Today, 80 years ago, Artaud returns to the world, to speech, and to creation.
Recording: 2001, Autumn equinox
Release: 2026 May 26, audio and video
Inspired by “Fabrizio’s breath (for Antonin Artaud)” by (r) aka Fabrizio Modonese Palumbo, recorded in Torino in the late 2001. “New age, same pains, old blood, new flesh”. “De Breath and its double” was composed and performed using an SP-202 sampler and a D8 digital home studio; “Fabrizio’s breath” is the sole sound source.
Video by Francesca Bonci
Performed by Olivier Manchion
Music by Olivier Manchion & Fabrizio Modonese Palumbo
© 2001, 2026 Sacem/Soundreef
Why today? Pourquoi aujourd’hui? Perché oggi
FR / Aujourd’hui, il y a 80 ans, Antonin Artaud sortait de l’hôpital psychiatrique de Rodez et se trouvait alors dans le train pour Paris, après trois années d’internement sous la responsabilité du psychiatre Gaston Ferdière. À Rodez, Artaud avait traversé des années très dures, marquées notamment par les électrochocs, mais aussi par un retour puissant à l’écriture. Dans ses cahiers, ses dessins et ses lettres, une œuvre nouvelle prenait forme. Son retour à Paris marque le début de la dernière période de sa vie, l’une des plus intenses de sa création. Installé ensuite à Ivry-sur-Seine, il écrit des textes majeurs comme “Van Gogh le suicidé de la société” et réalise l’émission radiophonique “Pour en finir avec le jugement de Dieu”.
Aujourd’hui, il y a 80 ans, c’est le retour d’Artaud au monde, à la parole et à la création
EN / Today, 80 years ago, Antonin Artaud left the psychiatric hospital of Rodez and was on the train to Paris, after three years of internment under the care of psychiatrist Gaston Ferdière. In Rodez, Artaud had gone through extremely difficult years, marked notably by electroshock treatments, but also by a powerful return to writing. In his notebooks, drawings, and letters, a new body of work was taking shape. His return to Paris marks the beginning of the final period of his life, one of the most intense phases of his creative output. Later settled in Ivry-sur-Seine, he wrote major texts such as “Van Gogh the Man Suicided by Society” and created the radio work “To Have Done with the Judgment of God”.
Today, 80 years ago, Artaud returns to the world, to speech, and to creation.
IT / Oggi, Ottant’anni fa, Antonin Artaud lasciava l’ospedale psichiatrico di Rodez e si trovava sul treno per Parigi, dopo tre anni di internamento sotto la cura dello psichiatra Gaston Ferdière. A Rodez, Artaud aveva attraversato anni estremamente difficili, segnati in particolare dalle sedute di elettroshock, ma anche da un potente ritorno alla scrittura. Nei suoi quaderni, disegni e lettere, prendeva forma una nuova opera. Il suo ritorno a Parigi segna l’inizio dell’ultima fase della sua vita, una delle più intense della sua produzione artistica. Successivamente trasferitosi a Ivry-sur-Seine, scrive testi fondamentali come “Van Gogh il suicidato dalla società” e realizza l’opera radiofonica “Per farla finita con il giudizio di Dio”.
Ottant’anni fa, oggi, Artaud torna al mondo, alla parola e alla creazione
“An hour from now, tomorrow perhaps, I will have changed my mind, but this present thought exists, I will not allow my thought to be lost”.
“Dans une heure et demain peut-être j’aurai changé de pensée, mais cette pensée présente existe, je ne laisserai pas se perdre ma pensée”.
“Tra un’ora, domani, forse, avrò cambiato pensiero, ma questo pensiero presente esiste, non lascerò che il mio pensiero si perda.
(Antonin Artaud)
Olivier Manchion 