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TextbyMikkelBoltRasmussen.
IllustrationsfromMikkelBolt
Rasmussen's
archivesupplementedwith
materialfromthearchiveofthe
CopenhagenFree
University.Thetexthasalso
beenpublishedasabooklet
(CFU#9)includingadditional
documents.

Situationist Map of Denmark

SituationistMapofDenmark
NotesontheSituationistInternationalinDenmark
WhiletheactionsandwritingsoftheFrench,ItalianandGerman
situationistshavereceivedquitealotofattentionduringthelast10to15
years,theactionsoftheDanishsectionremainlargelyunevaluated.Thisis
peculiarsinceanumberofDanishartistslikeAsgerJorn,JrgenNash,J.
V.MartinandPeterLaugesenweremembersofthisartisticpolitical
organisation,whichdevoteditsexistencetotherealisationofnothingless
thanamentalrevolution.WhentheSituationistInternationalwasfounded
in1957ontheruinsofformeravantgardegroupslikeCOBRAandthe
lettrists,thesituationistsgavethemselvestheassignmenttoacceleratethe
culturaldissolutionofthepresentsociety.Theartistsinthegrouphadto
supersedetheartisticscandalsoftheinterwaravantgardeusingthe
techniqueofdtournement.Confrontedwiththeconsumercultureofthe
postwarera,theintegrationoftheartisticavantgardeintotheinstitutionof
art,andthereturnofcivilwar(Algeria),scandalwasonlythefirstnegation.
Now,artmustbeabolishedthroughtherealisationofconcretesubversions
ineverydaylife.
Accordingtothesituationiststhemethodsdevelopedbytheinterwar
artisticandpoliticalavantgardewereinsufficientastheywerenotequalto
thehistoricalsituation.Ifartistsweretoberevolutionary,theyshould
appropriatetheproductsandrepresentationsofsocietyandusethese
representationsforspecificpropagandistpurposes.Realclasswarfare
shouldbefoughtintherealmofideologythroughacritiqueofthesparkling
representationspostwarsocietysoldasreplacementsfortheabsent,
authenticimagination.Asthesituationistsexplainedintheir
characteristicallysharp,emptyandtotalisticrhetoric:Weareonlyartists
insofaraswearenolongerartists:wewanttorealiseart.Eventhougha
critiqueofrepresentationsremainedofpivotalimportancethroughoutthe
existenceoftheSituationistInternational,themassiveexclusionsofthe
years1961and1962causedthegrouptoconcentrateonthedevelopment
ofaradicalandallinclusivetheoryonthealienatingsocietyofthe
spectacleanditsdestruction.
Duringthefirstperiodofthegroup'sexistence,whenthedevelopmentof
anantiartwasstillontheagenda,AsgerJornplayedanimportantrole.
ThroughhimseveralScandinavianartistsbecamemembersofthe
situationistgroup.ThemajorityoftheseamongthemJornsbrother
JrgenNashwereexcludedduringdiscussionsaboutart'sroleinthe
critiqueofthesocietyofthespectacle.Atthattime,in1962,Jornhad
himselfalreadyleftthegroup,notwantingtocompromisethesituationist
organisationthroughhisgrowingsuccessasanartistandhiscontactto
theestablishedartworld.Nevertheless,Jornkeptonfinancingthejournal
InternationalSituationnisteandbecameasecretmemberofthesituationist
groupunderthenameofGeorgeKeller.Thecomplexdisagreementsthat
ledtothesplitofthegroupin1962hadtodowiththequestionofwhether
artisticactivitycouldproduceanythingotherthanaconsolidationofthe
rulingorderanditsvalues.Duringthesediscussionstwofractionsbecame
visible:ontheonehandamainlyFrenchandBelgiangrouparoundGuy
DebordandRaoulVaneigem,demandingthattheuseofartwasdescribed
asantisituationistandontheotheragroupofmostlyScandinavianand
Germanartists,ledbyNash,wantingtokeepopenthepossibilityofart
playingaroleintheserviceoftherevolution.Thecompositionofthetwo
fractionswasunclearatfirstandataconferenceinGteborgin1961an
agreementwasreachedwhichsupportedtheFrenchposition.Accordingto
anaccountofthemeetingpublishedinInternationalesituationniste,only
Nashobjected.Thisagreementonlylastedbrieflyhoweverandwhenthe
GermansectionGruppeSpurpublishedtheirjournalwithoutseeking
permissionfromthenewlycreatedcentralcommittee,theensuingconflict
culminatedintheexclusionofnotonlytheGermansbutalsomoreorless
allScandinavianmembers.

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Afterthebreakin1962,itwaslefttoJ.V.MartintoruntheScandinavian
sectionoftheSituationistInternational.BasedinthecityofRandersMartin
spentthefollowingyearsorganisingacampaignagainstthenashist
fraction.HealsomanagedtopublishthejournalSituationistiskRevolution
andarrangedactionsdirectedagainstinstantiationsofauthoritysuchas
theDanishMonarchyandNATO.Martinremainedamemberofthe
situationistgroupuntil1972when,tohisdisappointment,Debordand
GianfrancoSanguinettidissolvedthegroup.
TogetherwiththeotherexcludedScandinavianmembers,Nashcreated
the2.SituationistInternationalin1962.Throughanumberofspectacular
actionsthisgroupinitiated,NashandhiscomradeinspiritJensJrgen
ThorsenwereabletoleavetheirmarkontheDanishculturallifeofthe
1960s.Mostfamousamongtheactionswasthedecapitationof
Copenhagenslittlemermaidstatue.NashandThorsentriedtousethe
creativitywhichnormallyremainedconcealedwithintheartisticsphere
directlyinsocietytheywantedtoactivatethetraditionallypassive
spectatorandturnhim/herintoanactivecocreatorofconcretesituations
ofplay.
ThefollowingtextiscomposedaroundfourDanishcitynames,which
functionasheadlinestosituationistsactivityinDenmark.Thissubjecthas
beenlargelyneglectedandneedstobeincludedbothinDanisharthistory
andthehistoryoftheSituationistInternational.Thetextisintendedasa
temporarymap.Ihavelimitedthecitiestofourallofwhichprovideda
backdropforsignificantsituationistevents:Odense,Silkeborg,Randers
andCopenhagen.

Odense
InthenewlyestablishedGalleriExi,themanifestationDestructionof
RSG6openedonthe22ndofJune1963.Thegallerywassituatedinthe
basementofthefirstcollectiveinDenmark,whichwasrunbyMogens
AmdiPedersen,thesubsequentlynotoriousleaderoftheDanish
pedagogicalexperimentTvind.Themanifestationwascreatedbythe
SituationistInternational.Theyturnedthefirstroomofthegalleryintoa
shelterwithsirens,stretchersandcorpses.Inthenextroompicturesof
contemporarypoliticianslikepresidentKennedy,Khrushchev,deGaulle
andtheDanishforeignministerPerHkkeruphadbeenmountedonthe
wallastargets.Theaudienceweretoldtousearifleandshootatthem.If
theymanagedtohitapoliticianseyetheywouldobtainafreecopyofthe
catalogue.AdjacenttothetargetshungaseriesofDebordssocalled
directives.ThesewerewhitecanvasesonwhichDebordhadwritten
sloganslike:Abolitiondutravailalin(Abolitionofalienatedlabour).In
thenextroomJ.V.Martinshowedhisthermonuclearmaps.Thesewere
largepaintingsdepictingtheworldaftertheoutbreakofthethirdworldwar.
MicheleBernsteinsplastertableauxwithplasticsoldierswereplacednext
toMartinsmaps.Thetableauxshowedthehistoryoftheproletariats
continueddefeatstransformedintovictories:VictoiredelaCommunede
Paris(VictoryoftheCommuneinParis).
Themanifestationwasconceivedasacontinuationoftheaction
undertakentwomonthspriorbyagroupofBritishactivistscalling
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themselvesSpiesforPeace.TheBritishactivistshadbrokenintoasecret
ReadingbombsheltercalledRSG6wheretheBritishgovernmenthad
plannedtohideincaseofanuclearattack.Followingtheirdiscoveryofthe
government'ssecretplanstheactivistshadprintedasmallpamphletin
whichtheymadepublictheplansaswellastheexistenceofsecret
sheltersreservedforpoliticiansandcivilservicepersonnel.Thepamphlets
publicationcausedascandalinBritainandattractedconsiderable
attention.TheDanishsituationistswerenotslowtorespond.
Thepoliticalcultureoftheearly1960scontinuedtobemarkedbythe
nihilisticcrisis,whichfollowedtheselfdestructionofnazismandthe
polarisationoftheglobeintotheEast/Westoppositionsofthecoldwar.
Althoughapoliticallyconservativeculturewasslowlybeingreplacedbythe
moreoptimisticonefosteredbytheexpandingeconomiesoftheWestern
countries,eventsliketheerectionoftheBerlinWallensuredthischange
wasshortlived.TheyearbeforethemanifestationtookplaceinOdense,
theworldhadbeenbroughttothebrinkofnuclearwarwhenAmerican
aircraftdiscoveredthattheSovietUnionwaspreparingtoinstallearthto
earthmissilesinCuba.PresidentKennedybriefedtheAmericanpublicon
thematterinanationwideTVspeechonthe22ndofOctoberwhenhe
launchedablockadeagainstCuba.AtthatmomentSovietshipscarrying
missileswerealreadyontheirwayacrosstheAtlanticOceantoCuba.
Severalhairraisingdaysfollowed,duringwhichtheSovietshipscontinued
theircourseandthearmiesofthetwosuperpowerswereputonastateof
highalert.Theriskofnuclearwarseemedimmanentbutinthefinalhour
theSovietshipswerecalledback.
TheeventsoftheColdWarandthethreatofmutuallyassureddestruction
contributedtothecreationoftheprotestmovement,ofwhichtheSpiesfor
Peacegroupformedapart.Inaccordancewiththeirtheoriesthe
SituationistInternationalregardedthemselvesasthebrainofthisgrowing
protestmovement.Insofarastheyweretheavantgardeoftheavant
gardethesituationistshaddevelopedanadequaterevolutionarytheory
unitingthedestructionofartwithcontemporarypoliticalstruggle.The
actioninEnglandwastobeputintoaproperhistoricalandtheoretical
settingbythesituationistswhopresentedtheOdensemanifestationasits
continuationandasanextensionofthebattleagainsttherulingpowers.
Themanifestationwasintendedtowidentheperspective,fusingisolated
andconcretephenomena(suchasSpiesforPeace)intoatotalsituationist
critique.Thedestructionofartandpoliticalrevolutionweretwosidesofthe
samecoin.Thereforethesituationistsattemptedtostageakindoftotal
contexttext,inwhichrevolutionaryconsciousnessandartisticcritique
wereunited.Insofarasartwastrappedinadialecticalpositionbetween
subversionandsubventionofdominantvalues,themanifestationin
Odense(includingMartinscartographiesandDebordsdirectives)hadto
producebothacritiqueofmodernartand,inthenegative,refertothe
authenticityarthadpossessedbeforeitwasrecuperatedbyspectacular
marketsociety.DestructionofRSG6wasthusanattempttochallenge
theoccupationofartbythespectacle.Debordsdirectives,Martinsmaps
andBernsteinsvictorieswereallexamplesofasituationistuseofartin
whichanantiideologicalcommunicationwassupposedtoappearthrough
thecritiqueandstultificationofmodernart.InMartinsmapsitwasabstract
expressionismthatwasridiculedandturnedupsidedown.InBernsteins
victoriesitwasbothmonochromepaintingandthenouveauxralistes.
Accordingtothesituationistsallthesecontemporaryartisticpracticeswere
examplesofhowthespectaclehadreducedarttotheaesthetic
preservationofalienationandseparation.Theartistsperformedafully
ideologicaltask.Theroleoftheworkofartinthesocietyofthespectacle
wastoaffirmthealienationofthatwhich,inart,causedrevoltandcritique
againstinsensitivityandconformism.
ThemanifestationinOdensereceivedquitealotofattentionintheDanish
newspapersbutfailedtogeneratemanydedicatedreviews.Inmost
contemporarywritingonDestructionofRSG6itwaspresentedasa
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comicalincident,withoneparticularlytellingheadlinedescribingitasA
crackingpaintingshow.IntheonlyrealreviewpublishedintheDanish
dailyPolitiken,thecriticPierreLbeckerexpressedhisdoubtsasto
whetherthemanifestationwasanartexhibitionatall.Hefinishedhis
reviewbywriting:Itisofcourseagainstthewaritselfandthetotalitarian
statepowerthatthey[thesituationists]objectandtheywillprobably
interpretitasacomplimentwhenitissaidthattheydontdoitwithartistic
means.Butitisnotintendedassuchbyyourstruly.
Thesituationiststhemselveswerenotcontentwiththecourseofevents
andonthe4thofJulyDanishSImembersJ.V.Martin,PeterLaugesen
andHervardMerveddemandedthemanifestationtobeterminated.
AccordingtothesituationistsGalleriExihadclosedthefirstroom,the
shelter,andallowedtheaudiencetomaketheirwaydirectlytothetargets
andantiworks.Thiswasunacceptabletothesituationists.TomLindhardt,
theownerofthegallery,respondedthatthesituationistsexaggerated
demandswereimpossibletosatisfy.Whenitwascloseddown,therewere
onlyafewdaysleftofthemanifestationsscheduledperiod.Boththe
closureandsubsequentfussinthepresswereprobablyplannedin
advance,sincethesituationistswantedtoconfirmtheirantiartisticstance
andgainasmuchattentionaspossiblefortheirtheories.Inretrospectthe
courseofeventsinOdenseappearasadesperateattempttohaveitboth
ways:useartinasituationistwaywhilerejectingartanditsinfrastructure.
Thesituationistswerecaughtbetweenontheonehandtheneedfor
publicityandrecognitionandontheotherthebeliefthatanyattentionor
recognitionwoulddamageandcompromisetheirentireproject,ultimately
preventingtheadventofthemuchdesiredrevolution.Becausethe
situationiststendedtorejectthepossibilityofauthenticartistic
communication,therewaslittletheycoulddoapartfromabandonartand
disappear.Ontheonehanditwasnecessaryforthesituationiststokeepa
certaindistancefromthemodernworldofthespectaclewhoseofferofa
placeinthespotlightconstitutedanattempttoneutralisethem.Onthe
otheritwasnecessarytochallengethespectacularmarketsocietyhere
andnowwithaconcreteandtopicalproject.Acuity,secrecyandteleology
fusedintheobscuresituationistmixture.Itbecameextremelydifficultto
locatethedifferencebetweenacritiqueofinstitutionsandincorporation
intothembetweenappropriationandrecuperation.Thesituationistswere
beingpulledapartbythesuffocatingtensionbetweenthisworldandthe
onetheydesiredbetweenwhatwasandwhatoughttobe.Caughtinthis
limbothesituationistswenton,blindtothemselves.Thisignorance
devouredthem:likealltrueavantgardesthesituationistswerefirstand
foremostavanguardforthemselves.Thatiswhytheypersecuted
themselves,andforcedaconstantrejectionoftheirrearguard.Theywere
thepresentseenfromthefuture.

Silkeborg
AfterAsgerJornhaddonatedalargeamountofartworksbyartistslike
Dubuffet,HenriMichauxandRobertoMattatothemuseuminSilkeborgin
1950s,in1960itwasdecidedtosetupasituationistlibraryatthe
museum.ThisdecisioncoincidedwithavisitbyJornandDebordwho,
whentheycametoSilkeborg,alsowenttovisittheoldsyndicalistChristian
Christensen,whohadintroducedJorntoalternativeMarxisminhisyouth.
ThelibrarywastobesetupaccordingtoaschemethatDeborddrewup
duringtheirstayinSilkeborg.Itwastobedividedintofourdifferent
sections.Thefirstofthesewastocontainpresituationistmaterialandhad
foursubcategories:A)COBRA(withasectionontheoriginsofCOBRA
andSurralismeRvolutionnaire),B)lettrism(withasectiononIsidore
Isouslettrismafter1952),C)TheMovementforanImaginistBauhaus,D)
theinternationallettrists.Thesecondsectionwassupposedtocontain
situationistmaterial:journals,leaflets,postersandotherprintedmatter.
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Thethirdwasthesocalledhistoricalsectionandcontainedmaterialabout
thesituationistsauthoredbyothers.Thelastsectionwasthecopysection,
whichwastopresentexamplesofworksimitatingthesituationists.Ina
smallnoticeinthefifthissueofInternationalesituationnisteitwasthelast
sectionthatwassingledoutasbeingmostimportant.Thefactthatthe
situationistfollowershadjustcopiedandtherebyfalsifiedthesituationist
projectmadeitalltheeasiertocondemntheirpractices.Thelastsection
wasalsosupposedtoholdanumberofdifferentdiagramsdepictingthe
historicaldevelopmentoftheavantgarde.Theyweresupposedtoshow
thattheSituationistInternationalwastheonlyauthenticcontemporary
avantgarde,anavantgardetruetotheprojectoftheinterwardadaand
surrealistexperiments.Astheorganisationofthelibrarymakesclear,the
mostimportantcreationofthesituationistswerethemselves.Inacontra
revolutionarymoment,theselfrealisationoftheavantgardewasboththe
mostdifficultandimportanttaskanavantgardecouldsetitself.This
realisationwashowevercomplicatedbythefactthatthespectaclesought
torecuperatetheavantgardebyanymeansnecessary.Theavantgarde
shouldthereforeshunanycontactwiththeculturalestablishmentitmust
refusecontainmentbythepacifyingrepresentationsofthespectacle,
representationsthatreducedpeopletothestaleidentitiesofartist,
politician,revolutionary,writer,filmmaker,etc.Theseidentitiesnow
preventedpeoplefromperformingactivitiesonceprescribedbythese
terms.Theavantgardefacedtheproblemthatanyrealisation,anycreated
work,wasaconcessiontotherulingpowersandtothebanalityoftheold
culture.Thereforethesituationistshadtoconcealeveryfinishedobject,
maskthemselvesandrealisetheiractionsinahurrywithoutleavingtraces.
Iftheinstitutionsofthespectaclespottedtheavantgardeanditspossible
realisationstheywouldsuckupandtametheavantgardeanduseitto
keepintactthedeceitfulworldofthespectacularcommodity.Iftheavant
gardewastosucceeditshouldcancelitsownconditionsofexistenceand
becomeinvisible.Theavantgardeshouldworktowardsitsownabolition:
ThesituationistlibraryinSilkeborgwasneverrealised.
Randers
AfterJrgenNashandtheotherScandinavianmembersoftheSituationist
Internationalhadbeenexcludedin1962,itwasuptothepainterJ.V.
MartintoleadtheScandinaviansection.Martinshometown,Randersin
Jutland,subsequentlybecamethecentreforsituationistactivitiesin
Denmark.DuringthenextdecadeMartinmoreorlesssinglehandedly
organisedarangeofevents,whichcausedsmallscandalsinDenmark.
Followingthefoundingofthe2.SituationistInternationalbyNashandhis
compatriots,MartindirectedaseriesofattacksagainstNashandtheother
renegades.Intheeyesoftheoriginalsituationists,likeDebord,Martin
andtheothers,theNashistsfalselypresentedthemselvesassituationists
toaScandinavianpublic.InarticlesandinterviewsMartinobjectedto
Nashsmisuseofthesituationiststheoriesandvocabularyanddescribed
himasaparasite.The2.SituationistInternationalwasnothingbuta
babysoothing,courtjestingandpeasantgirlishromanticescapefrom
reality.Martinandthesituationistspresentedtheexclusionsassimplya
questionoftheproperunderstandingofsituationistideas.Theexclusions
wereanecessaryconditionfortherevolutionaryclaritythesituationist
avantgardeshouldexpress.Ifsituationistideaswereusedaslegitimation
fordifferentartisticorsemiartisticactivities,theinstitutionwouldswallow
therevolutionaryavantgarde.Fellowtravellerswerenotaccepted.
MartinsstagingofthemanifestationDestructionofRSG6functioned
bothasacritiqueofthethreatofnuclearwarandaresponsetothe
NashistexhibitionSevenRebelstheyearbeforeinOdense.ButMartin
reallybecamethemanofthemomentinDecember1964,whenhe
producedanddistributedtwopostcardswithantiroyalcontent.The
postcards,whichwereproducedinarunof2000,eachshowedanaked
womanwithtextbubblesattached.Inoneagirl,strippedtothewaist,layin
awickerchairsaying:Theliberationoftheworkingclassisitsownwork!
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Ontheother,awellknownphotooftheBritishprostituteChristineKeeler
wasreproduced.Shesays,AstheSituationistInternationalsays:Itis
morehonourabletobeaprostitutelikemethanmarryaFascistlike
Konstantin.Keelerhadbeeninvolvedinabigscandaltheyearbefore:the
socalledProfumoaffairhingedonKeelerhavinganaffairwiththeBritish
ministerofdefencewhilesimultaneouslysleepingwithaSovietnaval
officer.Thepostcardsmostprovocativeelementwasneverthelessthetext
bubbleinwhichtherecentlycelebratedmarriagebetweenDanishPrincess
AnneMarieandtheGreekKingKonstantinwascommentedoninterms
whichleftlittledoubtastothesituationistattitudetowardsthepolitical
situationinGreece.ThecombinationofthenakedBritishprostituteandthe
textbubbleprovedtoomuchforIngeHansen,thechairmanofreligious
andanticommunistorganisationMoralskOprustning(MoralRearmament).
ShereportedMartintothepoliceandaccusedhimoflesemajesty.The
casewasdropped,accordingtothesituationistsbecausethepoliceand
theDanishgovernmentwantedtoavoidfurtherscandal.
Thepostcardsareagoodexampleoftheactivitythesituationists
undertookaftertheylefttheartworldbehind.Whentheypractisedtheir
interventionsintothesocialimagery,theyofcourseusedinsightsand
practicesfromdadaandsurrealism.Despitethis,thesituationistsdidnot
considertheiractionsasartinatraditionalsense.Theylookedupon
themselvesasarevolutionarygroupusculethathadunderstoodthatart
wasathingofthepastandofnousetopresentcriticaltasks.Insteadof
creatingworksofart,thesituationistavantgardeoccupieditselfwiththe
theoreticalorganisationofresistanceagainstthespectacle.Artcreateda
passivespectacularrelationship.Allartisticmedia,includingvisualart,
literatureandcinema,wereonesidedspectacularexpressionswhichthe
situationistssoughttodominateorinterrupt.
ThattheSituationistInternationalconstitutedarealdangertothesocietyof
thespectaclewas,accordingtothem,confirmedin1965whenabomb
explodedinMartinshouseinRandersduringademonstrationagainst
NATO.SrenKanstrup,aformerEastGermanspywhotookpartinthe
rally,hadbroughtabombtoRandersfromCopenhagen.Thebomb
explodedinmysteriouscircumstancesinMartinshouse,destroyingthe
interiorandmoreorlesshisentirearchive.Kanstrupwasarrestedbutthe
casewasneversolved.Thesituationistsneverhadanydoubtthat
KanstrupwasanagentprovocateurforthepoliceandtheDanish
CommunistParty,DKP.Accordingtothesituationists,theforcesoflaw
andorderandtheStalinistshadjoinedforcestocounteracttheSituationist
Internationalandthegrowingprotestmovement.TheincidentinRanders
confirmedthisselfconceptionandrevolutionarypropagandawas
intensified.

Copenhagen
Oneofthemostimportantsituationistdocumentswascreatedduring24
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hoursin1957inCopenhagen.ThebookFindeCopenhaguewasmadeby
JornandDebordattheprintinghousePermild&Rosengrenafterasingle
visittothelocalnewsstall.Thebookwascomposedusingthetechnique
ofdtournementandconsistedoffragmentssnatchedfromotherbooks
andmagazines:photographs,comics,advertisements,mapsfromtravel
books,photosofnakedladiesfrompornographicmagazines,etc.Each
pagewasmadeupofacollageoftheseelements,linkedbythecolourful
splashesJornadded.Standingontopofathreemeterhighladder,Jorn
hadpouredlithographicalinkontotheprintplates.Theresultingstains
mimickedthefilteredcolourthreadsofactionpaintersandmediatedthe
attachedtextandimageelements.InsofarasJornscolourstainswere
printedandreproduced,theytwistedtheexpressivenessofthethen
dominantabstractpainting.Thepersonalgesturewaserasedthrough
reproductionandlostitsintimatehumandimensionbecauseithadbeen
performedatadistanceofthreemeters.Inaccordancewiththe
situationistanalysisofmodernartarthasbeenseizedbythespectacle
andneedstobeabandonedJornparodiedtheexpressivenessofaction
painting.Hereducedactionpaintingsgesturestoanexistenceasmere
socialrepresentations,inlinewiththeadvertisementsandnudephotos
spreadthroughoutFindeCopenhague.Jornfeignedexpression:the
drippingofactionpaintingwasdemystifiedandreducedtoatechnique,a
styleyoucouldreproduceevenoutsideart.Expressivenesswasonly
presentinthenegative.
Theprefabricatedtextsandimagesinthebook,whichDebordhadhelped
JornarrangeinhiscapacityasConseillertechniquepourledtournement,
formedaregularcatalogueofthereducedcommunicationinthesocietyof
thespectacle.Theauthenticpoetryoflanguagehadbeenreducedtothe
vulgarproseofinformation.Thespectacularmarketsocietyhad
expropriatednotonlytheproductivecapacityofmanbutalsohis
communicatoryability.Thepossibilityofhumanwelfarehadbeen
destroyedasaconsequenceofthisexpropriationandmanwasnow
alienatedtoacompletelynewdegree.Inthesocietyofthespectacle
languagehadnootherfunctionthantocommunicatethemessagesofthe
societyofthespectacle.Languagefunctionedasamaterialsupportforthe
ideologyofpowerlanguagewasthecementthatgluedtogetherthe
spectaclesideologicalscraps.Thatlanguagecouldbesomething
completelydifferent,thatitcouldbeareservoirinwhichonewas
hospitabletobothone'skinandtheotheri.e.inwhichpeoplecouldbe
somethingdifferentthantheidentitiesthespectaclesoldtothemthen
thiswassomethingthespectaclediditsbesttoconceal.Accordingtothe
spectacle,languagewasjustinformationandasallcommunicationpassed
throughitscyberneticmachines,peoplenolongercommunicatedrather
performingtasksprescribedfromabove.Communicationwasacommodity
onaparwithcars,washingmachinesandbedlamps.Itwasmass
producedanddistributedbythesocietyofthespectacle.Theplacementof
differentadvertisementsmadevisibletheinfiniteselectionofidentical
commoditiesauthoritativelyinstructingthesubjecttoexistinawaythat
wasfavourabletothespectacle.Asitsaidononepageinthebook:What
doyouwant?[]Lotsofnewclothes?Adreamhomewithallthelatest
comfortsandlaboursavingdevices?Anewcaramotorlaunchalight
aircraftofyourown?Whateveryouwant,itscomingyourwayplus
greaterleisureforenjoyingitall.Withelectronics,automationandnuclear
energy,weareenteringthenewIndustrialRevolutionwhichwillsupplyour
everyneed,easilyquicklycheaplyabundantly.Thenaive
consumptivedesireofthespectaclewasmadeexplicitinthejuxtaposition
ofthisadvertisementtextwithacomicdepictingayoungwoman,her
boyfriendandherlover.Inthesamewaythattheboyfriendjust
disappeared(Hejustvanished,theyoungwomansays)andthereby
madeitpossiblefortheyoungwomantobewithherlover,allproblems
apparentlyvanishedwiththepurchaseofanewcommodity.Onalater
pageinthebooktheonesexcludedfromthispurifiedcommodityparadise
becamevisible:aturbanwearing,swarthymanwhowasbeingharassed
byasoldier.Onthesamepagetheonlyhandwrittentextofthe
publicationappeared:VIVELALGRIELIBRE.
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AsthetitleindicatesFindeCopenhagueborewitnesstotheurban
nightmareintowhichfunctionalismwasslowlytransformingEuropean
cities.Thejuxtapositionofphrasessnatchedfromadvertisements(le
problmeestrsolu)withdifferentdiagramsmockedthefunctionalist
reductionofthecity.Thedtournementofthedifferenttextualandvisual
fragmentsinthebooktestifiedtothesituationists'desiretotransformthe
world.Thebookdocumentedthemissingconditionsforauthentic
communication.Thehistoryitwasalsosupposedtotellabouthowthe
situationistswantedtorevolutionizeCopenhagenandtransformthecity
intoapsychogeographicalexperimentremainedcacophonic.Likethe
situationiststhemselves,FindeCopenhagueoscillatedalmostmanic
depressivelybetweenastoutandindomitableHegelianoptimismand
melancholicelegy.Thebookwasincoherentandstuffedwithdetachedbits
andpiecesbecausetheworld,whichspectacularcapitalismhadcreated,
waslikethattoo.Thebookwasincoherentbecausetheworldwas
incoherent.Butinthenegativeitkeptalivethepromiseofanotherworld
notyetrealised.
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