6.7 Exquisite corpse

Exquisite corpse is a collaborative artistic technique born from Surrealism in 1920s Paris. It embodies the movement's focus on unconscious creativity and chance, involving multiple participants creating a cohesive artwork or text without seeing others' contributions.

The process follows specific rules, often using folded paper to conceal previous additions. This method produces unexpected juxtapositions, reflecting Surrealism's interest in accessing the unconscious mind and challenging traditional notions of artistic control and authorship.

Origins of exquisite corpse

• Emerged from the Surrealist movement in Paris during the 1920s as a collaborative artistic technique
• Reflects Surrealism's emphasis on unconscious creativity and rejection of rational thought
• Developed as a playful game that embodied Surrealist principles of chance, collaboration, and the irrational

Surrealist movement context

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• Arose in the aftermath of World War I as artists sought new forms of expression
• Influenced by Freudian psychoanalysis and the exploration of dreams and the subconscious
• Aimed to liberate the mind from rational constraints and access the realm of the unconscious
• Embraced automatism and chance as methods for creating art free from conscious control

Etymology and naming

• Derived from the first instance of the game, resulting in the phrase "Le cadavre exquis boira le vin nouveau"
• "Cadavre exquis" translates to "exquisite corpse" in English
• Name reflects the unexpected and often bizarre juxtapositions created by the technique
• Evokes the Surrealist fascination with death, the body, and transformation

Collaborative creation process

• Involves multiple participants working together to create a cohesive artwork or text
• Emphasizes spontaneity and the element of surprise in artistic creation
• Challenges traditional notions of individual authorship and artistic control
• Fosters a sense of collective creativity and shared imagination among participants

Rules and guidelines

• Each participant contributes a portion of the work without seeing the contributions of others
• Typically follows a specific sequence or structure (head, torso, legs for visual works)
• Folding the paper to conceal previous contributions ensures continuity and surprise
• Variations exist for different mediums (drawing, writing, collage)
  • Visual works often use tri-fold paper to separate body sections
  • Literary works may use predetermined sentence structures or word types

Role of chance

• Randomness and unpredictability are central to the exquisite corpse process
• Chance encounters between disparate elements create unexpected and often surreal results
• Aligns with Surrealist belief in the creative power of the unconscious mind
• Minimizes conscious control and allows for spontaneous, unfiltered expression
  • Participants cannot plan or anticipate the final outcome
  • Unexpected juxtapositions often lead to humorous or thought-provoking results

Visual exquisite corpse

Drawing techniques

• Participants typically draw on folded paper, revealing only a small portion of the previous contribution
• Each artist contributes a section of the figure (head, torso, legs) without seeing the others
• Lines from the previous section are extended slightly to guide the next artist
• Various media can be used (pencil, ink, watercolor) depending on the group's preferences
• Color coordination may be agreed upon beforehand or left to chance

Collage variations

• Utilizes pre-existing images cut from magazines, photographs, or other printed materials
• Participants select and arrange collage elements without seeing others' contributions
• Can incorporate mixed media elements (fabric, found objects) for added texture and dimension
• Digital collage techniques allow for seamless blending and manipulation of images
• Often results in more visually complex and layered compositions than traditional drawing methods

Literary exquisite corpse

Sentence construction methods

• Typically follows a noun-adjective-verb-object structure
• Each participant contributes a word or phrase without seeing previous contributions
• Variations include using specific parts of speech (adjective, noun, verb, adverb)
• Can be adapted to create longer narratives or poems by expanding the structure
• May incorporate constraints or themes to guide the creation process

Poetry vs prose

• Poetry exquisite corpse often focuses on imagery and metaphor rather than narrative
• Prose versions can create short stories or absurdist narratives
• Poetic forms may use specific structures (haiku, sonnet) as a framework
• Prose exquisite corpse can incorporate dialogue or multiple perspectives
• Both forms often result in non-linear, dreamlike sequences of ideas and images

Notable exquisite corpse works

Famous surrealist collaborations

• "The Exquisite Corpse" (1926) by André Breton, Marcel Duhamel, Jacques Prévert, and Yves Tanguy
• "Cadavre Exquis with André Breton, Jacqueline Lamba and Yves Tanguy" (1938)
• "Nude" (1926-27) by Yves Tanguy, Joan Miró, Max Morise, and Man Ray
• Literary exquisite corpse by André Breton, Paul Éluard, and Tristan Tzara

Contemporary examples

• Jake and Dinos Chapman's "Exquisite Corpse" series (2000s)
• David Bowie's use of the technique for lyric writing in the 1970s
• "The Narrative Corpse" (1995) comic book project organized by Art Spiegelman
• Online collaborative platforms like "Folding Story" for digital exquisite corpse writing
• Annual Exquisite Corpse exhibitions at various galleries and museums worldwide

Psychological aspects

Unconscious mind exploration

• Taps into the subconscious by bypassing rational thought processes
• Reveals hidden associations and unexpected connections between ideas and images
• Aligns with Freudian concepts of free association and dream analysis
• Can bring repressed thoughts or desires to the surface through symbolic representation
• Challenges participants to interpret and find meaning in seemingly random combinations

Group dynamics

• Fosters a sense of shared creativity and collective imagination
• Reduces individual ego and promotes collaborative spirit
• Can reveal group dynamics through analysis of contributions and interactions
• May lead to increased empathy and understanding among participants
• Challenges notions of authorship and individual artistic vision

Influence on other art forms

Film and animation

• Inspired surrealist filmmakers like Luis Buñuel and Salvador Dalí
• Influenced non-linear narrative structures in experimental cinema
• Used as a technique for storyboarding and generating ideas in animation
• Adapted for collaborative film projects where directors take turns creating scenes
• Inspired music video directors to create visually disjointed but thematically linked sequences

Music and performance

• Influenced avant-garde composers like John Cage in creating chance-based compositions
• Used by bands for collaborative songwriting (Talking Heads, Arcade Fire)
• Adapted for improvisational theater games and exercises
• Inspired choreographers to create dance pieces with segmented, collaborative structures
• Used in performance art to create spontaneous, multi-artist installations or happenings

Critical reception

Surrealist theory perspectives

• Celebrated as a manifestation of "pure psychic automatism" central to Surrealist philosophy
• Viewed as a method for accessing the collective unconscious
• Criticized by some for potentially trivializing the serious aims of Surrealism
• Debated as to whether it truly bypasses conscious control or merely simulates randomness
• Considered a practical application of André Breton's concepts of objective chance

Art world impact

• Initially dismissed by some critics as mere game-playing rather than serious art
• Gradually recognized for its role in challenging traditional notions of artistic creation
• Influenced the development of collaborative and chance-based art practices
• Sparked debates about authorship, intention, and the nature of creativity in art
• Continues to be studied and practiced in art schools and creative workshops worldwide

Legacy and modern applications

Digital exquisite corpse

• Online platforms and apps allow for global collaborative creation
• Digital tools enable seamless blending and manipulation of contributions
• Social media adaptations spread the concept to wider audiences
• AI and machine learning used to generate exquisite corpse-like compositions
• Virtual reality experiences create immersive exquisite corpse environments

Educational and therapeutic uses

• Used in art therapy to encourage self-expression and group bonding
• Adapted for language learning exercises to practice vocabulary and sentence structure
• Employed in creative writing workshops to overcome writer's block
• Applied in team-building exercises to foster collaboration and creativity
• Utilized in psychology studies to examine group dynamics and collective creativity

Exquisite corpse vs other techniques

Automatic writing comparison

• Both aim to access the unconscious mind and bypass rational thought
• Automatic writing is typically an individual practice, while exquisite corpse is collaborative
• Exquisite corpse has more structure and rules compared to the free-flow of automatic writing
• Automatic writing often produces longer, continuous texts, while exquisite corpse creates fragmented results
• Exquisite corpse relies more on chance and surprise than automatic writing

Cadavre exquis vs consequences

• Both are collaborative, turn-based games involving hidden information
• Consequences focuses more on narrative and character development
• Exquisite corpse emphasizes visual or poetic juxtaposition over coherent storytelling
• Consequences typically has a fixed structure, while exquisite corpse can be more flexible
• Exquisite corpse is more closely associated with Surrealism and avant-garde art movements

Cultural significance

Surrealism's collective creativity

• Embodied the Surrealist ideal of breaking down barriers between individual minds
• Challenged the romantic notion of the solitary artistic genius
• Demonstrated the potential for collective unconscious expression
• Influenced later art movements' emphasis on collaboration and participation
• Continues to inspire contemporary artists exploring collective creativity and social practice

Challenging artistic conventions

• Subverted traditional notions of artistic skill and intentionality
• Questioned the importance of coherence and logic in art and literature
• Blurred the lines between high art and playful games
• Encouraged a more democratic approach to art-making
• Paved the way for later conceptual and process-based art practices