Spanish Avant-Garde: Ramón Gómez de la Serna & Generation of '27
Ramón Gómez de la Serna and the Greguería
Avant-garde literature: Ramón Gómez de la Serna promoted avant-garde ideas in Spain through the review Prometeo and literary gatherings like the Café Pombo. He created a new genre: Ramón Gómez de la Serna defined the greguería as a short, witty statement combining metaphor and humor.
Greguería: Definition and techniques
Definition: Texts that present surprising associations and brief reflections drawn from everyday elements, a fresh vision of situations and original humor. They often present reality through varied linguistic means, including metaphors, phonetic resources, word games, and the playful breaking of sayings and idioms.
Guillermo de Torre and Joan Larrea
Guillermo de Torre also defended theories that spread through Ultraist visual poems (for example, Propellers, 1923). Joan Larrea began in Creationism and later moved toward a more celestial version of Surrealism (notably his work published or revised in 1969).
Ramón Gómez de la Serna: Life and activity
Ramón Gómez de la Serna (1888–1963) was born into a wealthy family in Madrid. He engaged in many cultural activities—conferences, radio broadcasts, talk shows—and embodied a spirit of novelty. He settled for a time in Buenos Aires but returned to Spain in 1949.
Generation of '27: Members and Traits
The Generation of '27 was a group of young authors who wrote poetry, theater and novels, although poetry was especially emphasized. Key members include:
- Pedro Salinas
- Jorge Guillén
- Gerardo Diego
- Federico García Lorca
- Vicente Aleixandre
- Rafael Alberti
- Luis Cernuda
- Dámaso Alonso
The production of the Generation of '27 coincided with the work of other twentieth-century writers, the avant-garde movements, and the influence of Juan Ramón Jiménez. The cultural and artistic achievements of this period contributed to the denomination the Silver Age.
Origins, homage to Góngora, and magazines
Trends within the group included close birth dates, strong bonds of friendship, and intense cultural exchange. A landmark event was the homage to Góngora: the Ateneo de Sevilla held an act in 1927 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of Góngora's death, which most group members attended. They shared training and cultural interests and were actively involved in cultural life, participating in the publication of verse and prose in various literary magazines—Coastline, Cock, Carmen, and others.
Evolution and historical context
Evolution of the group: from 1918 to 1925 there was a phase of formation under the influence of Juan Ramón Jiménez. Between 1926 and 1929 they found a more personal voice. From about 1930 social and political concerns and the influence of Surrealism grew stronger. After the Civil War the group broke up: Lorca had died, some authors went into exile, and others stayed in Spain.