Journey to Mexico: Revolutionary Messages & the Tarahumara

by Antonin Artaud

In January 1936, Antonin Artaud went to Mexico—in flight from a European civilisation he considered doomed and finished. His journey took him to the remote mountains of the Sierra Tarahumara, on horseback (and heroin), “in a delirium of dreams and visions, signs and symbols.” Introduced to the Tarahumara (Rarámuri) and their peyote rituals, he found himself “turned inside out” and “nailed to the other side of things.” The journey “to the limits of art and anthropology, myth and religion” ended in catastrophe—a climate which seemed to be the “natural” condition of his conscience and may be understood as execution of his conception of the Theatre of Cruelty. Journey to Mexico collects nearly all of Artaud’s writings related to this voyage, and is superbly translated by Rainer J. Hanshe & accompanied by Stuart Kendall’s exact and illuminating introduction, notes, and chronology. — Herbert Pföstl, Book Consultant for the New Museum Store.

In January 1936, Antonin Artaud fled Europe for Mexico, seeking an authentic cultural experience among the Tarahumara (Rarámuri). His ten-month journey, including weeks in the Sierra Tarahumara, profoundly influenced his life, as he searched for a culture deeply connected to nature and religion, away from European civilization.

Journey to Mexico compiles Artaud's extensive writings from this voyage, reflecting on his efforts to aesthetically, religiously, politically, and philosophically decolonize his perspective. It includes his essays, letters, and poems, revealing the personal challenges he faced. This work explores art, anthropology, myth, and the quest for a vital culture, highlighting the enduring impact of colonial legacies.

2024; paperback; 5 x 8 inches; 532 pages; ISBN: 9781940625645.