Spectacle Archive

Murray Bookchin on the French Situationist group - 1993

Introduction

This is a short version of a 20 minute long interview of Murray Bookchin, in which he recalls his encounter with the French Situationists. This interview was realised on the occasion of Bookchin's short visit to London during the Summer of 1993.

In this original and unedited footage until now, Murray Bookchin gives a personal account of his encounter with the French situationist "clique" and his meeting with figures such as Guy Debord, Raoul Vaneigem and Mustapha Khayati.

Here Bookchin critically reassesses the group's intellectual legacy by linking back the Situationists's rhetoric to Lautreamont's poetry as well as the Marquis De Sade, André Breton, the surrealists, Dada and Henri Lefebvre's Critique of everyday life. 

Bookchin elaborates on his difference with the Situationist's misogyny and absence of sensibility for ecological issues as well as pointing at the contradictions of the group's appropriation and circulation of ideas.

The Situationist group's practice is finally put into perspective with others leftist organisations such as the Dutch group Provo (animated by Roel van Duijn among others), the Japanese student movement Zengakuren and the North American anarchist group Up against the wall motherfuckers.

Along the recollection of those anecdotes, Bookchin casts a new appreciation of the French Situationist group's internal politics which contrasts with more glorified ones, by remembering the "jacobin mentally" dominating the group.

 

 

Bookmark and Share

Credits

Date: 1 August 1993
Location: UK
City: London
Original Format - colour, mini DV, 10 mins
Language versions - english

Ordering Information

If you would like to request a viewing copy of this video, please click the email link below. You can find out more information about ordering in the distribution section.
Order Catalogue No. MB020 - Situ - en - pal via email

Back >>

© 2004 - 2024 Spectacle Productions Ltd.   |   tel: +44 (0)20 7223 6677   |   e: info@spectacle.co.uk