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Concerning the enquiry into striptease

Manuscript

Author

Author André Breton
Person cited Roland Barthes

Description

Undated manuscript, intended for issue 4 of Le Surréalisme, même (spring 1958), forming the enquiry into striptease.

The object of this enquiry, published in issue 4 of Le Surréalisme, même in the spring of 1958 is striptease, considered from both personal experience and Barthes’s interpretation of it given in his recent book Mythologies. The theme, very current in discussions at the time, re-emerged a year later during the preparations of the International Exhibition of Surrealism organised at the Daniel Cordier gallery. [Site Atelier André Breton, 2005]

Handwritten manuscript, sd [1958]
1 page in-4, handwritten in ink on the back of a letterhead of the gallery L'Étoile scellée of André Breton’s text on the survey on the striptease comprising a questionnaire of six questions (three in the left column, addressed to women, and three in right column, addressed to men, along with a text relating to Mythologies by Roland Barthes and published by Seuil):
‘Roland Barthes denounces the ‘mystifying’ side of striptease which he argues, while appearing to provoke and stir desire, seeks to exorcise it by the means of exoticism, dance and the trimmings of Music-Hall… Do you agree with him that in spite of the “well-meaning” protests to which it gives rise and that even serve its publicity, in fact striptease ‘desexualizes’ woman and checks her essentially spontaneous and inventive amorous imagination?’ [Auction catalogue, 2003]

*Translated by Michael Richardson.

Bibliography

Le Surréalisme, même, n° 4, printemps 1958.