About
Philippe Soupault (1897-1990) was a French writer, co-founder of Surrealism with André Breton and Louis Aragon. In 1919, he helped create the review Littérature, then co-wrote with Breton Les Champs magnétiques (1920), the first example of automatic writing. After breaking with the Surrealist group in 1926, he turned to journalism and investigative reporting. Director of Radio Tunis (1937-1940), he was imprisoned by the Vichy regime before escaping to Algiers. After the war, he worked for UNESCO and received the Grand Prix de Poésie from the Académie française in 1972.
* 1897-08-02 — † 1990-03-12
Major works
- Aquarium (1917)poetry collection
- Les Champs magnétiques (1920)experimental novel
- Les Dernières Nuits de Paris (1928)novel
- Rose des vents (1919)poetry collection
Key milestones
- 1919Co-founded the review Littérature with André Breton and Louis Aragon.
- 1926Broke with the Surrealist group over its increasing politicization.
- 1937Became director of Radio Tunis, a position he held until 1940.
Themes
surrealismautomatic writingpoetrytravelresistance
Sources: collections.imec-archives.com · metmuseum.org