The Black (and White) Humour of Artür Harfaux [L’humour en noir (et blanc) d’Artür Harfaux] Article - Mai 2014

The work of Artür Harfaux, a member of Le Grand Jeu between 1927 and 1932, deserves to be reassessed. Harfaux produced a number of more or less staged photographic portraits of his friends Roger-Gilbert Lecomte, René Daumal, Josef Šíma, Maurice Henry and other protagonists of the movement. He created fancy and inventive photomontages, double exposed portraits and almost abstract pictures of veils blowing in the wind. Beyond their diversity, Harfaux’s works are characterised by a subtle humour. Sometimes the humour that prevails is ironic or self-derisive, while on other occasions the works are informed by black humour or the burlesque. A study of the work of Harfaux leads to a reconsideration of the importance of humour and laughter – formidable forces of destabilisation and of detachment – in the revolt of the members of Le Grand Jeu as well as in the endeavours of the Surrealists.