ultra how did you name yourself?
It was so long ago. Let us celebrate the anniversary of ultra’s birth (three years ago, plus a month) with a link to this little note on the ultraists (and yes, we’re linking to Wikipedia…honestly it’s a more fleshed out entry than the Encyclopedia Brittanica), a Spanish literary movement with whom Jorge Luis Borges was affiliated. Note their advocacy of the “Deletion of useless middle sentences, linking particles and adjectives.” Yes! And the “avoidance of ornamental artifacts, confessionalism, … preaching and farfetched nebulosity.”
At the time we named ultra, let us admit that humbly we had only in mind the phrase “ne plus ultra” which is to say, “the highest point, as of excellence or achievement; the ultimate,” or directly from Latin “no more beyond this point.” It’s related to “fare-thee-well” also indicating “state of perfection; the utmost degree,” which we include here because it has a nice ring to it.
Today, we are in a mind of the phrase “plus ultra” or “further beyond” the motto of Spain, Charles the V, Holy Roman Emperor and Sir Francis Bacon. Related: “Further” or “Furthur” painted on the front of Ken Kesey’s bus.
Tags: art