Avant-garde Movements: European and Catalan Perspectives

Posted on Jun 25, 2025 in Latin

Vocabulary and Grammar Essentials

Vocabulary

Accare:
To put face to face; to caress.
Crumble:
To break or fall apart into small fragments.
Dull:
Lacking intellectual acuity; uninteresting or unexciting.
Issued:
Formally put forth, distributed, or published.
Indolence:
Avoidance of activity or exertion; laziness.
Aria:
A long, accompanied song for a solo voice, typically one in an opera or oratorio.
Aida:
An opera by Giuseppe Verdi, which premiered in 1871.
Pega:
A very viscous, tar-like residue or pitch.
Patch:
A piece of cloth or material used to cover a hole or wound.
Furrow:
A long, narrow trench made in the ground by a plow; a deep wrinkle on the face or body.
Exodus:
A mass departure of people, especially emigrants.
Smashed:
Violently broken into pieces; utterly defeated or destroyed.
Ulcer:
An open sore on an external or internal surface of the body, caused by a break in the skin or mucous membrane that fails to heal.
Bundle:
A collection of things, typically tied or wrapped together; a package of papers.
Dides:
Wet nurses; women who suckle infants not their own.
Cure:
To relieve (a person or animal) of the symptoms of a disease or condition; to heal.

Grammar: Conjunction Types

Copulative Conjunctions:
Connect words, phrases, or clauses of equal rank, indicating addition or alternative. Examples: and, or.
Disjunctive Conjunctions:
Present alternatives or choices. Examples: either…or, neither…nor.
Distributive Conjunctions:
Indicate distribution or choice among multiple options. Examples: either…or, neither…nor, both…and, not only…but also.
Adversative Conjunctions:
Express opposition or contrast. Examples: but, however, nevertheless, otherwise, even so, yet, therefore.
Illative Conjunctions:
Indicate inference or consequence. Examples: so, therefore, consequently.
Continuative Conjunctions:
Add further information or continue a thought. Examples: besides, moreover, furthermore, even, still.
Explanatory Conjunctions:
Clarify or explain a preceding statement. Examples: that is to say, in other words.

The Avant-garde Movement

The Avant-garde movements emerged in Europe during the first third of the 20th century. Their primary goal was to break with the established bourgeois cultural tradition and critically examine contemporary society.

From 1915 to 1925, these movements gained significant social influence. This period coincided with major historical events, including a global economic crisis, marked by the Wall Street Crash of 1929, and the First World War (1914-1918), which profoundly shaped the artistic and intellectual landscape.

The Avant-garde in Catalonia

In Catalonia, the Avant-garde arose within the context of Noucentisme, a cultural and political movement. Its development can be broadly divided into distinct stages:

  • 1915-1924: These years saw the emergence of early models that influenced the Avant-garde in Catalonia. Key influences included Cubism and Futurism. This period also marked the death of Joan Salvat Papasseit.
  • 1925-1936: This stage was largely dominated by Surrealism, with two significant centers:
    • The Group of Sabadell (including Francesc Trabal and Joan Oliver), which expressed rebellion through irony.
  • 1948-1954: After the Spanish Civil War, the Avant-garde resumed with the formation of the Dau al Set group. Beyond the 1950s, various poets, such as Joan Brossa, continued to utilize resources associated with the Avant-garde, extending into visual poetry.

Key Figures of Catalan Avant-garde

Joan Salvat Papasseit

Born in Barcelona in 1894, Joan Salvat Papasseit was orphaned at the age of seven. Due to his mother’s financial difficulties, he joined the Spanish Naval Asylum, where he learned to read and write. He left at 13 and worked various jobs, including as a grocer, in a sculpture workshop, and as a night watchman on the Barcelona pier.

In 1914, he began contributing to the magazine Los Miserables, published in Spanish, under the pseudonym Gorkiano. In 1917, he joined Galeries Laietanes, where he organized the Libraries Section. He challenged conventional poetic capitalization and died of tuberculosis in 1924.

His most important works include:

  • The Irradiating Port and Seagulls (El port i les gavines irradiador)
  • The Exploits of the Stars (Les gestes dels estels)
  • The Poem of the Pink Lips (El poema de la rosa als llavis), which explores different stages of a love relationship.

J.V. Foix

J.V. Foix was born in Sarrià in 1893. He initially studied law but abandoned it to dedicate himself to literature, a pursuit he combined with managing the family business. He was largely self-taught and enjoyed reading both classic and modern literature.

His early works included Gertrudis and KRTU. He also directed the influential magazine Quaderns de Poesia. After the Spanish Civil War, he published significant collections such as Sol i de dol (Sun and Mourning) and On he deixat les claus… (Where I Left the Keys…), the latter of which offers insights into daily life.

Foix received numerous accolades: in 1961, he was appointed a member of the Institute of Catalan Studies; in 1973, he received the Honor Award of Catalan Literature; and in 1989, he was awarded the National Prize for Spanish Letters (Premio Nacional de las Letras Españolas).

Major Avant-garde Movements

  • Cubism (1907-1914)

    Born in Paris, Cubism revolutionized painting with works like Pablo Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon. In literature, works such as Guillaume Apollinaire’s Calligrammes were highly influential. Literary techniques included collage, calligrams, and the breakdown of the logical order of sentences. Cubism aimed to represent reality by breaking it down into geometric figures, allowing the spectator to reconstruct it from multiple perspectives.

  • Futurism (1909-1920)

    Founded by F.T. Marinetti, Futurism proclaimed a complete break with the past. It exalted war, struggle, speed, dynamism, technology, adventure, and risk. Literary techniques involved the destruction of syntax and punctuation, the removal of adjectives and adverbs, the use of infinitive verbs, and freedom from conventional word order.

  • Dadaism (1915-1920)

    Originating in Zurich, Dadaism was led by figures like Tristan Tzara. It championed spontaneity, randomness, and the absurd, while rejecting bourgeois morality and good taste. A key literary technique was automatic writing, which aimed to express thoughts spontaneously without the intervention of reason.

  • Surrealism (1917-1940)

    Considered one of the most important movements, Surrealism was founded by André Breton in Paris. It emphasized the liberation of the subconscious mind, exploring dreams and employing automatic writing as a primary creative method.