The Surrealist Object in Theory The Surrealist Object in Theory The Surrealist Object in Theory Between Schizophrenia and Reification The Surrealist Object in Theory The Surrealist Object in Theory The Surrealist Object in Theory The Surrealist Object in Theory The Surrealist Object in Theory The Surrealist Object in Theory Sex and Shopping: Fetishisms The Surrealist Object in Theory The Surrealist Object in Theory The Surrealist Object in Theory The Surrealist Object in Theory The Surrealist Object in Theory The Surrealist Object in Theory The Surrealist Object in Theory The Surrealist Object in Theory The Surrealist Object in Theory Notes: The Surrealist Object in Theory The Surrealist Object in Theory The Surrealist Object in Theory The Surrealist Object in Theory The Surrealist Object in Theory acprof-9780199253425-chapter-5 The Surrealist Object as Fetish Johanna Malt The Surrealist Object as Fetish Johanna Malt Abstract and Keywords The Surrealist Object as Fetish Matter The Surrealist Object as Fetish The Surrealist Object as Fetish The Surrealist Object as Fetish The Surrealist Object as Fetish The Surrealist Object as Fetish The Surrealist Object as Fetish Product The Surrealist Object as Fetish The Surrealist Object as Fetish The Surrealist Object as Fetish The Surrealist Object as Fetish The Surrealist Object as Fetish The Surrealist Object as Fetish The Surrealist Object as Fetish Process The Surrealist Object as Fetish The Surrealist Object as Fetish The Surrealist Object as Fetish The Surrealist Object as Fetish The Surrealist Object as Fetish The Surrealist Object as Fetish The Surrealist Object as Fetish The Surrealist Object as Fetish Notes: The Surrealist Object as Fetish The Surrealist Object as Fetish The Surrealist Object as Fetish The Surrealist Object as Fetish acprof-9780199253425-chapter-6 Poetry in the Object World Johanna Malt Poetry in the Object World Johanna Malt Abstract and Keywords Poetry in the Object World Word as Object: ‘La Chimie Du Verbe’ Poetry in the Object World Poetry in the Object World Poetry in the Object World Poetry in the Object World Poetry in the Object World Poetry in the Object World Poetry in the Object World Tangible Evidence Poetry in the Object World Poetry in the Object World Poetry in the Object World Poetry in the Object World Poetry in the Object World Poetry in the Object World Poetry in the Object World Poetry in the Object World Poetry in the Object World Poetry in the Object World Poetry in the Object World Poetry in the Object World Un Bas Déchiré: Fetishism and Sublimation Poetry in the Object World Poetry in the Object World Poetry in the Object World Poetry in the Object World Poetry in the Object World Poetry in the Object World Notes: Poetry in the Object World Poetry in the Object World Poetry in the Object World Poetry in the Object World acprof-9780199253425-chapter-7 Windows: Painting and the Fetish Surface Johanna Malt Windows: Painting and the Fetish Surface Johanna Malt Abstract and Keywords Windows: Painting and the Fetish Surface Opening Windows: Painting and the Fetish Surface Windows: Painting and the Fetish Surface Windows: Painting and the Fetish Surface Windows: Painting and the Fetish Surface Windows: Painting and the Fetish Surface Windows: Painting and the Fetish Surface Barrier Windows: Painting and the Fetish Surface Windows: Painting and the Fetish Surface Windows: Painting and the Fetish Surface Windows: Painting and the Fetish Surface Windows: Painting and the Fetish Surface Windows: Painting and the Fetish Surface Windows: Painting and the Fetish Surface Windows: Painting and the Fetish Surface Windows: Painting and the Fetish Surface Reflection Windows: Painting and the Fetish Surface Windows: Painting and the Fetish Surface Windows: Painting and the Fetish Surface Windows: Painting and the Fetish Surface Notes: Windows: Painting and the Fetish Surface Windows: Painting and the Fetish Surface Windows: Painting and the Fetish Surface Windows: Painting and the Fetish Surface Windows: Painting and the Fetish Surface acprof-9780199253425-chapter-8 Conclusion Johanna Malt Conclusion Johanna Malt Abstract and Keywords Conclusion Conclusion Conclusion Conclusion Conclusion Conclusion Conclusion Notes: Conclusion acprof-9780199253425-bibliography-1 (p.222) Bibliography Johanna Malt (p.222) Bibliography (p.222) Bibliography (p.222) Bibliography (p.222) Bibliography (p.222) Bibliography (p.222) Bibliography (p.222) Bibliography (p.222) Bibliography (p.222) Bibliography (p.222) Bibliography (p.222) Bibliography (p.222) Bibliography acprof-9780199253425-indexList-1 (p.231) Index Johanna Malt (p.231) Index (p.231) Index (p.231) Index (p.231) Index (p.231) Index (p.231) Index (p.231) Index In a speech given in Prague in 1935, André Breton asked, ‘Is there, properly speaking, a left-wing art capable of defending itself?’. But despite his conviction that surrealism did indeed offer such an art, Breton always struggled to make a theoretical connection between the surrealists' commitment to the cause of revolutionary socialism and the form that surrealist art and literature took. This book explores ways in which such a connection might be drawn, addressing the possibility of surrealist works as political in themselves and drawing on ways in which they have been considered as such by Marxists such as Walter Benjamin and Theodor Adorno. Encompassing Breton's and Louis Aragon's textual accounts of the object, as well as paintings and the various kinds of objet surréaliste produced from the end of the 1920s, it mobilises the concept of the fetish in order to consider such works as meeting points of surrealism's psychoanalytic and revolutionary preoccupations. Reading surrealist works of art and literature as political is not the same as knowing the surrealist movement to have been politically motivated. The revolutionary character of surrealist work is not always evident; indeed, the works themselves often seem to express a rather different set of concerns. As well as offering a new perspective on familiar and relatively neglected works, this book recuperates the gap between theory and practice as a productive space in which it is possible to recontextualise surrealist practice as an engagement with political questions on its own terms Through The Analysis Of Narratives, Paintings, And Objets Surrealistes By Breton, Aragon, Dali, And Others, Malt Examines How The Object Emerges As Psychologically And Historically Marked In The Surrealist Context, Functioning As Both Fetish And Fetishized Commodity. Responding To Recent Debates About The Role Of The Uncanny And The Representation Of The Body In Surrealist Art And Literature, Malt's Study Offers New Perspectives On Familiar Works Such As The Paintings Of Salvador Dali As Well As Illuminating Relatively Neglected Ones Such As Breton's Poemes-objets.--jacket. 1. Subjectivity And Revolutionary Commitment -- 2. Archaeology And Mythology: Benjamin And Le Paysan De Paris -- 3. The Surrealist Object In Theory -- 4. The Surrealist Object As Fetish -- 5. Poetry In The Object World. Johanna Malt. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 222-230) And Index. In 1935 in Prague, Andre Breton delivered a lecture entitled 'Position politique de l'art d'aujourd'hui'.