Situationnists

The Situationist International (SI) was a revolutionary, avant-garde organization founded in Italy in 1957. It emerged from the merger of several artistic and political groups, including the International Movement for an Imaginist Bauhaus, the Lettrist International, and the Psychogeographical Committee of London. The SI aimed to critique and dismantle contemporary capitalist society, which they saw as a "society of the spectacle," where authentic experiences were replaced by superficial images and commodities.

Key concepts developed by the Situationists included psychogeography, the study of the effects of geographical environments on the emotions and behavior of individuals. They advocated for "dérive," a spontaneous journey through urban landscapes, intended to disrupt habitual patterns and reveal hidden aspects of the environment. Another important concept was "détournement," the repurposing of existing cultural artifacts, such as advertisements and propaganda, to expose their underlying ideologies and subvert their original meanings.

The Situationists published theoretical texts and manifestos, most notably Guy Debord's "The Society of the Spectacle" (1967). Their influence was felt in art, philosophy, and political activism. While the SI officially dissolved in 1972, its ideas continued to inspire various counter-cultural movements, including the Situationist-inspired art and activism seen in the May 1968 events in France, and later in the work of artists and thinkers critical of consumerism and media culture.