Key Avant-garde Movements and Spain’s Generation of ’27
Avant-garde Movements: Origins and Impact
The avant-garde movements are artistic currents that sought to reject previous conventions and forge new paths. They began in Paris with Futurism, challenging the subjectivism of romanticism and traditional realism.
Futurism: Embracing Modernity
Originating in Italy in 1909 with Filippo Marinetti’s manifesto, Futurism advocated for the rejection of emotional, individual, and romantic themes, instead admiring the technical advancements of the era.
Cubism: A New Perspective in Art
Primarily a painting movement, its literary adaptation was championed by the French poet Guillaume Apollinaire, known for inventing the calligram.
Dada: Embracing Absurdity and Innocence
Emerging in 1916, Dada was created by the Romanian poet Tristan Tzara. Its members sought to recover the absence of logic and the innocence of early childhood.
Surrealism: Unlocking the Unconscious
Originating with André Breton’s French Surrealist Manifesto in 1924, Surrealism was deeply involved in developing theories of the unconscious and dream interpretation, influenced by Sigmund Freud’s work.
Literary Techniques: Automatic Writing
Automatic Writing: A raw transcript of ideas and words flowing from the writer’s mind, free from rational control.
Avant-garde in Spain: Key Movements
The avant-garde arrived in Spain in 1918 with Vicente Huidobro, coming from Paris. Key movements included:
Creationism: Poetic Innovation
Founded by Huidobro and supported in Spain by Gerardo Diego and Juan Larra, Creationism asserted that the poet should avoid describing or imitating nature, instead creating new, independent realities through the poem.
Ultraism: Radical Language and Poetry
Its main theoretician was Rafael Cansinos-Assens in 1919. Ultraism sought a radical conception of language and poetry, often utilizing the calligram.
Surrealism’s Influence in Spain
In Spain, Surrealism is notably present in the work of the poet Juan Larra from Bilbao and significantly influenced the Generation of ’27.
The Generation of ’27: A Literary Epoch
Characterized by rich and varied creation, the group’s name stems from a generational event: nearly all its members actively participated in the 1927 celebrations commemorating the tercentenary of Góngora’s death.
Factors Shaping the Generation of ’27
Factors contributing to the cohesion of the Generation of ’27, more so than other generations, include:
- Meeting at the Residencia de Estudiantes in Madrid, where they absorbed a liberal, European-educated atmosphere.
- Extensive literary training: almost all were literature professors, publishing significant literary criticism alongside their poetry.
- Strong personal friendships, fostering cooperation in numerous magazines and cultural initiatives.
- Reverence for Juan Ramón Jiménez, admiring his ideal of pure poetry, the depth of his imagery, and his determined effort to express feelings.
Literary Influences on the Generation of ’27
- The Spanish literary tradition, which they knew thoroughly, influenced them in three complementary aspects:
- Góngora: metaphorical language and poetic conception.
- Quevedo: mastery of the concept.
- Lope de Vega: love of folk poetry.
- They declared themselves heirs of Bécquer’s poetic tradition.
- Significant influence from lyrical ballads and traditional Castilian poetry.
- The great importance given to image and metaphor stemmed from Creationism and Ultraism. There was also a trend towards pure, intellectual poetry, and the influence of Surrealism.
- The Green Horse magazine for poetry published a manifesto advocating for “unclean” poetry, guiding poets towards greater social commitment.
Classification of Generation of ’27 Authors
Born between 1891 and 1905, their works can be classified based on the prevalence of certain traits:
- Neopopularist Poetry: Rafael Alberti and Federico García Lorca.
- Surrealist Poetry: Vicente Aleixandre, Luis Cernuda, and José María Hinojosa.
- Pure and Intellectual Poetry: Pedro Salinas and Jorge Guillén.
- Classicist and Religious Poetry: Gerardo Diego and Dámaso Alonso.