This new dictatorship is as old as Gutenberg

The best of the articles of "Arts", the cultural magazine of the 1950s and 1960s. A feast of provocation and conformism.

"I dreamed of a number of the"Arts"where a boxer had rendered account of the last piece of Samuel Beckett, Daniel-Rops, Six-days, Jouhandeau, baptism of Caroline Kelly", writes Jacques Laurent published an article on "The women of Dior", February 6, 1957 in the revue "Arts". One of the platitudes of journalism, is the "angle", the point of view. This new dictatorship is as old as Gutenberg. Sometimes, the result is happy. This is the case with "Arts", cultural journal published between 1952 and 1966, which you can read some of the most beautiful texts, by Henri Blondet. Forty or fifty years later, they read a rare pleasure.

Jacques Laurent buys "Arts" in 1954. On the right marked "French Action" near pre-war, responsible for mission to the Ministry of Information in Vichy (where he met François Mitterrand), Algeria French in 1958 , is a liberal Director. He believes the subjectivity and style, he is suspicious of opinions. It does not recruit the signatures of the review on the rings as he had dreamed, but his door is widely open. He entrusted a forum interchangeably to writers (Audiberti, Aymé, Chardonne, Jouhandeau, Montherlant), to the "Hussars" (Blondin, Déon, Nimier member of the Executive Committee), to a young full of future (Régis Debray, still locked in the school brilliance of 12November, Philippe Labro, Philippe Sollers, young founder of "As is"), young insolent criticism goes to become filmmakers (Truffaut, Godard).

Many curiosities

This patchwork of talents is the strength and the size of the journal. Good leaves are classified according to the quality of the authors: "patterns" (Laurent, Nimier), "academics", "the princes of humour" (Vialatte, Vian)... The idea is good, it allows the also.

The sights, as the Office, are many. Nimier text after the death of Camus, for example. "Remote, Camus was, thank God, he wrote." We were in his regard, more harshly. This retreat, very voluntary, was not an enemy (...) We reprochions him his moralism, we reprochions him too speak human, as if he had the recipe and use. "The tribute is sober and critical. "Now, it would be futile to hide the dismay and sadness that inhabit, he adds." They exceed the common front that the men of the same generation stand before the death and have nothing to do with the fact of absurdity that suggests the event. "Absurd: the word belongs to the vocabulary of Camus. He died in January 1960 (and non-1959 as shown in the book) in the Facel Vega of Michel Gallimard. Nimier will the same fate eighteen months later in his Aston Martin.

Banned warm water

Another curiosity, a section of Cioran against singer Gilbert Bécaud. "The banality, the imbecility of the words and music (...)". are compounded with Bécaud, by her voice: a voice that is not the "head", or throat, breast, but very low, the belly or the very large intestine, looks on. ""Arts"bans lukewarm water. The cold shower is the rule. It is beneficial to the flow (of ideas). Authors have the air of good fun. Blondin of puns: "I hate the lies that we have been so Tan" (July 28, 1959). The young Jean-Louis Bory, prix Goncourt 1945 "my village at the German time, future film critic"The Express"and the"Nouvel Observateur", is the teeth on the Cannes Film Festival. "Yes, Yes, of course." (F) as cash. F as buttock. The money by the buttock. The buttock to the money. The money for the buttock. It is heard. F as frequently. Three thousand rooms on five hundred meters from sea. "Intense grenouillage on the terrace of the Carlton where, at the time of the Shepherd noon, seven hours , means snapping jaws of sharks of the seventh art" (May 22, 1963). Giono covers the trial Dominici, Jouhandeau the assassination of Kennedy, Bernard Frank made Bernard Frank and Vialatte wondered: "for or against noise: life must be a silent film.

"Arts." "The Culture of provocation": this is the book of ideal summer for those who do not like the blocks (on the beach). And who prefer the zakouskis to the stew.