Mapping the Acephale

"Mapping the Acephale is a collaborative examination of the Acephale figure as outlined by Georges Bataille. Between the years of 1936 and 1939 Georges Bataille was involved with the concept of the Acephale on two levels. On one level Acephale was a journal of sorts, published just four or five times during the years Bataille identified himself with and produced work in direct consideration of this model. The Acephale leaflets contained essays from a variety of contributors (though most of the texts were Bataille's), critiques of the Fascists' misuse of Nietzsche's writing, and drawings by Andre Masson (like the one used for this project). Beneath the surface of the journal, in an almost completely private sphere, Acephale existed as a secret society. Guided by Bataille, the Acephale group participated in secret rites dedicated to the base social values of;

The Acephale group sought the spread and reformation of primitive, communal drives capable of stimulating sacrifice and recognized a return through myth as a means of access to these marginal drives. They promoted a mythology with man as the pivot between extreme celestial and terrestrial forces, and Acephalic man as its significant hero." -- from "Introduction"