Series of 25 letters from Guy Debord to Maurice Wyckaert, between March 1, 1958 and December 6, 1960. This comprises all but 3 of the letters included in Guy Debord’s Correspondance.
Maurice WYCKAERT was a short-lived but pivotal figure in the Situationist International.
Wyckaert met Guy Debord through Asger Jorn and became a member of the Situationist International in 1957, a few months after the movement was founded in Cosio d’Arroscia.
In the Spring of 1958, he became involved in the scandal against the International Assembly of Art Critics in Brussels. Wyckaert helped produce the leaflet Adresse de l’Internationale situationniste a l’assemblée générale de l’Association internationale des critiques d’art, a scathing attack against art critics on the occasion of their formal get-together, and threw 1,000 copies onto sidewalks from the roof of the Grand Bazaar. He also called numerous art critics (who resided in nearby hotels) on the phone, reading part of all of the text out loud. As a result of this action, SI members were threatened with prosecution.
Later that year, Wyckaert became a member of the editorial board of Internationale Situationniste, the organ of the Situationist movement.
In early 1960, Debord brought up the project of holding an exhibition at the Stedelijk museum in Amstrdam, which would consist in transforming two rooms into a labyrinth. Planned for May 1960, the exhibition would never take place due to a falling out with Willem Sandberg, the Museum’s director. However, Wyckaert created detourned palisades (to symbolize drifting) with planks rescued from the demolition site of the family house in Brussels” (see Maurice Wyckaert, l’Oeuvre Peint, p. 535).
Wyckaert’s main contribution to the S.I. is his reading of the Declaration Made in the Name of the Fourth SI Conference to the Institute of Contemporary Arts in September 1960. Invited by the I.C.A. to give a lecture, the S.I. made Wyckaert its spokesperson — in part because he was one of the few English speakers at the time. Wyckaert read the text, but his strong Flemish accent made him particularly hard to understand. To make things worse, Wyckaert used a hearing aid, which he turned off during the Q&A after having been asked the one and only question of the evening: “What is Situationism, exactly?”. Debord stood up and said in French “we are not here to answer cuntish questions” and walked out with the other Situationists. A detailed first-hand account of that evening can be found here. The declaration would be published in issue #5 of Internationale Situationniste in December 1960.
Wyckaert was excluded from the S.I. in 1961, having sided with gallerist Otto Van de Loo in a conflict against Guy Debord. His departure coincided with that of many other artists from the S.I.
01. DEBORD, Guy. Signed handwritten letter dated Samedi 1er Mars [1958]. 2 p. (one sheet); 21 x 27 cm.; blue ink on white stock. Correspondance, Vol. I, p. 68-69.
Debord attempts to arrange a meeting with Walter Korun and Maurice Wyckaert for the following Saturday in Brussels. On Satuday, March 8, Debord mailed a postcard of the Manneken Pis to Pinot-Gallizio. The card is signed “Guy, Rob et Maurice Wyckaert, Wilma et Walter Korun”, proving that the meeting took place in Belgium as planned. One of the key topics discussed was the action against the International Assembly of Art Critics (more below).
02. DEBORD, Guy. Signed handwritten letter dated 13/3/[19]58. 2 p. (one sheet); 21 x 27 cm.; blue ink on white stock. Correspondance, Vol. I, p. 72-74.
In this letter addressed to the Belgian section (Wyckaert and Korun) Debord expresses his enthusiastic support for “Korun’s proposition concerning an action to be attempted on the occasion of the International Conference of Art Critics – on 15 April [1958] in Brussels”. He starts to sketch out some of the details of the intervention, including the decision to “print 2,000 copies of a tract to throw during this meeting – if possible at the time of the inaugural session” He concludes by asking members of the Belgian section for further information regarding the conference and its participants, while asking them to keep “the most rigorous secrecy” about this planned action.
This letter has been translated into English: http://www.notbored.org/debord-13March1958.html
03. DEBORD, Guy. Signed handwritten letter dated 24/3/[19]58. 2 p. (one sheet); 21 x 27 cm.; blue ink on white stock. Correspondance, Vol. I, p. 77-79.
Debord confirms that the leaflet (Adresse de l’Internationale situationniste a l’assemblée générale de l’Association internationale des critiques d’art ) is ready; a first draft having been mailed to Wilma [Korun] on Friday [March 23]. He asks Wyckaert and Korun to mail copies to art critics on the day preceding the International Conference of Arts Critics (roughly 30 copies would end up being sent by post). Separately, Debord dismisses a proposed contribution by Korun and Wyckaert to the Surrealist-influenced periodical Edda.
04. DEBORD, Guy. Signed handwritten letter dated 4/4/[19]58. 1 p.; 21 x 27 cm.; blue ink on white stock. Correspondance, Vol. I, p. 82.
Debord tells Wyckaert about Jorn’s planned trip to Brussels on April 11 & 12; the Danish painter will hand him and Korun copies of the tract. Ten days later, Adresse de l’Internationale situationniste a l’assemblée générale de l’Association internationale des critiques d’art would be handed in to art critics at the International Conference of Art Critics. Other critics were reached by telephone and read all or part of the text out loud. Perhaps most spectacularly, a group forced its way into the Press Club where the critics were being received and threw the leaflets among the audience. Wyckaert tossed another 1,000 copies of the leaflets onto sidewalks from the roof of the Grand Bazaar (now demolished). As a result of this action, SI members were threatened with prosecution. Korun, in particular, faced some legal issues as a result. In spite (or perhaps because) of this, Debord viewed what he referred to as “the battle of Brussels” (Letter to Pinot-Gallizio, 19 April 1958) as a great success
05. DEBORD, Guy. Signed handwritten letter dated 10 Fevrier [19]59. 2 p. (one sheet); 21 x 27 cm.; blue ink on white stock. Correspondance, Vol. I, p. 190-91.
In this letter, Debord informs Wyckaert that the third conference of the S.I. is planned in Munich (it would occur in April). Following an encounter with Helmut Sturm, Debord shows great excitement about Gruppe SPUR and talks about a “project for a German language journal” (7 issues of the Spur periodical would be published between 1960 and 1961).
06. DEBORD, Guy. Signed handwritten letter dated 5 Mai [1959]. 1 p.; 21 x 27 cm.; blue ink on white stock (Internationale Situationniste letterhead). Correspondance, Vol. I, p. 228.
Debord complains about issues with French customs. More importantly, he asks Wyckaert to meet him in Amsterdam to work together on a new series of the periodical Potlatch (the first and only issue of that new series — Potlatch #30 — would be issued in Amsterdam on 15 July 1959. It would include an important article by Constant, “Le grand jeu a venir”)
07. DEBORD, Guy. Signed handwritten letter dated Mardi 9 juin [1959]. 1 p.; 21 x 27 cm.; blue ink on white lined paper. Correspondance, Vol. I, p. 240.
Debord confirms to Wyckaert that the revised drafts for Potlatch 1 (new series) have been mailed to Constant. He tackles a few other topics, before asking Wyckaert whether they would be able to meet in Antwerp and Amsterdam, as planned, and perhaps in Italy.
08. DEBORD, Guy. Signed handwritten letter dated Mercredi 18 novembre [1959]. 1 p.; 21 x 27 cm.; blue ink on white stock. Correspondance, Vol. I, p. 279-80.
Debord tells Wyckaert that a monograph about him should be released “very soon”, but that he would need a few photographs for that purpose (this monograph does not seem to have ever been published).
09. DEBORD, Guy. Signed handwritten letter dated Lundi 14 decembre [1959]. 1 p.; 21 x 27 cm.; blue ink on white stock. Correspondance, Vol. I, p. 283-84.
In a short letter, Debord asks Wyckaert to visit him early in the week. He also tells him that “the periodical [Internationale Situationniste] should come out at the end of the week or early the following week” Indeed, issue #3 would be published in December 1959, with Maurice Wyckaert a member of the editorial board.
10. DEBORD, Guy. Signed handwritten letter dated 8 janvier [19] 60. 2 p. (one sheet); 21 x 27 cm.; blue ink on white stock. Correspondance, Vol. I, p. 297-98.
Debord brings up the project of holding an exhibition at the Stedelijk museum in Amstrdam, which would consist in transforming two rooms into a labyrinth. Planned for May 1960, the exhibition would never take place due to a falling out with Willem Sandberg, the Museum’s director. However, detourned palisades – to symbolize drifting – were created “with planks rescued from the demolition site of the family house in Brussels” (see Maurice Wyckaert, l’Oeuvre Peint, p. 535).
11. DEBORD, Guy. Signed handwritten letter dated Lundi [18/01/1960]. 2 p. (one sheet); 21 x 27 cm.; black and blue inks on white stock. Correspondance, Vol. I, p. 299-300.
Debord alludes to the Stedeljik exhibition project once more. He also brings up the possibility of a conference at the I.C.A., which would happen in September. Finally, Debord tells Wyckaert he would like to show him “the film” (i.e., On the Passage of a Few People Through a Rather Brief Unity of Time).
This letter has been translated into English: http://www.notbored.org/debord-18January1960.html
12. DEBORD, Guy. Signed handwritten letter dated Dimanche, 14 fevrier [1960]. 2 p. (one sheet); 21 x 27 cm.; black ink on white stock. Correspondance, Vol. I, p. 312-13.
In this long letter, Debord discusses some of the details and logistics relative to the planned Stedeljik exhibition. He explains his rationale behind some of the aesthetic choices, which put him at odds with the Dutch section. He then asks Wyckaert to reach out to Constant to express his point of view on the matter. The topic of Wyckaert’s monograph is brought up once more, with Debord asking that some elements from the planned Amsterdam exhibition (Wyckaert’s detourned palisades) be included so as to “clearly showcase ways in which painting can be incorporated into into a constructed environment.”
13. DEBORD, Guy. Signed handwritten letter dated Lundi 15 mars [1960]. 2 p. (one sheet); 21 x 27 cm.; black and blue inks on white stock. Correspondance, Vol. I, p. 321-23.
After plans for the Stedelijk exhibition fell apart, Debord reflects on this failure. In terms of next steps, he recommends “full transparency” (in reference to the disagreements with the Dutch section) and, more practically, the dissolution of the Bureau for Unitary Urbanism as well as the need to coalesce around a strongly-defined shared program. An authoritarian bent comes through: “There’s a group that wants to get formalized in Israel. But when you think about the limited oversight we have over the Dutch group, we are crazy to consider what could happen in the Middle East! The only (minimum) solution is a perfect clarity of the S.I.’s public positions”. Debord closes the letter by advocating for the need to find another venue for the “labyrinth-derive” project.
14. DEBORD, Guy. Signed handwritten letter dated 29 mars [19]60. 2 p. (one sheet); 21 x 27 cm.; black ink on white stock. Correspondance, Vol. I, p. 324-25.
This letter is primarily a discussion around the logistics for issue #4 of Internationale Situationniste (including the price and choice of the metallic wrappers).
15. DEBORD, Guy. Signed handwritten letter mardi [05/04/1960]. 1 p.; 21 x 27 cm.; black ink on white stock. 3 p.; 21 x 13.5 cm.; black ink on white stock. Correspondance, Vol. I, p. 327-29.
Debord discusses in great detail the layout for the forthcoming brochure by Jorn (Critique de la politique economique, suivie de la lutte finale., which would be published shortly thereafter).
16. DEBORD, Guy. Signed handwritten letter dated jeudi [07/04/1960]. 2 p (one sheet).; 21 x 13.5 cm.; black ink on white stock. Correspondance, Vol. I, p. 329-30.
Debord follows up regarding the color of the cover for Critique de la politique economique, and asks Wyckaert to mail copies to Paris once the brochure is printed. The choice of illustration for the rear cover – a photograph of a group of paratroopers along with the text “Not everyone can read Internationale Situationniste” -. would cause the pamphlet to be seized by customs agents at the French-Belgian border. Most copies have not been recovered, and a new printing (with a different cover) was made in 1970.
17. DEBORD, Guy. Signed handwritten letter dated mercredi 22 juin [1960]. 2 p. (one sheet); 21 x 27 cm.; blue ink on white stock. Correspondance, Vol. I, p. 343-44.
Debord acknowledges receipt of copies of Critique de la politique economique, and asks Wyckaert whether he’s received Internationale Situationniste #4. He writes that his new film project (Critique de la separation) is keeping him incredibly busy. He forwards a copy of some letters exchanged with Constant. One more time, he asks Wyckaert “At what stage is your monograph?”
This letter has been translated into English: http://www.notbored.org/debord-22June1960.html
18. DEBORD, Guy. Signed handwritten letter dated Samedi [13/08/1960]. 2 p. (one sheet); 21 x 27 cm.; black ink on white stock. Correspondance, Vol. I, p. 369-70.
Debord informs Wyckaert that he may be going through Brussels and could get together with him then. He comments on the exclusion of Pinot-Gallizio, and mentions the publication in Canada of Cahier pour un paysage a inventer, the work of Patrick Straram (“only 3/4th Situationist”). He closes with “CONGO TO THE CONGOLESE! U.N.E.S.C.O. TO THE SITUATIONISTS!”
19. DEBORD, Guy. Signed handwritten letter dated mercredi 24 aout [1960]. 2 p. (one sheet); 21 x 27 cm.; black ink on white stock. Correspondance, Vol. I, p. 372-74.
Debord discusses a number of topics. He says that he’s “very interested in the project of a large palisade for the orchard (it must be completed ahead of the next issue of Internationale Situationniste)”. Unfortunately, we find no trace of this work of art, which was likely never created.
20. DEBORD, Guy. Signed handwritten letter dated samedi soir [01/10/1960]. 5 p. (three sheets); 21 x 13.5 cm.; black ink on white lined paper. Correspondance, Vol. II, p. 15-18.
Debord comments on Trocchi’s recent arrest in New York (due to drug possession) and the publication of a leaflet to protest it (Hands Off Alexander Trocchi! would be published on October 7), the boycott of Arguments, the famed Manifeste des 121 (against the war in Algeria, it was signed by numerous French intellectual, including Debord), an upcoming encounter with Henri Lefebvre
This letter has been translated into English: http://www.notbored.org/debord-1October1960.html
21. DEBORD, Guy. Signed handwritten letter dated Lundi soir [03/10/1960]. 2 p. (one sheet); 21 x 27 cm.; black ink on white stock. Correspondance, Vol. II, p. 18-19.
Debord tells Wyckaert about a potential encounter with Henry Miller. He hopes Miller can help spread the news about Trocchi’s arrest and advocate for his liberation.
This letter has been translated into English: http://www.notbored.org/debord-3October1960.html
22. DEBORD, Guy. Signed handwritten letter dated dimanche 13 nov. [13/11/1960]. 1 p.; 21 x 27 cm.; black ink on white stock. Correspondance, Vol. II, p. 47.
Debord writes to Wyckaert about everything he needs to finalize an English language situationist journal (beyond the Situationist Times). However, it would never see the day.
23. DEBORD, Guy. Signed handwritten letter dated lundi 21 [21/11/1960]. 2 p. (one sheet); 21 x 27 cm.; black ink on white stock. Correspondance, Vol. II, p. 48-49.
With a sense of urgency, Debord asks Wyckaert once more to complete a number of translations for the (never-to-be-published) English language Situationist journal. He also brings up the police interrogation he was subject to in relation to his involvement with the Manifeste des 121.
24. DEBORD, Guy. Signed handwritten letter dated mardi, midi [06/12/1960]. 1 p.; 21 x 27 cm.; blue ink on white stock. Correspondance, Vol. II, p. 53.
Debord informs Wyckaert that they can have dinner together (along with Attila Kotányi) on Friday [9 December].
25. DEBORD, Guy. Signed handwritten letter dated mardi soir [06/12/1960]. 2 p. (one sheet); 21 x 27 cm.; blue ink on white stock. Correspondance, Vol. II, p. 54-55.
Debord alludes to a project that would never see the day: The funding by Italian textile magnate Marinotti of an experimental Situationist city in Venice (more here: http://juralibertaire.over-blog.com/article-le-projet-situationniste-de-construction-d-une-ville-experimentale-42254593.html).
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