Audio file 108-2

[tape continues from 108-1] Wonga on Linien in 1938 sowing the possibility of CoBrA, noting that Linien also included the Hard Edge then

Linien was an art association that ran from 1934 to 1938 whose members included Sonja Ferlov Mancoba, Ejler Bille and Richard Mortensen. Mortensen would be an advocate for the "Hard Edge" direction in art.

Ernest brings up Marcel Duchamp; Wonga sees Duchamp's presentation of found objects as a challenge to the art academy to define art, rather than as artworks; Wonga continues about misconception in other areas of culture

In 1917, Duchamp submitted a urinal, tipped on its side, signed "R. Mutt", at the inaugural exhibition of the Society of Independent Artists (New York)

They decide the aim of the memoire is to look into how society went off the tracks as exposed through Ernest's and Sonja's experiences; their purpose is to help humanity get a new "foothold"

Wonga's recordings are for various purposes and therefore wide-ranging and often repetitive (and contradictory with recalls and mis-remembrances). Knowing one objective, the family memoire, and the approach may be helpful in navigating some of the recordings

Wonga speaks of technological development in the twentieth century: genetics and diversity, profit and social responsibility; human death drive

[tape stopped and restarted] Wonga asks about Ernest speaking with Bille about the Danish heritage and Surrealism

this is a subject begun in 108-1

Wonga speaks of Vilhelm Bjerke-Pedersen studying in the Bauhaus and inspiring the other Danes to go abroad (mentions Vilhelm Lundstrøm, Ejler Bille, Richard Mortensen, Henry Heerup)

Wonga continues with the finding of Linien in 1934 (mentions first exhibition with Ejler Bille, Vilhelm Bjerke Pedersen, Richard Mortensen, Hans Øllgaard and Henry Heerup as guest)

Although Vilhelm Bjerke-Pedersen was one of the co-founders of Linien, he quickly split from Ejler Bille and Richard Mortensen over artistic differences

Wonga asks Ernest to recall how Bille explained about his heritage, but goes on to conjecture that Ernest would have had to think of his own heritage to explain back

Wonga notes that Bille exposed Ernest to Surrealism (he backtracks to say Ernest had heard about Cubism in South Africa via the Paul Guillaume - and Thomas Munro - book and the artist Lippy Lipshitz)

Mancoba's art education in South Africa was limited. He learned some technical training at Grace Dieu Diocesan College (of the Anglican Church) and Western art history through conversations with artists such as Lipshitz. He was to first learn about African art formally through Guillaume's book "Primitive Negro Sculptures" (1929)

Wonga wonders at the Linien surrealist artists considering Picasso and Braque who are Cubists as their own; Ernest questions [tape stopped and restarted] Wonga clarifies (mentions Alberto Giacometti); Wonga speaks of origins of Dada and Cubism

The Linien association brought Surrealism to Denmark

[tape ends]