Antonin Artaud

Life & Legacy

Antoine Maria Joseph Paul Artaud (; French: [aʁto]; 4 September 1896 – 4 March 1948), better known as Antonin Artaud (French pronunciation: [ɑ̃tɔnɛ̃ aʁto]), was a French artist who worked across a variety of media. He is best known for his writings, as well as his work in the theatre and cinema. Widely recognized as a major figure of the European avant-garde, he had a particularly strong influence on twentieth-century theatre through his conceptualization of the Theatre of Cruelty. Known for his raw, surreal and transgressive work, his texts explored themes from the cosmologies of ancient cultures, philosophy, the occult, mysticism and indigenous Mexican and Balinese practices.