Collège de 'Pataphysique

The Collège de 'Pataphysique , founded in Paris in 1948 , is an association for the promotion of studies of ' Pataphysics , an absurdist scientific concept devised by the French writer Alfred Jarry (1873-1907) . The Collège was influential in art and literature in its first phase, especially in the 1960s.

history

Foundation and members

The founding meeting took place on May 11, 1948 in the Librairie des Amis des Livres by Adrienne Monnier , Rue de l'Odéon, Paris . The statutes were signed on December 29, 1949 by their founder Irénée -Louis Sandomir , as well as by Mélanie Le Plumet , Jean-Hugues , Sainmont (and Oktav Votka) , Raymond Queneau , Boris Vian , François Caradec and Noël Arnaud .

Members included writers, visual artists, filmmakers and dramaturges (see list), historians and literary critics ( Pascal Pia , Maurice Saillet , Jacques Lemarchand ), researchers ( Paul-Émile Victor ) and a mathematician ( François Le Lionnais ). In 1975 the Collège disappeared in a 25-year phase of occultation , from which it emerged again in 2000.

Further 'pataphysical institutes exist u. a. in Milan ( Instituto Patafisico Milanese , founded 1963), Amsterdam ( Nederlands Instituut voor 'Patafysica (NIP) , founded 1972), London ( The London Institute of Pataphysics , founded 2000) and Melbourne ( The Melbourne Institute of Pataphysical Studies , founded 2000) . An association in the field of literature related to the Collège is Oulipo .

Constitution

The first two articles of the Collège's statutes provide:

1. The statutes of the Collège de 'Pataphysique are pataphysical.

2.1 Pataphysics is the science of imaginary solutions ( Alfred Jarry ).

2.2 Pataphysics is inexhaustible.

3.1 Since humanity consists only of 'Pataphysicists, the Collège de' Pataphysique distinguishes between those who are aware of it and those who are not.

3.2 The Collège de 'Pataphysique promotes' Pataphysics in this and in all other worlds.

The Collège adopted an esoteric constitution, which in its structure and enigmatic language is reminiscent of Masonic statutes. As in a lodge, there are different degrees of membership. The fictional character Doctor Faustroll was appointed "irremovable curator" . This is supported by a “vice curator” who is entitled to the title of magnificence . A corps of "overseers" is said to be among them. Finally, there are “ satraps ” who are entitled to the title of “ transcendence ”. Raymond Queneau, for example, had the rank of "Transcendental Satrap". Then come the “regents”, whose office consists of teaching a number of more or less complex disciplines “in which they naturally always excel”.

The institute includes the following chairs :

General 'pataphysics and dialectics of the useless sciences
Applied 'Pataphysics. Blah blah and mataeology
History of 'Pataphysics and Exegesis
Katachemie and 'Pataphysics of the inexact sciences (misticin, history, social and culinary sciences, etc.), postgraduate course Magirosophy
Mythography of the Exact Sciences and the Absurd Sciences, Postgraduate Course in Alogonomy
Military and strategic eristics
Photosophistics
Cinematographology and Onirokritik
Eroticism and porn philosophy
Casualistics
Crocodilology
Pompagogy, Pomponierism and Zozology
Démonologie spéciale

Time calculation

Internally, the Collège uses its own calendar, which begins with Alfred Jarry's birth on September 8, 1873. The date of establishment of the Collège is officially the 22nd Palotin 75 EP ( Ere Pataphysique or Pataphysical Age ). There are 13 months with 28 or 29 days: Absolu, Haha, As, Sable, Décervelage, Gueules, Pédale, Clinamen, Palotin, Merdre, Gidouille (29 days), Tatane, Phalle . Every 13th of the month is a Friday, the 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd are Sundays.