1936-04-30

As from:
21, Grove Terrace,
Teddington,
Middlesex.
England. - 30.IV.36.

Dear Bjerke-Petersen,

I have been in bed with measles, or I would have written sooner in answer to your last letter. It will be excellent if you, Freddie, Erik Olson and Stellan Mørner can all send paintings for the exhibition. It is just as you please whether you send one large or two smaller paintings; I should suggest the larger ones, as they would show up better in such a big gallery. I'm afraid there will not be any reproductions in the catalogue, but you might send a few photographs, in case it may be possible to reproduce them elsewhere. - At the latest, the paintings should reach London by the 1st of June, but it would be helpful if you could send them as soon as possible. In any case, I should be grateful if next time you write you would send me the titles and full particulars of the paintings that are to be sent: - their [ord overstreget] titles,

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proportions, price and the date when they were painted [seks ord understreget]; we hope to compile as much of the catalogue as possible beforehand, so as not to have a last-minute rush with the printers.

Can you each send a few drawings as well as the paintings? If they are pencil [understreget] drawings, they can pass through the Customs, framed, free of duty; but if they are in pen & ink [tre ord understreget], it would be wiser to send them through the post, flat and under plain cover, as they are dutiable (it is absurd); they can easily be temporarily framed here. - If possible, will you also send particulars of the drawings when you write?

I am so sorry to have to bother you with all these tiresome details, but it is best to make everything quite clear.

One more thing I have to ask you is: - are there any Scandinavian surrealist poets? - In my unfortunate ignorance of the language I'm affraid I know nothing about this. - If there are, would it be possible to send me a few translations of some of their poems? They need only be rough translations, which can be tidied up later. Two English reviews devoted to contemporary poetry are intending to publish special surrealist numbers in June, and have invited me to help them. We hope to make them of as international a character as possible. I should be most grateful if you could do this.

Looking forward to hearing from you again shortly,

Yours, with all best wishes,

David Gascoyne.