Isidore Isou and Lettrism: A Reassessment

An interview with Isidore Isou, founder of Lettrism, conducted in Paris on November 17, 1998, reassesses the movement's place in art and literature. Isou discusses his early influences (Mallarmé, Jarry, Apollinaire), his dismissal of Dada as banal destruction, and his later reconsideration of Tzara and Cabaret Voltaire. He critiques the Situationists, particularly Guy Debord, claiming Debord lacked knowledge of political economy and that the 'society of the spectacle' has always existed. Isou outlines his concept of 'nuclear economy,' first published in 1949, which argues that youth are an external force excluded from economic circuits, driving revolution and cultural change. He defends Lettrism as constructive, unlike Dada's anarchism, and claims priority over sound poetry pioneers like Henri Chopin and François Dufrêne. Isou reveals his broader ambitions in 'créatique' (creatics), aiming to replace Cartesian logic and revolutionize mathematics, physics, and chemistry. He envisions a 'paradise society' of infinite creation and hopes his work will become classical, taught in schools. The interview covers his films, including 'Traité de bave et d'éternité' (1951), and recent publications: CD 'Rituel somptueux pour la sélection des espèces' (2001), 'Traité de bave et d'éternité' (2001), and 'Contre le situationnisme' (2001).