THE MANIFESTO OF THE

SUNSET AVANT-GARDE
1. W E ARE DECLARING THAT THE BEWILDERING
EVOLUTION OF WHAT TODAY IS IS THE EXCREMENTITIOUS
OUTCOME OF THE DROOPINGLY LANGUID PAST CENTURIES ,
WHOSE OUTBURST IS A SUFFICIENT REASON WHY THE
WORLD SHOULD STOP REVOLVING . SO THEN TO BUILD A
NEW COUNTRY WE NEED EVERY -ONE TO WORK MASSIVELY
IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MODERN AND THE ANCIENT.
NOBODY SHALL SAY AGAIN THAT OURS IS A GREAT
COUNTRY IF THE LAST OF ITS INVENTIONS IS A HEAP OF
OLD PAINTINGS WHICH GO COVERING WITH DUST IN THE
MUSEUMS OF SOME FOREIGN CAPITAL ; BUT LET US SAY
THAT FOR THE BRIGHT ENGINE THAT IT SHOWS IN EVERY
FIELD OF ART, SCIENCE, AND THOUGHT .
2. W E ARE WANTING A KING TO COME BACK , NOT TO
GRANT HIM A SURE MEAL IN THE SCROUNGERS MENSA , NOR
TO LET HIM GOVERN ABSOLUTICALLY , BUT TO GIVE HIM
BACK THE HONOUR OF NOBILITY , OF KNIGHTHOOD AND OF
PRIDE , OF THE DIGNITY OF A NATION; AND ABOUT
REPUBLIC, WHICH IS HYPOCRIT AND PROCLAMES AN
EQUALITY THAT DOES NOT EXIST , WE ARE WANTING IT TO
BE ERADICATED FROM FIERCE AND GLORIOUS ITALY, QUEEN
AND MOTHER JUST WORLD, FOR TRIUMPHANT TRUTH
OF THE
AND THE ROME!
GLORY OF
3. W E ARE WANTING TO ENJOY FREELY, WITHOUT
RESERVATIONS, THE BEAUTY OF THE WORLD, AND OF
EXTOLLING NATURE. WE ARE WANTING A DECADENT
FUTURE, WHERE THERE ARE NO FUMING FACTORIES NOR
UGLINESS OF ANY KINDS, AND WHERE IVY CLINGS WITH ITS
GREEN HANDS TO MODERN CRYSTAL PALACES. WE ARE
WANTING THE FIRE TO BURN THE SEA, WE ARE WANTING
THE WORLD TO LOOK BACK WHILE GOING ON. WE ARE
WANTING TO SEE ITALY AS THE LAST BULWARK STANDING,
WHERE MEDIEVAL TOWERS SINK UNDERWATER WITH THE
BATTLEMENT OUTSIDE , TO MAKE THEMSELVES MOST
BEAUTIFUL AND UNREACHABLE . WE ARE WANTING THE FISH
TO SWIM BETWEEN THE ARABESQUES , AND THE TIGERS TO
WALK THROUGH CITY GARDENS . WE ARE FINALLY WANTING
THE SMOKING CARS ON THE STONE STREETS , AND PEOPLE
RUNNING UNDER THE RAIN INCURANT ABOUT THE CLOTHES .
4. W E A R E W A N T I N G TO HEAR THE CITY MURMURING TO
WALKERS THEIR ARCANE CHARM , DECEITFULLY INVINTING
THEM TO ENTER AND TO ADMIRE ITS HIDDEN WONDERS .
WE ARE WANTING THE CITY TO BE THE SETTING OF THE
ROMANTIC ADVENTURE , OF THE DEAD -END LANES AND OF
THE QUARTER BOUTIQUES . WE ARE WANTING THE NIGHT TO
ENVELOPE AN UNTOUCHABLE MIST WHICH BITES THE SOULS
AND SEIZES THE HEARTS . AND WE ARE WANTING AROUND
THE CITY FORESTS TO RAISE, AND FACTORIES TO VANISH
OR TO , IF THEY ARE SO ESSENTIAL TO
SINK EXIST .
5. W E A R E W A N T I N G T H E P R O G R E S S T O MIX WITH THE
PAST, IN ORDER TO CREATE A STRANGE AND HAUNTING
 WORLD , LATE AND EARLY AT ONCE . LET THE MAN FINALLY
FLY WITH HIS OWN WINGS !
6. W E ARE WANTING TO DESTROY TODAY ’S MAN ,
USELESS MANNEQUIN OF THE EVENTS , AND TO SUBSTITUTE
HIM WITH THE NEW MAN , WHO DOES NOT CARE ABOUT
OPINIONS NOR ABOUT POWER , BECAUSE HE ACTS IN THE
VALUES OF PRIDE AND PERSONAL FAME , SO JUST BECAUSE
HE IS MAN . LET THE ARTIST BE THE NEW GENIUS , THE
POLITICIAN THE NEW LEADER , THE EXTRAORDINARY MAN
THE NEW , AND LET THE GOD BURN IN HIS OWN HELL.
GOD
7. W E ARE DECLARING THAT A MAN’S PRIDE IS HIS
DIVINE DESCENT. HE MUST ADORE THE CHOSEN STOCK,
AND SHOW IT OUT EVERY DAY, BECAUSE HE WAS BORN MAN
AND NOT ANIMAL. HE CAN DO IMMENSE THINGS. WE ARE
THEN DECLARING THAT HE HAS THE DUTY TO DO THEM,
FOR HIS CHANCE TO BE ACCOMPLISHED. NOBILE WILL BE
HE WHO MAKES HIMSELF GRAND IN THE EYES OF THE
WORLD , AND ENORMOUS WILL BE THE EARNINGS.
8. W E A R E W A N T I N G T O E S T I M A T E G L O R Y ’ S T A S T E , T H E
HERO’S AUDACITY, DEATH’S MISTERY. THE PLEASURES OF
EARTHLY LOVE, FOLLY’S THRILL, THE IRRATIONALITY OF
YOUTH. STARRY NIGHTS, SEAS AND MOONS. WE ARE
DECLARING THAT A MAN LIVES ONLY FOR THIS, AND NO
MORE.
9. W E A R E T I R E D O F T I R E D N E S S , O F U N C E R T A I N T Y , O F
PASSIVITY. WE ARE THE FIRST ONES, THE FIRST ONES,
THE FIRST ONES. WE ARE THE FANGS OF THE UNIVERSE
THAT DIVORE SOCIETY, WE ARE THE TENDONS OF THE
WORLD. WE ARE THE LIGHTNING AND THE THUNDER, WE
ARE THE ELECTRIC MUSES. THE HORSES PAWING BEFORE
BEING RELEASED IN THE PRAIRIE. WE ARE THE SKY THAT
FALLS UPON THE EARTH. SO TODAY WE FOUND THE
SUNSET AVANT-GARDE, MAY IT BE OF INSPIRATION
FOR THE BUILDING OF THE NEW WORLD!

ALESSANDRO VALERA, SEPTEMBER IX, MMIX

(IMAGINE THE BURNING CITY)