Henri Michaux
Henri Michaux was a Belgian-born French experimental poet, writer and painter. Michaux is renowned for his strange, highly original poetry and prose, and also for his art: the Paris [Museum of Modern Art] and the Guggenheim Museum in New York had shows of his work in 1978. His autobiographical texts that chronicle his psychedelic experiments with LSD and mescaline include Miserable Miracle and The Major Ordeals of the Mind and the Countless Minor Ones. He is recognised for his idiosyncratic travelogues and books of art criticism. Michaux is also known for his stories about Plume – "a peaceable man" – one of the most unenterprising heroes in literature, a character subject to many misfortunes.
His poetic works have often been republished in France, where they are studied along with significant poets of French literature. In 1955 he became a citizen of France, and he lived the rest of his life there. He became a friend of Romanian pessimist philosopher Emil Cioran around the same time, along with other literary luminaries in France. In 1965 he won the grand prix national des Lettres, which he refused to accept, as he did every honor he was accorded in his life.
Biography
Travels
In 1930 and 1931, Michaux visited Japan, China and India. The result of this trip was the book A Barbarian in Asia. Asian culture became one of his biggest influences. The philosophy of Buddhism and calligraphy later became principal subjects of many of his poems and inspired many of his drawings. He also visited Ecuador and published a travelogue book of the same name. His travels across the Americas finished in Brazil in 1939, and he stayed there for two years.Visual arts
Michaux was a visual artist of some originality, associated with the Tachiste movement in the 1940s and 50s, although that describes only a small part of his artistic achievement—for example, his hallucinatory representations of faces and heads. His work often makes use of dense, suggestively gestural strokes that incorporate elements of calligraphy, asemic writing, and abstract expressionism. The Museum of Modern Art in Paris and the Guggenheim Museum in New York both had shows of his work in 1978.Adaptations
Japanese animator Ryo Orikasa adapted Michaux's poetry for the 2023 short film Miserable Miracle, winner of the top animated short prize at the Ottawa International Animation Festival.Works
His complete works were published by Gallimard in three volumes of the Pléiade series, 1998–2004.Cas de folie circulaire Les Rêves et la Jambe Fables des origines Qui je fus. Who I WasMes propriétés. My PropertiesLa Jetée Ecuador. Ecuador: A Travel Journal, trans. Robin Magowan Un certain Plume. A Certain Plume, trans. Richard Sieburth Un barbare en Asie. A Barbarian in Asia, trans. Sylvia Beach La nuit remue. The Night MovesVoyage en Grande Garabagne. Voyage to Great GarabanLa Ralentie Plume précédé de Lointain Intérieur. Plume preceded by Faraway Within. 1963 edition includes the "Postface"Peintures. PaintingsAu pays de la magie. In the Land of MagicArbres des tropiques Épreuves, Exorcismes : 1940-1944. Ordeals, Exorcisms: 1940-1944Ici, Poddema Peintures et dessins Meidosems. Meidosems: Poems and Lithographs, trans. Elizabeth R. Jackson Nous deux encore Poésie pour pouvoir Passages Mouvements Face aux verrous Misérable Miracle . Miserable Miracle, trans. Louise Varèse L'Infini turbulent. Infinite Turbulence, trans. Michael Fineberg Paix dans les brisements Connaissance par les gouffres. Light Through Darkness, trans. Haakon Chevalier Vents et Poussières Désagrégation Les Grandes Épreuves de l'esprit et les innombrables petites. The Major Ordeals of the Mind, trans. Richard Howard Vers la complétude Façons d'endormi, façons d'éveillé. Ways of Sleepers, Ways of WakersPoteaux d'angle. Tent Posts, trans. Lynn Hoggard En rêvant à partir de peintures énigmatiques. Dreams Like Enigmatic Paintings, trans. Michael Eales Émergences, Résurgences. Emergences/Resurgences, trans. Richard Sieburth Bras cassé Moments, traversées du temps. Moments, Crossings of TimeQuand tombent les toits Par la voie des rythmes Idéogrammes en Chine. Ideograms in China, trans. Gustaf Sobin Coups d'arrêt Face à ce qui se dérobe Les ravagés Jours de silence Saisir Une voie pour l'insubordination Affrontements Chemins cherchés, chemins perdus, transgressions. Paths Looked For, Paths Lost, TransgressionsLes commencements Le jardin exalté Par surprise. By Surprise, trans. Randolph Hough Par des traits Déplacements, Dégagements. Spaced, Displaced, trans. David and Helen Constantine Rencontres Jeux d'encre. Trajet Zao Wou-Ki En songeant à l'avenir J'excuserais une assemblée anonyme... À distance Sitôt lus. Lettres à Franz Hellens. 1922-1952 Paul Klee Donc c'est non, lettres réunies, ed. Jean-Luc Outers- ''Coups d'arrêt suivi d’Ineffable vide''