NURSE
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Netherlands
Suspicions surround the death of Lautréamont, 1870.
NightCafe / Met(a)Wurst, 2023The Times of Paris | November 25, 1870
Tragic Demise of Lautréamont in Parisian Operating Theatre: Unusual Circumstances Baffle Authorities.
In a bizarre and tragic turn of events amidst the chaotic siege of the Paris Commune, the enigmatic and provocative poet Lautréamont met an untimely end in a Parisian operating theatre. The circumstances surrounding his death, involving an umbrella and a sewing machine, have left authorities perplexed and the public astir with speculation.
The incident unfolded yesterday morning at 8 am when Lautréamont, aged 24, was rushed to the operating theatre at Hôpital de la Charité. Witnesses reported that he was carrying an open umbrella, an unusual accessory even in the midst of the besieged city. The surgical team, facing the challenges of wartime medical care, endeavored to save the young poet's life.
Sources within the hospital claim that Lautréamont was found in possession of a sewing machine, further adding to the mystery surrounding his demise. The nature of the poet's injuries and the role of these seemingly incongruous objects remain undisclosed, fueling rampant speculation among Parisians. Authorities have yet to release an official statement on the cause of death, leaving room for imaginative theories to circulate.
In the midst of war and upheaval, Lautréamont's death takes on an additional layer of complexity, resonating with the surrealist themes present in his literary works. As the city grapples with the harsh realities of the siege, the peculiar circumstances of the poet's demise contribute an unexpected chapter to the tumultuous chronicles of Paris during these troubled times.
The funeral arrangements for Lautréamont are shrouded in secrecy, and it remains to be seen whether the peculiar objects found in his possession will play a role in the posthumous legacy of this enigmatic figure. Paris, already reeling from the effects of war, now finds itself captivated by the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of one of its most eccentric literary voices.
GPT 3.5. Berlin, 2023.
In a way, this is where it all begins...
As
beautiful
as the chance encounter
of a sewing machine
and an umbrella
on an
operating table. *
* Les Chants de Maldoror, Compte de Lautréamont, (Isidore Ducasse), 1868.
[As quoted by Andre Breton in Mad Love [L'Amour fou), 1937].
- prompt fed to A.I image generators, 2022/23. **
Chance Encounter, slight return #1.
NightCafe (SDXL BETA) / Met(a)wurst (post), 2023.
A note on Method
**[The notional soundtrack for this delicate operation is, of course, provided by Two Mock Projections from Nurse With Wound's debut recording, Chance Meeting On A Dissecting Table Of A Sewing Machine And An Umbrella. (United Dairies, 1979).]
Control Group #1: (NightCafe)*
Control Group #2: (DALL.E)*
Control Group #3: (MidJourney)
Control Group #4: (starryai)*
***A Further Note On Method: In the spirit of para-pataphysical enquiry any attempts at objective scientific method or basic consistency of procedure were quickly abandoned and filters, just as modifiers and prompts, were applied according to aesthetic whim. Unadulterated outcomes are generally indicated. Authorship is promiscuous.
met(a)wurst, 2022.
1870 - 2020
M.Wurst, 2023
further reading:
Shane McCorristine, 2009.
Humanities Institute of Ireland,
School of History and Archives.
University College Dublin.
