Degré 48 (exact latitude of Aubervilliers: 48°54'): in reference to "41°" created by the poet Iliazd, that refers to the latitude of Tbilissi, his native city where the futurist, often referred to as Dadaist-inspired review was created, a compilation of numerous manifestos and declarations of intent.



There may not yet be a specific space to promote the exercise of art manifestos, literary manifestos or other documents in the same vein, but let's just say that Degré 48 is a candidate. The manifesto is in general a place unto itself. It is published, proclaimed, printed in newspapers, in cafés, in tracts. The manifesto is the place for discussion and a performative practice. It is, by definition, unexpected; you do not go out in search of, it jumps out and finds you. Unless we proclaim, in its name, a brand new function for it, bringing people together, creating meetings. Let us give it a new operating system and reboot, freshen things up, for a platform that will become as much a pulpit and a springboard as a database. Degré 48 seeks to strengthen the didactic but very free practice of writing through peremptory articles, article 1, article 2, article 3, affirmations that are questionable because provocative, hasty warning shots to sweep in a new era. The result is often succinct, because it is more effective that way and easier to remember, sometimes better documented, perhaps better supported than we may think, in any case always surprising and excessive. The program is simple – a dozen or so evenings over a year of activity, every evening a presentation, orally or with whatever varied technical performance approach chosen, of one or two manifestos commissioned from artists, writers, essayists, groups, a complete event enlivened with readings of manifestos that have influenced participants. Somewhat removed from our two standard focuses, information and communication, given that the manifesto neither informs nor communicates, it is seen as a third way, as fragile as it is inalienable, motivated by excess, or simply playfulness.

In connection and in cooperation with Daniel Foucard's writing project and residence, we invited the graphic artist collective g-u-i (Nicolas Couturier and Bachir Soussi-Chiadmi) who develop their publishing project as it takes shape with every event planned during the residence. These publications are intended to communicate the manifestos in the form of tracts and other published articles that can be distributed publicly.

With:  A Constructed World, Speech and What Archive, Kristina Solomoukha, Paolo Codeluppi, Fabien Vallos, Ludovic Sauvage, Bertrand Belin, Nicolas Tilly, Stéphane Bérard, Antoine Dufeu, Patrick Corillon, Laure Limongi, Fabrice Reymond, Valentina Traïanova, Mehdi Brit, Morgane Rousseau, Jeanne Moynot, Anna Byskov, Natsuko Uchino, David Guez, Olivier Bosson, Dominiq Jenvrey, l'Agence du doute, Magdalena Chowaniec, Valérie Oberleithner, Yoann Thommerel, Sonia Chiambretto, Benjamin Seror.

+ dates
26th April, 24th May, 28th June, 6th July, 13th September, 18th October, 15th November, 6th December 2013; 17th January and 14th February 2014

Project realized with the support of the Région Île-de-France, in the frame of the regional program of residences in Île-de-France, and with the support of the City of Paris.

Image: “John Webster, master orator, at his best at Speakers’ Corner,  Sydney (1964)”. Credit: R. Skobe