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                                               Analysis of Situationist International

                                                                      by Alper Caglar

The Situationist Movement was a leftist, and anti-capitalist organization which was built around a higher level of intellectual thinking. The theory found its most complicated expression in the Situationist International. Situationism is the creation of situationist theory, within the avant-garde association and in the society as a whole. Although they said that they had no ties to any nation or nationalism, the Situationists were completely against the creative pacification that Capitalism brought. They viewed Capitalism as an order in which individual expression decreased and gradually disappeared.

As we know of it today, one of the many core ideas that Situationist International had, the notion of unitary urbanism was very important. Unitary Urbanism meant that different art forms could be used together, without any concern towards their boundaries. Artists were given the task of breaking down the differences and borders between individual art forms. This would create an environment in which more cultural activity could take place. A greater objective of this was that urban locations would be transformed from their usual boredom. Therefore this aim was ultimately to change the breakup of everyday life that was brought by Capitalism.

My personal opinion is that Situationist Movement was beneficial at some point, however it has become more corrupted as it grew. Since Situationism claimed that an individual had to take responsibility for his or her own intelligence, and further develop their creativity, it was a positive aspect of this movement. But SI was also a political movement which tried to control the exclusive rights for the use of intelligence. They were usually Marxist and leftist in terms of ideology, and naturally protested against Capitalism. I believe that their explanation of individualism and personal desires and emotions, tries to become dogmatic. The core aspects of Situationist International; politics and expression do not go together since capitalism, Marxism etc. are meant to rule masses, but expression or art, are very personal. I think that over time, Situationist International evolved into just another rebellion and lost its meaning.

Even today some of the ideas of Situationism are existent. But we can say that at some point or another the worries of Situationist International were valid. However today, in our world, these worries are proven not to be true.

Even though most Graphic Designers, or Artists create art because they want to earn money from them, there still are artists who give no attention to how much they will earn. Situationists had valid concerns over whether art will be acceptable to the capitalist masses, since artists gradually made their works populist in nature and reduced their creativity. They thought that it caused them to limit their expression. But I do not think that everyone is as monotonous or clueless as Situationist International claimed them to be. We still have plenty of artists who earn money from their works precisely because the works are original and expressive, and not because they solely wanted to earn money.