Toutes ces dames au salon [1956] – expanded version

Now with an addition – the tract and letter that were sent to the original signatories! Thanks Jasper for sending this.

[Internationale Lettriste et al.]. Toutes ces dames au salon!. Paris / Bruxelles: Internationale Lettriste / Les Lèvres Nues, [late 1956]. Single-side leaflet; 38 x 37 cm.; black ink on cream stock.

Violent manifesto against the exhibition “L’Industrie du pétrole vue par des artistes” (“The Oil Industry as seen by artists”) held June 2-14, 1956 in the Palais des Beaux-Arts de Bruxelles and sponsored by oil giant Shell.

The leaflet visionary in that it calls out rampant corporate sponsorship in the arts: “Que la Royal Dutch-Shell aujourd’hui, demain Coca-Cola ou les Saucisses de Francfort, ambitionnent les lauriers de Laurent de Medicis, voila qui n’étonnera guère. Il n’est pas un seul marchand de canons qui ne se double d’un philanthrope…” (“That the Royal Dutch-Shell today, Coca-Cola or Frankfurt Sausages tomorrow, wish to emulate Laurent de Medicis, this should surprise no one. There’s not a single weapon dealer that is not also a philantropist”)

Participanting artists are lambasted – they are the dames (i.e., whores) mentioned in the title – and a full list of these “sell-outs” is provided to readers.

The manifesto is signed by members of the Lettrist International (Michèle Bernstein, Mohamed Dahou, Guy Debord, Jacques Fillon, Alexander Trocchi, Gil J. Wolman), the review Les Lèvres nues (Paul Bourgoignie, Jane Graverol, Marcel Mariën, Paul Nougé, Gilbert Senecaut), the Nuclear Art Movement (Enrico Baj, Sergio Dangelo, Asger Jorn) and several independent artists (Ernest Carlier, Paul Joostens, Herbert Read).

We locate 3 OCLC copies (Yale, BNF, Getty) of this important document.

Addendum:

A fellow Situ-phile communicated to us the following document, which provide great context:

Marien, Marcel and Nouge, Paul. Chere Madame, Cher Monsieur, Cher ami…. Bruxelles, 19 June 1956. 1 p. letter; 21 x 29 cm.; faint purple ink on cream stock.

Letter by Marien and Nouge to the potential signatories of the tract “Toutes ces dames au salon”, which as published later that year. Individuals are urged to respond by June 24 [1956], either by returning a signed copy or by explaining the reason(s) behind their refusal to endorse this tract.

[Internationale Lettriste et al.]. Toutes ces dames au salon!. Paris / Bruxelles: Internationale Lettriste / Les Lèvres Nues, [June 1956]. Single-side leaflet;  black ink on cream stock.

Preliminary version of the tract, which was communicated to potential signatories for their endorsement.

 

Toutes Ces Dames au Salon! [1956]

[Internationale Lettriste et al.]’. Toutes ces dames au salon!. Paris / Bruxelles: Internationale Lettriste / Les Lèvres Nues, [late 1956]. Single-side leaflet; 38 x 37 cm.; black ink on cream stock.

Violent manifesto against the exhibition “L’Industrie du pétrole vue par des artistes” (“The Oil Industry as seen by artists”) held June 2-14, 1956 in the Palais des Beaux-Arts de Bruxelles and sponsored by oil giant Shell.

The leaflet visionary in that it calls out rampant corporate sponsorship in the arts: “Que la Royal Dutch-Shell aujourd’hui, demain Coca-Cola ou les Saucisses de Francfort, ambitionnent les lauriers de Laurent de Medicis, voila qui n’étonnera guère. Il n’est pas un seul marchand de canons qui ne se double d’un philanthrope…” (“That the Royal Dutch-Shell today, Coca-Cola or Frankfurt Sausages tomorrow, wish to emulate Laurent de Medicis, this should surprise no one. There’s not a single weapon dealer that is not also a philantropist”)

Participanting artists are lambasted – they are the dames (i.e., whores) mentioned in the title – and a full list of these “sell-outs” is provided to readers.

The manifesto is signed by members of the Lettrist International (Michèle Bernstein, Mohamed Dahou, Guy Debord, Jacques Fillon, Alexander Trocchi, Gil J. Wolman), the review Les Lèvres nues (Paul Bourgoignie, Jane Graverol, Marcel Mariën, Paul Nougé, Gilbert Senecaut), the Nuclear Art Movement (Enrico Baj, Sergio Dangelo, Asger Jorn) and several independent artists (Ernest Carlier, Paul Joostens, Herbert Read).

We locate 3 OCLC copies (Yale, BNF, Getty) of this important document.