Jindřich Heisler: surrealism under pressure, 1938-1953

Abstract

Czech poet and photographer Jindrich Heisler (1914-1953) joined the Czech Surrealist Group in 1938, just as Nazi occupation of the country was driving the movement and Czech artists underground. Heisler published his first book of poetry a year later. In his brief and courageous career -- Heisler died suddenly at the age of thirty-eight -- he produced some of the most remarkable assemblage work of the Surrealist movement, including what is arguably the single-most important photobook produced in the 20th century, From the Strongholds of Sleep (1940-41). -- Book jacket.

Contents

The hope of fire, the freedom of dreams: Jindřich Heisler in Prague and Paris, 1938-1953 / Jindřich Toman -- Night rounds: on the photo-poem From the strongholds of sleep / Matthew S. Witkovsky -- From the strongholds of sleep -- Objects -- Between object and photograph -- From the same dough -- Néon -- Between object and book -- Alphabet -- Writings and tributes: "On illustration that is not illustration," Jindřich Heisler, c. 1946 ; Jindřich Heisler to Frederick Kiesler, Paris, December 13, 1947 ; "And the cricket fell asleep--," André Breton, 1953 ; "Jindřich Heisler, A crystal in the night," Annie Le Brun, 1998.