Artaud: In Search of Myth and Revolution in Mexico feat. Stuart Kendall on "Journey to Mexico"
Aug 4, 2024
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In this engaging discussion, Stuart Kendall, author of 'Journey to Mexico: Revolutionary Messages & the Tarahumara', delves into Antonin Artaud's transformative journey in 1936. He explores Artaud's quest for a vital culture beyond European civilization, tackling themes of artistic expression, personal struggles, and his profound connection to indigenous practices. The conversation also highlights Artaud's intersection of art and politics, examining his critiques of materialism and the darker aspects of society while reflecting on the broader implications of his legacy.
Antonin Artaud's 1936 journey to Mexico was a transformative escape from European civilization, seeking a deeper connection to indigenous cultures.
Stuart Kendall's book presents unpublished writings that illuminate Artaud's artistic evolution and his critique of Western colonialism during this transformative period.
Artaud's reflections on Marxism and surrealism reveal his belief in prioritizing individual experience over class-based politics and rationalism in contemporary society.
Deep dives
New Reading Groups Introduction
Patrons at the $5 level can join a reading group focusing on Pierre Klosowski's 'Nietzsche in the Vicious Circle,' starting August 18th, which is designed to deepen participants' understanding of Nietzsche's philosophy. Meanwhile, a summer reading group on Michel Foucault's 'The Order of Things' is currently running, with available spots for new members. Following that, the focus will shift in September to Gilles Deleuze's exploration of Kant's critical philosophy, examining their interconnections and providing fresh perspectives. Access to these reading groups extends to all paid subscribers engaged in studying Deleuze, Deleuze and Guattari, and Foucault.
Stuart Kendall's Work on Antonin Artaud
The episode features Stuart Kendall, a translator and author known for his insights into George Bataille's works, who discusses his recent project: a book about Antonin Artaud's journey to Mexico. This book presents previously unpublished letters and lectures that shed light on Artaud's exploration of indigenous cultures. It highlights how Artaud's experiences in Mexico fundamentally transformed his artistic and spiritual journey, underscoring the significance of this period in shaping his ideas. Kendall's publication aims to gather diverse writings that were historically dispersed, offering a comprehensive look at Artaud's perspectives.
Artaud's Journey to Mexico
Antonin Artaud's trip to Mexico in 1936 marked a crucial turning point in his life and work as he sought to escape the political tensions in Europe and explore new cultural horizons. His experiences were deeply influenced by his reactions against Western colonialism and the inadequacies of revolutionary projects of the 20th century. In Mexico, he aimed to find spiritual and artistic transformation through an engagement with indigenous cultures. This quest reflects his overarching desire to transcend Eurocentric perspectives and seek a more profound understanding of life and art.
Significance of Artaud's Letters and Lectures
Kendall emphasizes the importance of Artaud's letters and lectures in understanding his philosophy and artistic motivations, revealing his personal struggles and aspirations. These writings convey a narrative of Artaud's life and thoughts during a pivotal moment, illustrating how his internal conflicts intertwined with his external journey. The collection serves as a significant resource for scholars interested in the complexities of Artaud's ideas, aiding in the recovery of his narrative across different languages and cultural contexts. It provides valuable insights into how this tumultuous period influenced Artaud's later works and theories.
Political Context and Cultural Reflections
The discussion reflects on the broader political landscape of Artaud's time, examining his views on Marxism and surrealism and their failures to address individual consciousness. Artaud critiques the reliance on rationalism and class-based politics, advocating for a deeper exploration of individual experience and culture. His thoughts resonate with contemporary discussions about the nature of political engagement and the need for new narratives to inspire meaningful action. This context highlights the ongoing relevance of Artaud's work as a means to question the intersections of culture, politics, and individual agency amidst a rapidly changing society.
Buy 'Journey to Mexico: Revolutionary Messages & the Tarahumara' (Contra Mundum Press) with introduction by Stuart Kendall: https://www.contramundumpress.com/journey-to-mexico
About 'Journey to Mexico: Revolutionary Messages & the Tarahumara':
On 10 January 1936, the poet, actor, and dramatic theorist, Antonin Artaud departed Europe on a journey to Mexico that would take him from the streets, cafés, and lecture halls of Mexico City to the remote mountains of the Sierra Tarahumara. The journey would last only ten months, culminating in some six to eight weeks spent among the Tarahumara (Rarámuri), but it was a profound turning point in his life.
Artaud didn’t just leave Europe. He fled it. “I came to Mexico to escape European civilization … I hoped to find a vital form of culture.” The vital form of culture that he sought was one wherein individual and communal behaviors were rooted in the soil of a place, wherein the rituals of religion reinforced a connection in human lives between the earth and the sun.
But Artaud’s search for a vital form of culture would not be a simple one. His appeal to indigenous culture would first require an intense and intricate effort at aesthetic, religious, political, and philosophical decolonization. And this intellectual work would not be without a psychological cost.
Journey to Mexico collects very nearly all of Artaud’s writings related to his voyage to the land of the Tarahumara: the writings he prepared prior to this journey; the pieces he published in Mexico and the lectures he delivered there; the essays, letters, and poems that he wrote in the years after his journey, reflecting on and reframing his experiences. A selection of letters written before, during, and after the trip conveys the very personal — the physical, emotional, and financial — challenges of the journey.
Artaud’s Journey to Mexico takes us far from home to the limits of art and anthropology, myth and religion, to confront the legacies of colonial conquest and the possibility of decolonization in a desperate search for a “vital form of culture.”