{"numero_id": "bm-bmtnaao-1915-07-01", "volume": "bmtnaao_1915-07_01", "ocr_sha256": "3e83336ed3932325203d765413778dcea403ee06586d938f858c60819a9ede4b", "source_tei": "https://github.com/Princeton-CDH/bluemountain-transcriptions/blob/main/periodicals/bmtnaao/issues/1915/07_01/bmtnaao_1915-07_01.tei.xml", "source_mets": "https://github.com/pulibrary/BlueMountain/blob/main/metadata/periodicals/bmtnaao/issues/1915/07_01/bmtnaao_1915-07_01.mets.xml", "url_numero": "https://bluemountain.princeton.edu/bluemtn/?a=d&d=bmtnaao191507-01", "articles": [{"article_id": "bm-bmtnaao-1915-07-01-c001", "article_bluemountain": "bmtnaao_1915-07_01#c001", "volume": "bmtnaao_1915-07_01", "ocr_source": "OCR Blue Mountain (ALTO), transcription TEI : lignes lb/@facs", "texte_sans_correction": true, "page_debut": "1", "page_fin": "1", "image_debut": 1, "image_fin": 1, "pages_selon": "pagination imprimée relevée dans le METS Blue Mountain (ORDERLABEL) ; [n] = page sans folio restituée", "url_article": "https://bluemountain.princeton.edu/bluemtn/?a=d&d=bmtnaao191507-01.2.1", "titre_corps": "ICI, C’EST ICI STIEGLITZ FOI ET AMOUR", "titre_sommaire": "ICI, C’EST ICI STIEGLITZ FOI ET AMOUR", "signature_source": "F. Picabia", "controle": "bornes données par la structure logique METS/ALTO de Blue Mountain (blocs ALTO de chaque constituant)", "pages": [{"page_pdf": 1, "page_imprimee": "1", "url_page": "https://bluemountain.princeton.edu/bluemtn/?a=d&d=bmtnaao191507-01.1.1", "debut_caractere": 0, "fin_caractere_exclue": 62, "texte": "ICI, C’EST ICI STIEGLITZ\nFOI ET AMOUR\nF. Picabia\n1915\nNew York"}]}, {"article_id": "bm-bmtnaao-1915-07-01-c002", "article_bluemountain": "bmtnaao_1915-07_01#c002", "volume": "bmtnaao_1915-07_01", "ocr_source": "OCR Blue Mountain (ALTO), transcription TEI : lignes lb/@facs", "texte_sans_correction": true, "page_debut": "2", "page_fin": "2", "image_debut": 2, "image_fin": 2, "pages_selon": "pagination imprimée relevée dans le METS Blue Mountain (ORDERLABEL) ; [n] = page sans folio restituée", "url_article": "https://bluemountain.princeton.edu/bluemtn/?a=d&d=bmtnaao191507-01.2.2", "titre_corps": "LE SAINT DES SAINTS C’EST DE MOI QU’IL S’AGIT DANS CE PORTRAIT", "titre_sommaire": "LE SAINT DES SAINTS C’EST DE MOI QU’IL S’AGIT DANS CE PORTRAIT", "signature_source": "F. Picabia", "controle": "bornes données par la structure logique METS/ALTO de Blue Mountain (blocs ALTO de chaque constituant)", "pages": [{"page_pdf": 2, "page_imprimee": "2", "url_page": "https://bluemountain.princeton.edu/bluemtn/?a=d&d=bmtnaao191507-01.1.2", "debut_caractere": 0, "fin_caractere_exclue": 95, "texte": "F. Picabia\nJuillet 1915\nNew York\nLE SAINT DES SAINTS\nC’EST DE MOI QU’IL S’AGIT DANS CE PORTRAIT"}]}, {"article_id": "bm-bmtnaao-1915-07-01-c003", "article_bluemountain": "bmtnaao_1915-07_01#c003", "volume": "bmtnaao_1915-07_01", "ocr_source": "OCR Blue Mountain (ALTO), transcription TEI : lignes lb/@facs", "texte_sans_correction": true, "page_debut": "3", "page_fin": "3", "image_debut": 3, "image_fin": 3, "pages_selon": "pagination imprimée relevée dans le METS Blue Mountain (ORDERLABEL) ; [n] = page sans folio restituée", "url_article": "https://bluemountain.princeton.edu/bluemtn/?a=d&d=bmtnaao191507-01.2.3", "titre_corps": "VOILA HAVILAND : LA POESIE EST COMME LUI", "titre_sommaire": "VOILA HAVILAND : LA POESIE EST COMME LUI", "signature_source": "F. Picabia", "controle": "bornes données par la structure logique METS/ALTO de Blue Mountain (blocs ALTO de chaque constituant)", "pages": [{"page_pdf": 3, "page_imprimee": "3", "url_page": "https://bluemountain.princeton.edu/bluemtn/?a=d&d=bmtnaao191507-01.1.3", "debut_caractere": 0, "fin_caractere_exclue": 40, "texte": "VOILA HAVILAND\nT*. Picabia\n■sis\nNew York"}]}, {"article_id": "bm-bmtnaao-1915-07-01-c004", "article_bluemountain": "bmtnaao_1915-07_01#c004", "volume": "bmtnaao_1915-07_01", "ocr_source": "OCR Blue Mountain (ALTO), transcription TEI : lignes lb/@facs", "texte_sans_correction": true, "page_debut": "4", "page_fin": "4", "image_debut": 4, "image_fin": 4, "pages_selon": "pagination imprimée relevée dans le METS Blue Mountain (ORDERLABEL) ; [n] = page sans folio restituée", "url_article": "https://bluemountain.princeton.edu/bluemtn/?a=d&d=bmtnaao191507-01.2.4", "titre_corps": "PORTRAIT D’UNE JEUNE FILLE AMERICAINE DANS L’ETAT DE NUDITÉ", "titre_sommaire": "PORTRAIT D’UNE JEUNE FILLE AMERICAINE DANS L’ETAT DE NUDITÉ", "signature_source": "F Picabia", "controle": "bornes données par la structure logique METS/ALTO de Blue Mountain (blocs ALTO de chaque constituant)", "pages": [{"page_pdf": 4, "page_imprimee": "4", "url_page": "https://bluemountain.princeton.edu/bluemtn/?a=d&d=bmtnaao191507-01.1.4", "debut_caractere": 0, "fin_caractere_exclue": 93, "texte": "F Picabia\nPORTRAIT\nD’UNE JEUNE FILLE AMERICAINE\nDANS L’ETAT DE NUDITÉ\n5 Juillet 1915\nNew York"}]}, {"article_id": "bm-bmtnaao-1915-07-01-c005", "article_bluemountain": "bmtnaao_1915-07_01#c005", "volume": "bmtnaao_1915-07_01", "ocr_source": "OCR Blue Mountain (ALTO), transcription TEI : lignes lb/@facs", "texte_sans_correction": true, "page_debut": "5", "page_fin": "5", "image_debut": 5, "image_fin": 5, "pages_selon": "pagination imprimée relevée dans le METS Blue Mountain (ORDERLABEL) ; [n] = page sans folio restituée", "url_article": "https://bluemountain.princeton.edu/bluemtn/?a=d&d=bmtnaao191507-01.2.5", "titre_corps": "DE ZAYAS! DE ZAYAS!", "titre_sommaire": "DE ZAYAS! DE ZAYAS!", "signature_source": "F. Picabia", "controle": "bornes données par la structure logique METS/ALTO de Blue Mountain (blocs ALTO de chaque constituant)", "pages": [{"page_pdf": 5, "page_imprimee": "5", "url_page": "https://bluemountain.princeton.edu/bluemtn/?a=d&d=bmtnaao191507-01.1.5", "debut_caractere": 0, "fin_caractere_exclue": 44, "texte": "DE ZAYAS! DE ZAYAS!\nF. Picabia\n1915\nNew York"}]}, {"article_id": "bm-bmtnaao-1915-07-01-c006", "article_bluemountain": "bmtnaao_1915-07_01#c006", "volume": "bmtnaao_1915-07_01", "ocr_source": "OCR Blue Mountain (ALTO), transcription TEI : lignes lb/@facs", "texte_sans_correction": true, "page_debut": "6", "page_fin": "6", "image_debut": 6, "image_fin": 6, "pages_selon": "pagination imprimée relevée dans le METS Blue Mountain (ORDERLABEL) ; [n] = page sans folio restituée", "url_article": "https://bluemountain.princeton.edu/bluemtn/?a=d&d=bmtnaao191507-01.2.6", "titre_corps": "[Sans titre]", "titre_sommaire": "[Sans titre]", "signature_source": "M. De Zayas", "controle": "bornes données par la structure logique METS/ALTO de Blue Mountain (blocs ALTO de chaque constituant)", "pages": [{"page_pdf": 6, "page_imprimee": "6", "url_page": "https://bluemountain.princeton.edu/bluemtn/?a=d&d=bmtnaao191507-01.1.6", "debut_caractere": 383, "fin_caractere_exclue": 7077, "texte": "M. De Zayas.\nNew York n’a pas vu d’abord,—n’a pas voulu voir apres. Comme\nune jeune fille prudente ou comme une femme mariee economique,\nelle a pris routes les precautions possibles pour ne pas s’assimiler\nTesprit de Tart moderne, rejetant une semence qui aurait pu trouver\nun terrain des plus feconds. Car toutes les manifestations de Tac-\ntivite nettement americaine sont tout a fait d’accord avec Tesprit de\nTart moderne. Mais Tintellectualite americaine est une capote qui\nempeche toute conception nouvelle et autochtone. Cette intellectuality\nest reflexe, exotique, ou pour mieux dire du “titre fixe.”\nMefiez vous, messieurs les americains, de vos intellectuels. Ils\nsont des contrefafons dangereuses. Ils croient avoir une mission\nlumineuse, mais leur lumiere brule les yeux au lieu d’eclairer. Ils\nveulent vous feconder se croyant des etalons alors qu’ils ne sont que\ndes castres. Ils ne sont pas le produit du pays et leur ideal ne depasse\npas leurs interets personnels.\nLa critique ne travaille pas pour developper ses connaissances et\nles disseminer; elle travaille pour un salaire.\nLa presse a cree une fausse expression de la vie americaine. Elle\na fini par creer une necessite factice parmi le peuple americain en lui\ndonnant un art faux et une fausse litterature. Elle n’a en vue que\nla speculation.\nLa vraie vie americaine demeure inexprimee.\nL’Amerique reste a decouvrir.\nStieglitz a voulu accomplir le miracle.\nII a voulu decouvrir TAmerique; il a voulu que les americains se\ndecouvrent eux-memes. Mais pour atteindre son but il a employe la\ncapote de la psychologie et de la metaphysique. Il a echoue. Pour\navoir des resultats vivants, pour creer la vie—pas de capote!\nToute manifestation qui marque une evolution doit provenir d’un\norgane qui a lui-meme evolue. Croire qu’il y a une evolution artis-\ntique lorsqu’au lieu de copier un arbre, Tartiste copie une fille de\nBroadway—c’est idiot!\nNous avons aussi depasse Tage du symbolisme. Nous ne croyons\na la fleur d’oranger d’une jeune mariee que le lendemain.\nL’art est un mensonge qui ne peut etre vivant que quand il est\nne de la verite; et il n’y a d’autre verite que la verite objective; les\nautres ne sont que des prejuges.\nStieglitz a voulu decouvrir TAmerique avec des prejuges.\nIl a ete le premier et le seul qui ait apporte a New York les differ-\nents points d’appui de Involution de Tart moderne.\nIl a voulu suggerer.\nEnsuite la Speculation a amene une avalanche de peintures.\nLes lepreux, la valetaille de Tart, les sudras du progres—les copistes\n—ont fait leur metier et ils ont cm etre dans Involution parceque au\nlieu de copier un arbre, ils copiaient une methode.\nL’Amerique reste a decouvrir. Mais pour le faire, il n’y a qu’un\nmoyen: DECOUVRIR L’AMERIQUE.\nStieglitz, a la tete d’un groupe qui a travaille sous le nom de Photo-\nSecession, a amene la Photographic que nous pouvons appeler statique,\na son plus haut degre de perfection. Il etait dans Tesprit ameri-\ncain. Il a marie Thomme avec la machine et il a obtenu des resultats\npositifs.\nQuand il voulut en faire autant avec Tart, il importa des oeuvres\nqui auraient pu etre des echantillons de la pensee moderne exprimee\npar la plastique. II avait Fintention de les faire servir de point d’ap-\npui pour trouver Fexpression de la conception de la vie americaine.\nII trouva contre lui Fopposition ouverte ou limitation servile. II\nn’a pas reussi a faire sortir individualiste de Fesprit de\nla communaute.\nAinsi, il a mis a Fepreuve le public s’occupant d’art en Amerique.\nII a lutte pour changer leur bon gout en bon sens, mais il n’a pas\nreussi a mettre en marche Fenorme force d’inertie de leur suffisance.\nL’Amerique n’a pas eu la moindre idee de la valeur de I’oeuvre de\nStieglitz. Succes, et succes sur une grande echelle est la seule chose\nqui puisse agir sur la mentalite americaine. Tout effort, toute\ntendance, qui n’a pas le rayonnement de la reclame restent ici prati-\nquement ignores. L’Amerique, inflexiblement attend que I’expression\nde sa propre force soit exprimee en art.\nEn politique, dans I’industrie, dans la science, dans le commerce,\ndans la finance, dans le theatre populaire, dans I’architecture, dans le\nsport, dans le costume depuis le chapeau jusqu’aux souliers, I’amer-\nicain a su exprimer son caractere. Il a su se defaire des prejuges\neuropeens et il a cree ses propres lois qui sont d’accord avec ses\nmoeurs. Il s’est trouve impuissant aen faire autant en art et en li-\nterature. Il est vrai que pour exprimer notre caractere en art ou en\nliterature nous devons etre ou bien absolument conscients ou absol-\nument inconscients de nous memes. Les artistes americains ont tou-\njours devant eux une censure interieure formee par une education\nexotique. Ils ne voient pas directement ce qui les entoure, ils ne\ncomprennent pas leur milieu.\nDe tous temps, I’art n’a ete que la synthese de la croyance des\npeuples. En Amerique cette synthese est une impossibility, car on y\npossede toutes les croyances. On y vit dans un changement continuel\nqui rend impossible la perpetuation et Funiversalite d’une idee.\nL’Histoire aux Etats-Unis est impossible et ridicule. On y vit dans\nle present, dans une lutte continuelle pour s’adapter a son milieu.\nEt si, il y a des groupes sociaux innombrables qui travaillent a ob-\ntenir des lois generates, des reglements de morale semblables a ceux\nde la police, au fond, personne ne les observe, et chaque individu\ndemeure isole, luttant pour sa propre existence physique et intellec-\ntuelle. Aux Etats-Unis il n’existe de sentiment general dans aucune\nsphere.\nL’Amerique a la meme mentalite complexe que le veritable artiste\nmqderne. C’est une suite eternelle demotions, de sensibilite de ce\nqui nous entoure, enfin un besoin continuel de s’exprimer par la\npresent et pour le present, avec la joie d’agir et Findifference d’arriver.\nCar c’est dans Faction que FAmerique comme Fartiste moderne trouve\nsa joie. La seule difference entre eux est que FAmerique n’a pas encore\nappris a s’amuser.\nLe monde artistique americain se compose d’animaux a sang froid.\nIls vivent dans une atmosphere imaginaire et hybride. Ils ont une\nmentalite de gougnottes. Ce sont des fleurs de creation artificielle.\nL’Amerique n’a pour eux meme pas le mepris.\nDe tous ceux qui sont venus conquerir FAmerique, Picabia est le\nseul qui ait fait comme Cortez. Il a brule ses vaisseaux derriere lui.\nIl ne s’est muni d’aucune capote. Il a epouse FAmerique en homme qui\nn’a pas peur des consequences. Les resultats sont venus. Il nous les a\napportes a “291” qui les accepte comme une experience, et les public\navec la conviction qu’ils ont la valeur reelle que possede toute tentative\nvers la decouverte d’une verite objective."}]}, {"article_id": "bm-bmtnaao-1915-07-01-c007", "article_bluemountain": "bmtnaao_1915-07_01#c007", "volume": "bmtnaao_1915-07_01", "ocr_source": "OCR Blue Mountain (ALTO), transcription TEI : lignes lb/@facs", "texte_sans_correction": true, "page_debut": "6", "page_fin": "6", "image_debut": 6, "image_fin": 6, "pages_selon": "pagination imprimée relevée dans le METS Blue Mountain (ORDERLABEL) ; [n] = page sans folio restituée", "url_article": "https://bluemountain.princeton.edu/bluemtn/?a=d&d=bmtnaao191507-01.2.7", "titre_corps": "[Sans titre]", "titre_sommaire": "[Sans titre]", "signature_source": "M. De Zayas", "controle": "bornes données par la structure logique METS/ALTO de Blue Mountain (blocs ALTO de chaque constituant)", "pages": [{"page_pdf": 6, "page_imprimee": "6", "url_page": "https://bluemountain.princeton.edu/bluemtn/?a=d&d=bmtnaao191507-01.1.6", "debut_caractere": 7079, "fin_caractere_exclue": 13531, "texte": "M. De Zayas.\nNew York, at first, did not see. Afterward she did not want to see. Like a circumspect\nyoung girl or a careful married woman, she has taken all possible precautions against assimilating\nthe spirit of modern art; rejecting a seed that would have found a most fertile soil. All genuine\nAmerican activities are entirely in accord with the spirit of modem art. But American intellect-\nuality is a protective covering which prevents all conception. This intellectuality is borrowed,\nexotic. Better still, it is a paste diamond.\nBeware, messieurs the Americans, of your intellectuals. They are dangerous counterfeits.\nThey believe themselves to have a luminous mission; but their light dazzles the eyes instead of\nilluminating. They wish to impregnate you, believing themselves stallions when they are but\ngeldings. They are not a product of their country. Their ideal does not reach beyond their\npersonal interests.\nThe critics do not work to develop their knowledge, or to spread knowledge. They work for\nThe press has established a false notion of American life. It has succeeded in creating in the\nAmerican people a fictitious need for a false art and a false literature. The press has in view but\none thing:—profit.\nThe real American life is still unexpressed.\nAmerica remains to be discovered.\nStieglitz wanted to work this miracle.\nHe wanted to discover America. Also, he wanted the Americans to discover themselves. But,\nin pursuing his object, he employed the shield of psychology and metaphysics. He has failed.\nIn order to attain living results, in order to create life—no shields!\nEach manifestation of a progressing evolution must derive from an organism which has, it-\nself, evolved. To believe that artistic evolution is indicated by artists copying Broadway girls\ninstead of copying trees—is inane.\nWe have also moved on from the age of symbolism. It is only the day after that we believe\nin the orange blossoms of the bride.\nArt is a white lie that is only living when it is bom of truth. And there is no other truth than\nobjective truth. The others are but prejudices.\nStieglitz tried to discover America with prejudices.\nHe first, and he alone, has placed before New York the various foundation supports of the\nevolution of modem art.\nHe wished to work through suggestion.\nBut soon, commercialism brought an avalanche of paintings. Those lepers, those scullery\nmaids of art, those Sudras of progress—the copyists, got busy. They even believed themselves to\nbe part of the evolution because, instead of copying trees, they copied a method.\nAmerica remains to be discovered. And to do it there is but one way: DISCOVER IT!\nStieglitz, at the head of a group which worked under the name of Photo-Secession, carried\nthe Photography which we may call static to the highest degree of perfection. He worked in the\nAmerican spirit. He married Man to Machinery and he obtained issue.\nWhen he wanted to do the same with art, he imported works capable of serving as examples\nof modern thought plastically expressed. His intention was to have them used as supports for\nfinding an expression of the conception of American life. He found against him open opposition\nand servile imitation. He did not succeed in bringing out the individualistic expression of the\nspirit of the community.\nHe has put the American art public to the test. He has fought to change good taste into com-\nmon sense. But he has not succeeded in putting in motion the enormous mass of the inertia of\nthis public’s self-sufficiency. America has not the slightest conception of the value of the work\naccomplished by Stieglitz. Success, and success on a large scale, is the only thing that can make\nan impression on American mentality. Any effort, any tendency, which does not possess the radi-\nation of advertising remains practically ignored.\nAmerica waits, inertly, for its own potentiality to be expressed in art.\nIn politics, in industry, in science, in commerce, in finance, in the popular theatre, in archi-\ntecture, in sport, in dress—from hat to shoes—the American has known how to get rid of Euro-\npean prejudices and has created his own laws in accordance with his own customs. But he has\nfound himself powerless to do the same in art or in literature. For it is true that to express our\ncharacter in art or in literature we must be absolutely conscious of ourselves or absolutely uncon-\nscious of ourselves. And American artists have always had before them an inner censorship\nformed by an exotic education. They do not see their surroundings at first hand. They do not\nunderstand their milieu.\nIn all times art has been the synthesis of the beliefs of peoples. In America this synthesis\nis an impossibility, because all beliefs exist here together. One lives here in a continuous change\nwhich makes impossible the perpetuation and the universality of an idea. History in the United\nStates is impossible and meaningless. One lives here in the present. In a continuous struggle to\nadapt oneself to the milieu. There are innumerable social groups which work to obtain general\nlaws—moral regulations like police regulations. But no one observes them. Each individual\nremains isolated, struggling for his own physical and intellectual existence. In the United States\nthere is no general sentiment in any sphere of thought.\nAmerica has the same complex mentality as the true modem artist. The same eternal se-\nquence of emotions, and sensibility to surroundings. The same continual need of expressing itself\nin the present and for the present; with joy in action, and with indifference to “arriving”. For\nit is in action that America, like the modern artist finds its joy. The only difference is that Amer-\nica has not yet learned to amuse itself.\nThe inhabitants of the artistic world in America are cold blooded animals. They live in an\nimaginary and hybrid atmosphere. They have the mentality of homosexuals. They are flowers\nof artifical breeding.\nAmerica does not feel for them even contempt.\nOf all those who have come to conquer America, Picabia is the only one who has done as did\nCortez. He has burned his ship behind him. He does not protect himself with any shield.\nHe has married America like a man who is not afraid of consequences. He has obtained\nresults. And he has brought these to “291” which accepts them as experience, and publishes them\nwith the conviction that they have the positive value which all striving toward objective truth\npossesses."}]}], "pages_ocr_originales": [{"page_pdf": 1, "page_imprimee": "1", "url_page": "https://bluemountain.princeton.edu/bluemtn/?a=d&d=bmtnaao191507-01.1.1", "texte": "ICI, C’EST ICI STIEGLITZ\nFOI ET AMOUR\nF. Picabia\n1915\nNew York\n\n291"}, {"page_pdf": 2, "page_imprimee": "2", "url_page": "https://bluemountain.princeton.edu/bluemtn/?a=d&d=bmtnaao191507-01.1.2", "texte": "F. Picabia\nJuillet 1915\nNew York\nLE SAINT DES SAINTS\nC’EST DE MOI QU’IL S’AGIT DANS CE PORTRAIT"}, {"page_pdf": 3, "page_imprimee": "3", "url_page": "https://bluemountain.princeton.edu/bluemtn/?a=d&d=bmtnaao191507-01.1.3", "texte": "VOILA HAVILAND\nT*. Picabia\n■sis\nNew York"}, {"page_pdf": 4, "page_imprimee": "4", "url_page": "https://bluemountain.princeton.edu/bluemtn/?a=d&d=bmtnaao191507-01.1.4", "texte": "F Picabia\nPORTRAIT\nD’UNE JEUNE FILLE AMERICAINE\nDANS L’ETAT DE NUDITÉ\n5 Juillet 1915\nNew York"}, {"page_pdf": 5, "page_imprimee": "5", "url_page": "https://bluemountain.princeton.edu/bluemtn/?a=d&d=bmtnaao191507-01.1.5", "texte": "DE ZAYAS! DE ZAYAS!\nF. Picabia\n1915\nNew York"}, {"page_pdf": 6, "page_imprimee": "6", "url_page": "https://bluemountain.princeton.edu/bluemtn/?a=d&d=bmtnaao191507-01.1.6", "texte": "Nos. 5-6\nJuly-August, 1915\n20 cents\nTWELVE NUMBERS A YEAR .—Subscription price, regular edition ONE DOLLAR.—Special edition\n• J 1 limited to one hundred copies on special paper—Twelve numbers TWELVE DOLLARS.—Regular edition,\nI Single copies Ten Cents. Single copies de luxe, prices on application. ADDRESS ALL REMITTANCES\n““ V TO PAUL B. HAVILAND, 291 Fifth Avenue, New York, N. Y.\n\nM. De Zayas.\nNew York n’a pas vu d’abord,—n’a pas voulu voir apres. Comme\nune jeune fille prudente ou comme une femme mariee economique,\nelle a pris routes les precautions possibles pour ne pas s’assimiler\nTesprit de Tart moderne, rejetant une semence qui aurait pu trouver\nun terrain des plus feconds. Car toutes les manifestations de Tac-\ntivite nettement americaine sont tout a fait d’accord avec Tesprit de\nTart moderne. Mais Tintellectualite americaine est une capote qui\nempeche toute conception nouvelle et autochtone. Cette intellectuality\nest reflexe, exotique, ou pour mieux dire du “titre fixe.”\nMefiez vous, messieurs les americains, de vos intellectuels. Ils\nsont des contrefafons dangereuses. Ils croient avoir une mission\nlumineuse, mais leur lumiere brule les yeux au lieu d’eclairer. Ils\nveulent vous feconder se croyant des etalons alors qu’ils ne sont que\ndes castres. Ils ne sont pas le produit du pays et leur ideal ne depasse\npas leurs interets personnels.\nLa critique ne travaille pas pour developper ses connaissances et\nles disseminer; elle travaille pour un salaire.\nLa presse a cree une fausse expression de la vie americaine. Elle\na fini par creer une necessite factice parmi le peuple americain en lui\ndonnant un art faux et une fausse litterature. Elle n’a en vue que\nla speculation.\nLa vraie vie americaine demeure inexprimee.\nL’Amerique reste a decouvrir.\nStieglitz a voulu accomplir le miracle.\nII a voulu decouvrir TAmerique; il a voulu que les americains se\ndecouvrent eux-memes. Mais pour atteindre son but il a employe la\ncapote de la psychologie et de la metaphysique. Il a echoue. Pour\navoir des resultats vivants, pour creer la vie—pas de capote!\nToute manifestation qui marque une evolution doit provenir d’un\norgane qui a lui-meme evolue. Croire qu’il y a une evolution artis-\ntique lorsqu’au lieu de copier un arbre, Tartiste copie une fille de\nBroadway—c’est idiot!\nNous avons aussi depasse Tage du symbolisme. Nous ne croyons\na la fleur d’oranger d’une jeune mariee que le lendemain.\nL’art est un mensonge qui ne peut etre vivant que quand il est\nne de la verite; et il n’y a d’autre verite que la verite objective; les\nautres ne sont que des prejuges.\nStieglitz a voulu decouvrir TAmerique avec des prejuges.\nIl a ete le premier et le seul qui ait apporte a New York les differ-\nents points d’appui de Involution de Tart moderne.\nIl a voulu suggerer.\nEnsuite la Speculation a amene une avalanche de peintures.\nLes lepreux, la valetaille de Tart, les sudras du progres—les copistes\n—ont fait leur metier et ils ont cm etre dans Involution parceque au\nlieu de copier un arbre, ils copiaient une methode.\nL’Amerique reste a decouvrir. Mais pour le faire, il n’y a qu’un\nmoyen: DECOUVRIR L’AMERIQUE.\nStieglitz, a la tete d’un groupe qui a travaille sous le nom de Photo-\nSecession, a amene la Photographic que nous pouvons appeler statique,\na son plus haut degre de perfection. Il etait dans Tesprit ameri-\ncain. Il a marie Thomme avec la machine et il a obtenu des resultats\npositifs.\nQuand il voulut en faire autant avec Tart, il importa des oeuvres\nqui auraient pu etre des echantillons de la pensee moderne exprimee\npar la plastique. II avait Fintention de les faire servir de point d’ap-\npui pour trouver Fexpression de la conception de la vie americaine.\nII trouva contre lui Fopposition ouverte ou limitation servile. II\nn’a pas reussi a faire sortir individualiste de Fesprit de\nla communaute.\nAinsi, il a mis a Fepreuve le public s’occupant d’art en Amerique.\nII a lutte pour changer leur bon gout en bon sens, mais il n’a pas\nreussi a mettre en marche Fenorme force d’inertie de leur suffisance.\nL’Amerique n’a pas eu la moindre idee de la valeur de I’oeuvre de\nStieglitz. Succes, et succes sur une grande echelle est la seule chose\nqui puisse agir sur la mentalite americaine. Tout effort, toute\ntendance, qui n’a pas le rayonnement de la reclame restent ici prati-\nquement ignores. L’Amerique, inflexiblement attend que I’expression\nde sa propre force soit exprimee en art.\nEn politique, dans I’industrie, dans la science, dans le commerce,\ndans la finance, dans le theatre populaire, dans I’architecture, dans le\nsport, dans le costume depuis le chapeau jusqu’aux souliers, I’amer-\nicain a su exprimer son caractere. Il a su se defaire des prejuges\neuropeens et il a cree ses propres lois qui sont d’accord avec ses\nmoeurs. Il s’est trouve impuissant aen faire autant en art et en li-\nterature. Il est vrai que pour exprimer notre caractere en art ou en\nliterature nous devons etre ou bien absolument conscients ou absol-\nument inconscients de nous memes. Les artistes americains ont tou-\njours devant eux une censure interieure formee par une education\nexotique. Ils ne voient pas directement ce qui les entoure, ils ne\ncomprennent pas leur milieu.\nDe tous temps, I’art n’a ete que la synthese de la croyance des\npeuples. En Amerique cette synthese est une impossibility, car on y\npossede toutes les croyances. On y vit dans un changement continuel\nqui rend impossible la perpetuation et Funiversalite d’une idee.\nL’Histoire aux Etats-Unis est impossible et ridicule. On y vit dans\nle present, dans une lutte continuelle pour s’adapter a son milieu.\nEt si, il y a des groupes sociaux innombrables qui travaillent a ob-\ntenir des lois generates, des reglements de morale semblables a ceux\nde la police, au fond, personne ne les observe, et chaque individu\ndemeure isole, luttant pour sa propre existence physique et intellec-\ntuelle. Aux Etats-Unis il n’existe de sentiment general dans aucune\nsphere.\nL’Amerique a la meme mentalite complexe que le veritable artiste\nmqderne. C’est une suite eternelle demotions, de sensibilite de ce\nqui nous entoure, enfin un besoin continuel de s’exprimer par la\npresent et pour le present, avec la joie d’agir et Findifference d’arriver.\nCar c’est dans Faction que FAmerique comme Fartiste moderne trouve\nsa joie. La seule difference entre eux est que FAmerique n’a pas encore\nappris a s’amuser.\nLe monde artistique americain se compose d’animaux a sang froid.\nIls vivent dans une atmosphere imaginaire et hybride. Ils ont une\nmentalite de gougnottes. Ce sont des fleurs de creation artificielle.\nL’Amerique n’a pour eux meme pas le mepris.\nDe tous ceux qui sont venus conquerir FAmerique, Picabia est le\nseul qui ait fait comme Cortez. Il a brule ses vaisseaux derriere lui.\nIl ne s’est muni d’aucune capote. Il a epouse FAmerique en homme qui\nn’a pas peur des consequences. Les resultats sont venus. Il nous les a\napportes a “291” qui les accepte comme une experience, et les public\navec la conviction qu’ils ont la valeur reelle que possede toute tentative\nvers la decouverte d’une verite objective.\n\nM. De Zayas.\nNew York, at first, did not see. Afterward she did not want to see. Like a circumspect\nyoung girl or a careful married woman, she has taken all possible precautions against assimilating\nthe spirit of modern art; rejecting a seed that would have found a most fertile soil. All genuine\nAmerican activities are entirely in accord with the spirit of modem art. But American intellect-\nuality is a protective covering which prevents all conception. This intellectuality is borrowed,\nexotic. Better still, it is a paste diamond.\nBeware, messieurs the Americans, of your intellectuals. They are dangerous counterfeits.\nThey believe themselves to have a luminous mission; but their light dazzles the eyes instead of\nilluminating. They wish to impregnate you, believing themselves stallions when they are but\ngeldings. They are not a product of their country. Their ideal does not reach beyond their\npersonal interests.\nThe critics do not work to develop their knowledge, or to spread knowledge. They work for\nThe press has established a false notion of American life. It has succeeded in creating in the\nAmerican people a fictitious need for a false art and a false literature. The press has in view but\none thing:—profit.\nThe real American life is still unexpressed.\nAmerica remains to be discovered.\nStieglitz wanted to work this miracle.\nHe wanted to discover America. Also, he wanted the Americans to discover themselves. But,\nin pursuing his object, he employed the shield of psychology and metaphysics. He has failed.\nIn order to attain living results, in order to create life—no shields!\nEach manifestation of a progressing evolution must derive from an organism which has, it-\nself, evolved. To believe that artistic evolution is indicated by artists copying Broadway girls\ninstead of copying trees—is inane.\nWe have also moved on from the age of symbolism. It is only the day after that we believe\nin the orange blossoms of the bride.\nArt is a white lie that is only living when it is bom of truth. And there is no other truth than\nobjective truth. The others are but prejudices.\nStieglitz tried to discover America with prejudices.\nHe first, and he alone, has placed before New York the various foundation supports of the\nevolution of modem art.\nHe wished to work through suggestion.\nBut soon, commercialism brought an avalanche of paintings. Those lepers, those scullery\nmaids of art, those Sudras of progress—the copyists, got busy. They even believed themselves to\nbe part of the evolution because, instead of copying trees, they copied a method.\nAmerica remains to be discovered. And to do it there is but one way: DISCOVER IT!\nStieglitz, at the head of a group which worked under the name of Photo-Secession, carried\nthe Photography which we may call static to the highest degree of perfection. He worked in the\nAmerican spirit. He married Man to Machinery and he obtained issue.\nWhen he wanted to do the same with art, he imported works capable of serving as examples\nof modern thought plastically expressed. His intention was to have them used as supports for\nfinding an expression of the conception of American life. He found against him open opposition\nand servile imitation. He did not succeed in bringing out the individualistic expression of the\nspirit of the community.\nHe has put the American art public to the test. He has fought to change good taste into com-\nmon sense. But he has not succeeded in putting in motion the enormous mass of the inertia of\nthis public’s self-sufficiency. America has not the slightest conception of the value of the work\naccomplished by Stieglitz. Success, and success on a large scale, is the only thing that can make\nan impression on American mentality. Any effort, any tendency, which does not possess the radi-\nation of advertising remains practically ignored.\nAmerica waits, inertly, for its own potentiality to be expressed in art.\nIn politics, in industry, in science, in commerce, in finance, in the popular theatre, in archi-\ntecture, in sport, in dress—from hat to shoes—the American has known how to get rid of Euro-\npean prejudices and has created his own laws in accordance with his own customs. But he has\nfound himself powerless to do the same in art or in literature. For it is true that to express our\ncharacter in art or in literature we must be absolutely conscious of ourselves or absolutely uncon-\nscious of ourselves. And American artists have always had before them an inner censorship\nformed by an exotic education. They do not see their surroundings at first hand. They do not\nunderstand their milieu.\nIn all times art has been the synthesis of the beliefs of peoples. In America this synthesis\nis an impossibility, because all beliefs exist here together. One lives here in a continuous change\nwhich makes impossible the perpetuation and the universality of an idea. History in the United\nStates is impossible and meaningless. One lives here in the present. In a continuous struggle to\nadapt oneself to the milieu. There are innumerable social groups which work to obtain general\nlaws—moral regulations like police regulations. But no one observes them. Each individual\nremains isolated, struggling for his own physical and intellectual existence. In the United States\nthere is no general sentiment in any sphere of thought.\nAmerica has the same complex mentality as the true modem artist. The same eternal se-\nquence of emotions, and sensibility to surroundings. The same continual need of expressing itself\nin the present and for the present; with joy in action, and with indifference to “arriving”. For\nit is in action that America, like the modern artist finds its joy. The only difference is that Amer-\nica has not yet learned to amuse itself.\nThe inhabitants of the artistic world in America are cold blooded animals. They live in an\nimaginary and hybrid atmosphere. They have the mentality of homosexuals. They are flowers\nof artifical breeding.\nAmerica does not feel for them even contempt.\nOf all those who have come to conquer America, Picabia is the only one who has done as did\nCortez. He has burned his ship behind him. He does not protect himself with any shield.\nHe has married America like a man who is not afraid of consequences. He has obtained\nresults. And he has brought these to “291” which accepts them as experience, and publishes them\nwith the conviction that they have the positive value which all striving toward objective truth\npossesses."}]}