[WYCKAERT, Maurice]. CASPARI, C[laus]. [Untitled manuscript] L’image est aussi vieille que l’homme…ca. 1960. 6 p.; 21 x 27.5 cm.; black ink on thin white stock; annotations in blue ink.
Unpublished, unreleased typed manuscript by art critic Claus Caspari about Maurice Wyckaert. Handwritten annotations by Caspari in blue ink.
Caspari also authored a short introduction to the catalog for Wyckaert’s exhibition at Galerie Van de Loo, held from March 23 to April 26, 1961 (this is the exhibition that led to Wyckaert’s exclusion from the S.I.); see here for more details. However, the text of that introduction is altogether different from the one here, which was likely written around 1960 or 61.
[DEBORD, Guy] CONSTANT (Nieuwenhuys). Copy of a typed letter to Debord dated 6 Juin 1960. 1 p.; 21 x 27 cm.; black ink on thin white stock.
Letter from Constant to Debord, where the Dutch architect expresses his disappointment with Debord’s decision to cancel the planned Situationist exhibition at the Stedelijk museum in Amsterdam (planned for May 1960, the exhibition would never take place due to a falling out with Museum Director Willem Sandberg). Constant then asks Debord whether he’s “willing to collaborate with [him] on the basis of the Amsterdam declaration, which was endorsed at the Munich conference”. He concludes by writing: “Given what remains of the S.I., the topic of my resignation of exclusion is ludicrous. Unitary urbanism will belong to those that will have done something with it. I am still counting on you. Yours truly, Constant.”
A copy of this letter was enclosed by Debord in his letter to Maurice Wycakert dated 22 June 1960. In that letter, Debord wites: “Ci-joint le dernier échange de correspondance entre Constant et moi. Le dernier, au sens fort du terme. J’avais pensé que les “erreurs” de Constant étaient toujours causées par son caractère bouillant, et son jugement lourdement unilatéral en bien des cas. Mais peut-être Asger avait-il raison, quelque peu, en parlant de provocation. Je m’étonne que l’idiotie de la proposition de collaboration qu’il m’a adressée, et l’insupportable ridicule du ton sur laquelle elle est faite – après tant de suspects déboires hollandais – aient pu échapper a un homme qui est tout de même intelligent; et que l’on pouvait croire très honnête” (Correspondance vol. 1, pp. 343-44). Translation follows: “Herewith the last exchange of correspondence between Constant and me. The last, in the strongest sense of the word. I had thought that Constant’s “mistakes” were always caused by his hot temper, and his heavily one-sided judgment in many cases. But perhaps Asger was somewhat right in speaking of provocation. I am astonished that the idiocy of the proposal for collaboration which he addressed to me, and the ridiculousness of the tone in which it is made – after so many suspicious Dutch setbacks – could have escaped a man who is after all intelligent; and one we once believed to be very honest “(Correspondance vol. 1, pp. 343-44). See here for more details.
DEBORD, Guy.Copy of a typed letter to Constant dated 21 Juin 1960. 3 p.; 21 x 27 cm.; black ink on thin white stock. Accounted for in Correspondance, Vol. I, pp. 340-42
Letter from Debord to Constant, in response to the Dutch architect’s June 6 letter. Debord tackles Constant’s points one by one. He also reaffirms his commutment to great idelogical discipline with the S.I., and rejects any “collaboration with uncontrolled elements”. He concludes with giving Constant the choice of what his relationship with the S.I. may look like moving forward.
Constant would be formally excluded from the SI soon thereafter.
JORN, Asger. [CORRESPONDENCE] [WYCKAERT, Maurice] Mon cher Wyckaert. 1958. 1 p. (two-sided); 28 x 21.5 cm.; blue ink on white stock.
Letter (in French) from Asger Jorn to Maurice Wyckaert. Pierre Alechinksy had introduced Wyckaert to Jorn in 1956, when the Belgian painter was visiting Edouard Jaguer (another COBRA member) in Paris. Jorn helped Wyckaert refine his technique: for instance, he invited him to Albissola’s “International Encounter in Ceramics” so the young artist could learn how to mode material through making pottery. Finally, it is through Jorn that Wyckaert met Debord and became a member of the Situationist International. In many ways, Wyckaert considered Jorn both a model and a mentor. For more details on the Jorn-Wyckaert relationship, see WYCAKERT, Maurice. L’Oeuvre Peint. (Paris: Allia, 2012).
In this letter, Jorn informs Wyckaert that Mazzotti – a pottery workshop located in Albisola – is unable to accomodate additional artists that year. Jorn also tells Wyckaert about “two little monographs of two Italians, Simondo and Gallizio” that Walter Korun is working on. He would like Wyckaert to get involved with Korun in this project, writing additional monographs “very much in the spirit of [those] published at Taptoe”. As a post-scriptum, Jorn tells Wycakert about a “Galerie Contemporain” (sic) in Brussels, where twenty or so gouaches by Pierre Wemaëre are being exhibited. He asks him to bring the paintings to Paris, at Galerie Facchetti (where he exhibition “Pierre Wemaëre, peintures” was to open in 1957) or at Pierre Wemaëre’s place in Versailles.
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