Joyce Mansour

Joyce Mansour, Joyce Patricia Adès, (25 July 1928 – 27 August 1986), was an Egyptian-French author, notable as a surrealist poet. She became the best known surrealist female poet, author of 16 books of poetry, as well as a number of important prose and theatre pieces.

Biography Mansour was born in Bowden in England, to a Syrian-Jewish family originally from Aleppo, and lived in Cheshire for a month. During her youth, Mansour excelled as a runner and a high jumper. She also competed in equestrian competitions.

Mansour first came in contact with Parisian surrealism while still living in Cairo where she met surrealist Georges Henein. She moved to Paris in 1953, at the age of 25.

Career Mansour’s first published collection of poems, titled: Cris, was published in Paris in 1953 by Pierre Seghers. This collection of work references male and female anatomy in explicit language that was unusual for the time. References of Egyptian mythology are also present in Cris. Mansour references the White Goddess as well as Hathor.

She collaborated with representatives such as Pierre Alechinsky, Enrico Baj, Hans Bellmer, Gerardo Chávez, Jorge Camacho, Ted Joans, Pierre Molinier, Reinhoud d'Haese and Max Walter Svanberg.

Work

Poetry « Cris», Ed. Seghers, París, 1953 « Déchirures», Les Éditions de Minuit, París, 1955 « Rapaces», Ed. Seghers, París, 1960 « Carré blanc», Le Soleil Noir, París, 1966 « Les Damnations», Ed. Visat, París, 1967 « Phallus et momies», Éd. Daily Bul, 1969 « Astres et désastres», 1969 « Anvil Flowers», 1970 « Prédelle Alechinsky à la ligne», 1973 « Pandemonium», 1976 « Faire signe au machiniste», 1977 « Sens interdits», 1979 « Le Grand Jamais», 1981 « Jasmin d'hiver», 1982 « Flammes immobiles», 1985 « Trous noirs», Ed. La pierre d'Alun, Bruxelles, 1986 (illustrated by fundamental Peruvian painter Gerardo Chávez) Emerald Wounds: Selected Poems, published by City Lights Books. 7/11/2023. . in the glittering maw: selected poems, published by world poetry books. 2024

Prose « Les Gisants satisfaits», Jean-Jacques Pauvert, París, 1958 « Jules César», Éd. Pierre Seghers, París, 1956 « Le Bleu des fonds», Le Soleil Noir, París, 1968 « Ça», Le Soleil Noir, París, 1970 « Histoires nocives», Gallimard, París, 1973