4 pp. manifesto, leaflet printed in black text on both sides, each set printed on a different colored paper. Quarto (10 1/2 x 8 1/4 inches). Loose as issued. Light handling wear, very minor edgewear, some scattered foxing or toning, pink edition with small tear along old fold line, overall very good. Mexico: July 25, 1938.

This important document served as the founding manifesto for the Fédération internationale de l'art révolutionnaire indépendant (FIARI). FIARI was a short-lived organization established in 1938 by Breton and Rivera after Breton travelled to Mexico in April 1938 on a grant from France's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. There, he became acquainted with Trotsky who helped co-author the manifesto, the published version of which was signed by Breton and Rivera. Trotsky was forbidden by the Mexican government to be involved in politics and therefor was unable to be overtly associated with the manifesto.

After returning to France, Breton established the federation and set up branches in Paris, London, New York, and Mexico, and solicited support from noteworthy cultural figures including Yves Tanguy, André Masson, Marcel Martinet, George Orwell, and others. However, there was a lack of public interest due to the looming threat of war, and the federation only published two issues of their bulleting, La Clé, before shuttering.

The manifesto called for artistic freedom and asserted the natural affinity between the artist and revolutionary causes, while it maintained that no truly revolutionary cause would ever dictate artistic form and expression. "Le but du présent appel est de trouver un terrain pour réunir les tenants révolutionnaires de l'art, pour servir la révolution par les méthodes de l'art et défendre la liberté de l'art elle-même contre les usurpateurs de la révolution. Nous sommes profondément covaincus que la rencontre sur ce terrain est possible pour les représentants de tendances esthétiques, philosophiques et politiques passablement divergentes. Les marxistes peuvent marcher ici main dans la main avec les anarchistes, à condition que les uns et les autres rompent implacablement avec l'esprit policier réactionnaire, qu'il soit représenté par Joseph Staline ou par son vassal Garcia Oliver..."

The present set represents all six existing variants of the manifesto as published in French, printed on pink, orange, golden yellow, light green, emerald green, and sky blue paper. The manifesto was also issued in Spanish in several color variants. A scarce complete collection of the French variants of an important historical and cultural document.

Book ID: 53683

Price: $3,750.00