Anonymous [Guy Debord (1931 – 1994)?], NE TRAVAILLEZ JAMAIS [NEVER WORK], chalk graffiti, Rue de Seine, Paris, ca. 1952 – 53.

To this day, people go on a pilgrimage to this wall on Rue de Seine where there was this chalk graffiti in 1953. It was often quoted in the two decades after it was created and distributed as a postcard in several editions.

Black and white photo postcard, Alaph Verlag, ca. 1953. Photo and inscription [Les Conseils superflus/superfluous advice]: Louis Bouffier. Mehdi El Hajoui Collection.

  • #netravaillezjamais
  • #situationisme
  • #GuyDebord

Anonymous [Guy Debord (1931 – 1994)?], NE TRAVAILLEZ JAMAIS [NEVER WORK], chalk graffiti, Rue de Seine, Paris, ca. 1952 – 53.

In a private letter from 1963, the Situationist leader Debord first claimed that he had created this famous graffiti, but he only made this public shortly before his death in 1993.

Colored black and white photo postcard, Edition Lyna, ca. 1965. Photo and inscription [Les Conseils superflus/superfluous advice]: Louis Bouffier. Mehdi El Hajoui Collection.

  • #netravaillezjamais
  • #situationisme
  • #GuyDebord

Tom Krojer/Jens Jorgen Thersen (eds.): The Antinational Situationist No. 1 / Den Antinational Situationist No.1. Våxtorp, Sweden / Copenhagen, Denmark: Bauhaus Situationiste, undated [1974]. OS [30 p.]; ill.; 21x29.5cm.

This bilingual magazine from the US/Swedish branch of the Situationists was discontinued after this issue. It is one of the first times that style writing was featured on the cover of a magazine, the caption was simply: “New York, Trains and Houses”.

Mehdi El Hajoui Collection.

  • #situationisme
  • #situationistinternational