1935-10-07

21, Grove Terrace,
Teddington,
Middlesex,
[ord overstreget]
England.
7.10.35.

Dear Mr. Bjerke-Petersen,

My friend Herbert Read has given me your address, and tells me that I should write to you. We met, I believe, in Paris last June, at Max Ernst's, and also at André Breton's?

You would probably be interested to hear of surrealist activity here in England, but unfortunately there is very little to tell you. A book of mine entitled "A Short Survey of Surrealism" is to be published here next month. and I very much hope to publish the first number of a review "Surrealism Here & Now", at the end of the year. All the material for the review is ready; only financial difficulties prevent it. appearing. There are a certain number of surrealist poets and artists in England; but they are not yet

[side 2]

grouped together or organized at all. Of the poets there are Dylan Thomas, Ruthven Todd and myself; of the artists there are John Banting, Edward Burra, Henry Moore, Austin Osman Spare, Julian Trevelyan, and others.

It is hoped that the surrealist group of Paris will hold a large exhibition in London next spring. If so, we shall try our best, of course, to bring out an international bulletin, as in Prague, Teneriffe and Brussells.

You might, perhaps, care to exchange poems, etc. for translation? I am looking forward to seeing your contribution to the next number of "Cahiers d'Art".

I should be very glad to hear from you concerning surrealist activity in Copenhagen, if you have time to write. I hope you understand English, or have a friend who can translate for you; unfortunately I do not know a word of Danish.

With all best wishes,

Yours sincerely

David Gascoyne.