ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Marguerite Duras on Childhood Rebellion and Education

publication · 2026-05-04

An article on Artribune reflects on childhood rebellion through the story of Ernesto, a boy who refuses school after one day, claiming he is taught things he does not know. His mother confronts the teacher, but Ernesto persists, comparing pinning a butterfly to a crime. The text links this to a recent incident where a student received a conduct grade of 6 for criticizing a school-work program on social media. A 1987 interview with Marguerite Duras is cited, where she describes Ernesto's madness as a refusal of established values and a desire to destroy knowledge to find universal innocence. The article appears in Artribune Magazine #43 and promotes newsletters on art market, urban regeneration, and cultural tourism, as well as the ALA Accademia Libera delle Arti platform founded in 2012.

Key facts

  • Ernesto refuses school after one day, saying he is taught things he does not know.
  • His mother speaks with the teacher, but Ernesto maintains his decision.
  • Ernesto considers pinning a butterfly in a case a crime, not a science exercise.
  • A student received a 6 in conduct for criticizing a school-work program on social media.
  • Marguerite Duras, in a 1987 interview, called Ernesto's rebellion a refusal of established values.
  • Duras said Ernesto's madness lies in his desire to destroy school knowledge to find universal innocence.
  • The article was published in Artribune Magazine #43.
  • ALA Accademia Libera delle Arti was founded in 2012.

Entities

Artists

  • Marguerite Duras

Institutions

  • Artribune
  • ALA Accademia Libera delle Arti
  • esterno22

Sources