Self-portrait and Theatricality: Claude Cahun's Encounter with the Avant-garde Theatre

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26370097
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Aesthetics and studies on art
• Research Institution: Osaka University of Arts (2015-2016); Kobe University (2014)
• Principal Investigator: NAGANO Junko 大阪芸術大学, 芸術学部, 教授 (20172546)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: セルフポートレート / シュルレアリスム / フランス前衛劇 / 仮面／人形 / カーニヴァル空間

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Since re-discovered in the 1980s, Claude Cahun (the pseudonym of Lucy Schwob, 1894-1954) has been recognized as one of the surrealist photographers. Her reputation is mainly based on her striking self-portraits, which are characterized by travesty or cross-dressing and her distorted or mirror images as well. We intended to reconsider Cahun's multiple works in the aspect of theatricality, focusing on her short-term engagement in Parisian avant-garde theatres.
Through this research-program, we tried to bring to light Cahun's activities on the stage and make clear the relationship between the old mask or marionette applied to the avant-garde theatre and the manner of staging or mis-en-scène in her self-portraits and writings. Within her 'charnel et verbal' masquerade, one can see an unique form of 'le Carnaval perpetuel'.

Free Research Field

美学芸術学