Sens-Plastique
Exploring the connection between humanity and the natural world.
Malcolm de Chazal author Irving Weiss editor
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Wakefield Press
Published:4th Jan '22
Should be back in stock very soon

This unique work by Malcolm de Chazal blends philosophy, poetry, and humor, exploring the deep connections between humanity and nature.
Malcolm de Chazal's Sens-Plastique is a remarkable exploration of the interconnectedness of humanity and nature. Written during a time of great artistic innovation, this work emerged from the author's unique experiences in the Curepipe Botanic Gardens, where a simple encounter with an azalea sparked a profound transformation in his perception of the world. This revelation led to the creation of a book that defies categorization, filled with over 2,000 aphorisms, axioms, and allegories that challenge conventional thought and artistic norms.
The acclaim for Sens-Plastique was immediate, attracting the attention of notable figures such as André Breton and Jean Dubuffet, who recognized its genius. Embraced by the Surrealists, Chazal chose to remain independent, dedicating his life to a solitary existence on the island of Mauritius. His writings and paintings reflect a deep commitment to exploring the mystical connections between man and nature, revealing a vision where the boundaries between the two dissolve.
Through a blend of humor and philosophical inquiry, Sens-Plastique presents a synesthetic worldview that reimagines the relationship between humanity and the natural world. Chazal's innovative approach maps human emotions and physical forms onto the broader spectrum of nature, suggesting that everything in existence is spiritually interconnected. This book not only represents a significant contribution to literature but also invites readers to reconsider their place within the universe.
Chazal’s work offers up metaphor upon metaphor at a nearly breathless pace. Adding to the sense of immediacy is Chazal’s relentless focus on the human body, rooting abstract thought in the very bodies of the readers inhaling those lines. -- Jeffrey Zuckerman * Hopscotch Translation *
You might not expect the Surrealists and W. H. Auden to find much in common, aesthetically speaking. One thing they did agree on, though, was the excellence of Malcolm de Chazal’s writing—including his book 'Sens-Plastique.' Looking for a new read that defies easy description? This might just do the trick. * Vol. 1 Brooklyn *
'Sens-Plastique' is a book beyond classification, and the same might be said of its author. […] There are two ways of reading Chazal: as a treasury of metaphor and analogy, a nearly inexhaustible compendium of the generative essence of poetic thinking, or as a scripture for one man’s personal creed, a sort of pantheism of the sense rather than of the mind. -- Barry Schwabsky * Bookforum *
ISBN: 9781939663689
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
384 pages