Surrealism Against the Current

Bringing together many Surrealist texts that have never previously been available in English, this collection is an essential guide for anyone who wishes to understand the Surrealist movement.It traces its development in the words of the Surrealists themselves, offering a definitive expression of Surrealism as a collective movement. It shows the extent of Surrealist positions and interests and shows how, having become a major cultural phenomenon of the twentieth century, the issues it has raised remain central to current debates.Covering the period 1922-91, these texts illuminate its philosophical, political and ethical positions and locate Surrealism in a broader social and cultural context. Comprising statements from Surrealist groups in Paris, Belgium, Romania, Sweden and Czechoslovakia, and signed by the major participants, it reveals the international dimension of Surrealism.

A collection of Surrealists texts from across Europe.

AcknowledgementsIntroduction: Surrealism as a Collective AdventureNote on the selection of texts1. Historical Orientation of Surrealism2. Surrealism Vis-à-vis Revolutionary Politics3. The Security of the Spirit4. Declarations on ColonialismAppendicesBibliographyIndex