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Alfred Jarry

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Alfred Jarry was a French writer who changed how people thought about art.

Alfred Jarry - Alfred Vallette Corbeil
Alfred Jarry - Alfred Vallette Corbeil

He was a symbolist writer who loved to make things strange and unexpected. Jarry is most famous for his play Ubu Roi, which opened in 1896. This play was very different from the serious plays of that time. It helped start new art movements like Dada and Surrealism in the 1920s. Many people also see his work as a start to the theatre of the absurd. His ideas were so new that they changed the future of art and philosophy.

Jarry created art in many different ways, such as through novels, poems, and short plays.

He even wrote funny operas and strange essays. One of his most famous ideas was 'pataphysics, which he named himself. This is a way of looking at the world where every event is seen as extraordinary. In 'pataphysics, the usual rules of the universe are replaced by exceptions. He described this through a character named Dr. Faustroll, who travels through Paris in a sieve. This kind of thinking makes the world feel like a place of constant wonder.

Jarry's journey began in Laval, France, where he was born in 1873.

Véritable portrait de Monsieur Ubu
Véritable portrait de Monsieur Ubu

His family moved to Brittany and then to Rennes when he was young. As a student, he led a group of boys who liked to play jokes. They even performed a play using puppets called Les Polonais. This play featured a character with a huge belly and only three teeth. This character later grew into King Ubu, one of the most famous characters in French literature. These early puppet shows were the start of his great work.

In 1896, the play Ubu Roi caused a huge stir at the Théâtre de l'Œuvre.

Jarry velo
Jarry velo

When the actor said the first word, the audience reacted with total chaos. Some people booed and whistled in anger, while others cheered loudly. Jarry became famous very quickly at the age of 23. He even changed how he spoke to match his strange characters. He used a sharp, nasal voice and called his bicycle "that which rolls." He lived a very bold life in Paris, often riding his bike through the streets.

Jarry's influence can still be seen in many things people love today. His ideas about making art strange helped lead to many famous artists. For example, the painter Pablo Picasso was very interested in Jarry's work. Picasso even kept Jarry's revolver after the writer died in 1907. Later, the musician Paul McCartney used the word "pataphysical" in a song. Jarry's life was short, but his wild imagination left a huge mark on the world. He showed that art can be a way to see the world in a whole new way.

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🖼️ Images & Media (4)
File:Alfred Jarry, Deux aspects de la marionnette originale d'Ubu Roi.jpg
Alfred Jarry, Deux aspects de la...
File:Véritable portrait de Monsieur Ubu.png
Véritable portrait de Monsieur Ubu.png
File:Alfred Jarry - Alfred Vallette Corbeil.png
Alfred Jarry - Alfred Vallette Corbeil.png
File:Jarry velo.jpg
Jarry velo.jpg
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