KOTANYI, Attila. L’architecture du silence. Paris: Exils, September 2022. 255 p.; ill.; 20.5 x 14 cm.; color cover with B&W portrait of Kotanyi, text in black

We would like to announce the publication of the first compendium of Attila Kotanyi’s works under the title Attila Kotanyi: L’architecture du silence.

A lesser-known figure of the Situationist International, Kotanyi’s joined the movement in the Spring of 1960, In a letter to Pinot-Gallizio dated 16 May 1960, Debord writes: “Parmi les “nouvelles recrues de l’I.S.”, je viens de rencontrer Attila Kotányi. Il est sensationnel : et Asger est très content.” (“Among the ‘new recruits to the SI’, I just met Attila Kotanyi. He is amazing: and Asger is very happy”). Kotanyi was excluded in 1962 for his alleged “Christian mysticism”. In those short years, he made numerous contributions to the SI through its journal Internationale Situationniste:

  • “Gangland et Philosophie” (Issue 4, p.33) (English)
  • “Rapport a la IVe conférence” (Issue 5, p.24)
  • “Programme élémentaire du bureau d’urbanisme unitaire” (issue 6, p. 16) (English)
  • “L’étage suivant” (issue 7, p. 47) 
  • (with Raoul Vaneigem) “Theses sur la Commune” (first released as a tract, then reprinted in issue 12)

The above texts, with the exception of “Theses sur la Commune”, are reproduced in L’architecture du silence. However, also included are two rare publications from 1946 (“Architecture”, “Mohol-Nagy”) and several texts from the post-SI period. The compendium also features an introduction by Christophe Kotanyi’s, Attila’s son.

Little has been written about Kotanyi and his role in the SI. We find a great article by Erhardt Miklós here