Translation Challenges in Art Manifestos: Valerie Solanas’s SCUM Manifesto

The genre of art manifestos occupies a distinct position within art writing due to the diversity of forms it encompasses and the inherent ambiguity of such texts. Manifestos are crafted to assert a particular stance and persuade others of its validity, presenting significant challenges in translation, as the translators primary task is to preserve their original impact. This article explores these challenges, aiming to identify key difficulties and propose practical solutions that may serve as general guidelines for translating manifestos and similarly context-dependent, emotionally charged texts. The study centers on a close analysis of a representative excerpt from Valerie Solanass SCUM Manifesto (1971) and its Polish translation, framed by a theoretical overview of the manifesto genreits origins, characteristics, functions, and forms. The analysis demonstrates that successful manifesto translation requires not only linguistic precision but also a nuanced understanding of the texts cultural, historical, and affective dimensions. Given the genres context-sensitive and often radical nature, such texts may be difficult for contemporary readers to fully grasp. As such, they benefit from accompanying interpretive frameworks that help preserve their rhetorical force and support reader engagement.