Matila Ghyka’s Memoires and Gustave Le Bon’s Concept of “Dematerialization”

Résumé

The present essay analyzes to what extent Gustave le Bon’s theories on the dematerialization of matter influence Matila Ghyka’s own way of treating his biography (actual life and virtual “lives”) in both fictional and non-fictional works. What strikes the most in Matila Ghyka’s style is a technique of extensive self- quotation, which is not mere egocentrism. Whereas le Bon does not discriminate between Force and Matter and states that Matter is an infinite reservoir of intra-atomic energy, in the particular case of Matila’s writings, the degree in which textual matter (recollections, memories) dissociates or re-crystalizes indicates the actual force encapsulated in the point of departure (the object of recollection, experience as such). Textual series bring testimony to Ghyka’s strive to burn out variants to invariant (Happiness, the Golden Ratio), to drive meaning to a state of transparency.