The vibrant city of New York has long been a hub for reinvention, attracting individuals in search of a fresh start. One such person was Frédéric-Louis Sauser, a Swiss poet who found himself in the Big Apple in the spring of 1912. At 25 years old, Sauser was practically destitute, having tried his luck in both Russia and Brazil. Struggling with writer’s block and barely able to sustain himself, he took on a job as a piano player at a nickelodeon, but it didn’t last. On Easter Sunday of that year, when the public library where he sought refuge was closed, Sauser found himself at the First Presbyterian Church in Greenwich Village. Unfortunately, the clergyman promptly kicked him out when he failed to make a donation. Furious and sleepless, Sauser finally found solace in his exhaustion and began writing. The result was his famous modernist poem, “Easter in New York,” a hauntingly beautiful ode to the city (“I am afraid of those shadows the buildings project. / I am afraid. Someone’s there. I don’t dare turn my head.”). New York had given Sauser a new lease on life, and in turn, he christened himself Blaise Cendrars—a name that embodied his fiery poetic spirit, symbolizing both ash (cendres) and art.
The Morgan Library & Museum’s exhibition, “Blaise Cendrars: Poetry Is Everything,” is a captivating and enlightening spectacle. It encapsulates the essence of trans-Atlantic modernity, bursting with vibrant colors and typographical fireworks. If you’re unfamiliar with Cendrars, you’re not alone. In an introductory French poetry class, you are more likely to encounter his close friend Guillaume Apollinaire, who represents a more refined and fragmented style of modern alienation. However, Cendrars had a Zelig-like presence in the French arts scene, collaborating with renowned figures such as Fernand Léger, Abel Gance, and Darius Milhaud. He also had a profound affinity for advertising and commercial display, viewing them as equal to poetry. The Morgan expertly showcases his multimedia omnivorousness, particularly in the centerpiece of the exhibition: “The Prose of the Trans-Siberian and of Little Jeanne of France.” This self-published masterpiece from 1913 is a travelogue in verse, presented as a 6.5-foot-tall accordion-fold booklet, adorned with the abstract bursts of the great artist Sonia Delaunay-Terk.
Born in 1887 to a Swiss father and Scottish mother, Cendrars embarked on a nomadic journey at a young age. Whether it was witnessing the Russian Revolution of 1905 or working as a coal shoveler on Chinese locomotives remains uncertain due to his propensity for romanticized self-narratives. However, these exaggerations were part and parcel of his writing style—a manifestation of the modernist desire to merge art and life. Cendrars’s verses exude the expansiveness and flamboyance reminiscent of Walt Whitman but with a sharper, edgier edge. A few months after his breakthrough in New York, Cendrars returned to Europe with a newfound confidence, adopting a new name. He self-published “Easter in New York” in Paris, but it failed to sell any copies.
In early 1913, Cendrars gave a reading at Apollinaire’s apartment, where he met Robert and Sonia Delaunay—the husband-and-wife artists who would become his collaborators. It was Sonia who proposed the idea of combining their talents, resulting in “The Prose of the Trans-Siberian.” This groundbreaking work, considered the first simultaneous book, spans 22 panels with Cendrars’s free verse intertwining with 30 different typefaces. Delaunay’s vibrant abstract designs illuminate the pages, bleeding into the gaps of Cendrars’s text. The poem follows the journey of Blaise and Jeanne, a couple traversing Siberia and northern China. Rich with allusions to war, the poem culminates in Paris, with Delaunay’s interjections of the iconic Eiffel Tower.
War loomed heavily in Cendrars’s life, and he joined the French Foreign Legion in 1915. He lost his right arm during the Second Battle of Champagne but persevered, teaching himself to write with his left hand. It was during his convalescence that he forged a friendship with Léger. The Morgan exhibition includes their collaborative efforts, such as the 1918 book “J’ai tué” (“I Have Killed”), featuring Léger’s sharp Cubist illustrations alongside a dense prose poem. Cendrars’s work consistently reflects the upheaval of his time, allowing readers to navigate the complexities of the modern world through his distinctive lens.
In the 1920s, Cendrars ventured to Brazil and encountered Tarsila do Amaral, Léger’s most accomplished student. Together with poet Oswald de Andrade, they embarked on a transformative journey through Brazil, which would pave the way for Brazilian modern art. Andrade would pen a groundbreaking manifesto, advocating for a national art movement free from European influences, while Tarsila fused African, Indigenous, and European elements to create a uniquely Brazilian style.
“Poetry Is Everything” is a captivating addition to the Morgan Library & Museum’s lineup of experimental exhibitions this summer. The showcase also includes a larger exhibition of drawings by Symbolist painter Ferdinand Hodler, an exploration of the optically challenging works of British artist Bridget Riley, and a collection of 19th-century French landscapes and early photography. However, it is Cendrars who truly shines, epitomizing resilience and adaptability in the face of tumultuous times. Henry Miller once remarked that Cendrars’s writings are “written in blood,” infused with celestial brilliance. Don’t miss this opportunity to immerse yourself in the world of Blaise Cendrars.
“Blaise Cendrars (1887–1961): Poetry Is Everything” will be on display at the Morgan Library & Museum until September 24th. Visit the museum at 225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street in Manhattan or explore their website for more information: themorgan.org.
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