Hans Bellmer Buch (Dominion Press) + Newsletter (englischer text)

Dominion Newsletter 10 (2004)
Autor: Dominik Tischleder

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--Opening remarks

--New Dominion release available now: Hans Bellmer's "Little Anatomy of the
Physical Unconscious, or The Anatomy of the Image"

--Recent acclaim for Sangre Cavallum's CD "Barbara Carmina"

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This is the tenth newsletter from Dominion, providing details on recent
releases in areas both of publishing (Dominion Press, and other print
projects by Michael Moynihan and Annabel Lee, as well as their record label
Storm) and music (Blood Axis, Alraune, and related recordings of interest),
etc.

These newsletters are issued sporadically, when we have accumulated a
number of items worth reporting on. If you wish to receive a copy of the
previous newsletter(s) by email, simply inform us. If you would also like
to receive an email list of music-related items available by mail-order, we
would be happy to forward this. If you wish to be removed from this
recipient list, or change the email address to which it is sent, please
inform us.

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Now available and in stock, the second book from Dominion Press:

"Little Anatomy of the Physical Unconscious, or The Anatomy of the Image"
by Hans Bellmer

Translated and introduced by Jon Graham; Foreword by Joe Coleman

88 pages with 10 illustrations by Bellmer.

Deluxe hardbound edition printed on heavy vellum paper with sewn
signatures, textured endpapers, gold-stamped textured cover with cloth
spine, and two-color dustjacket. Limited numbered edition of 1,000 copies.

From the dustjacket:

"With his Little Anatomy, Hans Bellmer has given us the instruction manual
for the first seismograph of desire." -- Annie LeBrun, author of "Sade: A
Sudden Abyss"

The drawings, paintings, photographs, and sculptures of Hans Bellmer
(1902-1975) stand as some of the most important erotic artwork from the
last century. An expert draftsman with a razor-sharp capacity for detail
and an obsessive, unfettered imagination, Bellmer was able to powerfully
render the imagery he saw in his mind's eye.
Bellmer first gained recognition in the mid-1930s--coming to the
attention of André Breton and the Surrealists--with his seductive and
disturbing photographs of the articulated female dolls he had constructed
and modified in his private studio in Berlin. Some of these photographs
were collected in Bellmer's small volume Die Puppe (The Doll, 1934), which
was reissued in French as La Poupée (1936) and expanded with poetic
contributions from Paul Eluard. Bellmer formed long-term friendships with a
number of key Dadaists and Surrealists, and occasionally took part in
Surrealist exhibitions, but the nature of his intensely personal activity,
as well as his long sojourns outside of Paris, often kept him on the
peripheries of group activities.
In the 1950s Hans Bellmer composed a small book in which he
elucidated upon the psychosexual forces that provided the impetus for his
artistic works. He described the project as "a kind of little anatomy of
the (physical) unconscious with text and drawings. But it will also be a
rather 'dry' work, by which I mean something tending to be exceedingly
objective and avoiding, in the interests of clarity, whims of a verbal
nature. It is the natural sequel to the experiments with the Doll, but
should therefore encompass everything that Surrealism has brought to light.
Š But there is also a certain necessity in setting down this story, a
necessity that is even quite enthralling."
In 1957 the original French edition appeared of Bellmer's "Little
Anatomy of the Physical Unconscious, or The Anatomy of the Image," with ten
original illustrations by the artist. The book met with a positive
reception from poets and literary figures such as André Breton and Jöe
Bousquet, as well as a number of psychologists. Particularly impressed by
the selection of poetic anagrams in the book.
Although Bellmer may have striven to take an almost clinical "scientific"
approach to his analysis of the physical unconscious, the work is
nevertheless informed by a hyperdriven sensual awareness and a distinctly
"magical" view of life.
This is the first translation of Bellmer's text to appear in
English. After nearly half a century, a new audience of readers can
experience his illumination of the "purely subjective" subconscious realm
of our bodies which "finds nourishment in feverish, often
psycho-pathological states, including that of sexual desire."

Ordering information:

Bellmer's "Little Anatomy" is available for $26 postpaid in the U.S.A., or
$34 airmail postpaid to anywhere else in the world. Checks, money orders,
cash (well-hidden and at your own risk) may be sent to:

Dominion
PO Box 129
Waterbury Center, VT 05677
USA

Payments via Paypal may also be made to our email address: dominion@pshift.com

At present the Bellmer book is only available direct from Dominion. There
will also be a very small limited edition of leatherbound copies available
in early 2005.

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Recent acclaim for SANGRE CAVALLUM's "BARBARA CARMINA" CD from Germany and
Australia. Below are three reviews of this new release on the Storm Records
label:

In the heated discussion concerning Neofolk music over the last few years
it has often been stressed that this music is reactionary and ethnocentric,
or at least unoriginal. And that is doubtlessly valid for some of the
exponents of the genre. Recently, however, a hitherto largely overlooked
aspect has taken shape: neofolkloristic Music does not always have to
embrace nordic-martial heathenism, nor does it have to cultivate a
quasi-Christian air of apocalypse. In fact there is meanwhile a whole range
of southern and eastern European bands who in a wholly unique way concern
themselves with their cultural roots and traditions. The CD Barbara Carmina
now presents the multifaceted folk music of a Portuguese band who,
utilizing texts in their mother tongue, embrace the pre-Christian past of
their land. Resounding along with this are sometimes filigreed or sometimes
sweeping guitar chords, medieval wind instruments, flutes, male and female
voices, and the shrieks of children. Occasionally an atmospheric sample
fades into the acoustically dominated sound imagery. A southern temperament
stirs melancholy and tragedy, and the touching clarity of this CD will not
elude even those for whom the texts are inaccessible. Neofolk is becoming
more and more "folkloristic," and more and more deeply reflects upon the
historical roots of the music. In this respect, this sonically and
graphically outstanding CD is recommend to all devotees of the acoustic
musical realm.

--Ikonen magazine, Germany

When this CD reached me and I listened to it, it became immediately clear
that this release is and will become something special. The project is from
northern Portugal and sets to music old, traditional music from a territory
which will once more be called Gallaecia. Š The musicians strive to retain
the music and oral/literary traditions of this area, as various customs and
traditions were not able to be destroyed by the invasion of Christianity.
Now comes the question: how is that transposed into music? Using many
instruments (bagpipes, Iberian flute, tin whistle, mandolin, lyre, acoustic
guitar, accordion, but also electric bass and electronic effects, etc.) a
impressive, dense sound is created that carries us to ancient times, but
which also is directly aware of the future. The sound does not remain stuck
in folk music, but instead integrates new, raw methods of a grandiose type
as well.
Toss new folkloristic, traditional, and avant-garde sounds together
into a pot, and this is the result. As is evident, describing this is
difficult for me, but I hope the most varied sorts of people will take the
opportunity to listen to it, since in every respect (graphics, photos,
atmosphere) this release corresponds to all that can be termed
"conservative avant-garde".

--Lichttaufe.com, Germany

Released on Michael Moynihan's (of Blood Axis) label, Sangre Cavallum are a
dark folk collective from Portugal who have produced an album of their own
compositions and versions of traditional songs. Being "inspired by the
ethnological heritage of the traditional world", a range of instrumentation
has been utilised, including: bagpipes, flute, mandolin, lute, acoustic
guitars, drums, piano, accordion etc. With the album's theme steeped in
pre-Christian heathenism and pagan mysticism, such inspiration permeates
all aspects of the music. Although some music of this ilk can come across
as quite cheesy, there is a level of sincerity that has allowed Sangre
Cavallum to steer clear of this pitfall. The rustic and somewhat
under-produced recording quality adds to the overall charm, constituting a
worthwhile listen if you have a penchant for traditionally inspired dark
folk music.

--Fiend magazine, issue 4, Australia

Sangre Cavallum's "Barbara Carmina" CD is available for $16 postpaid in the
USA from:

TESCO DISTRIBUTION USA
PO BOX 523
EASTON, PA 18044-0523
USA

Or order online in the "new arrivals" section at:

http://www.tesco-distro.com/store/new.html

In Europe order from:

Tesco
c/o Klaus Hilger
P.O.Box 410118
68275 Mannheim

www.tesco-germany.com

email: Tesco-Organisation@t-online.de

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