Surrealism
The Philosopher's Lamp, 1936 by RENÉ MAGRITTE from Google images
Things are about to get weird..
The infamous movement that works with nonsense into sense (if that makes sense). Surrealism would be defined by its dream-like, crazy and sometimes mind bending realities that artists at the time used when part of this movement. The one thing to always know when learning about surrealism: there is no single style for surrealism.
Surrealism
Surrealism emerged shortly after the Dada movement; the same ideology lies where art could prevent war, but this time it is based on science. The human mind is trapped by social norms and ideologies, causing people to suppress anything impulsive or not socially acceptable 1. This can eventually result in the behaviors that can result in wars and other horrors of humanity. Surrealism acted as a release for the impulse side of humanity, using a variety of methods that often have the artist surrender to the process or to make things by utilizing automatism, in other words: whatever comes to mind- even if it doesn’t make sense- you would draw, write or even film these things down 2. The result of these methods is the beautifully strange world that is surrealism, and the draw that many people find themselves into.
Dora Maar Untitled (Hand-Shell) 1934 from Google Images
The Harlequin's Carnival, 1924 from Google Images
The Harlequin's Carnival, 1924
Miro’s The Harlequin's Carnival 1924, demonstrates the automatism idea that surrealists strive for when creating their work. A wild and fantastical scene of wonder and dream, trapping you in the room with them, only to be eluded by the true piece of this work: The window looking out into reality on the upper right corner. Miro would flee Paris once the start of World War two happens, but despite the war, he kept creating the strange world of his own reality to the world.
The Persistence of Memory, 1931
Dali’s The Persistence of Memory 1931 is often the most recognizable piece of this movement, using the strange yet familiar scenes of this piece, making the viewer question what this piece is representing. Not only Dali had the wildest mustache, but he was just as wild as the movement: making his debut with a french film called “Un Chien Andalou”, the movie put everyone in France in a frenzy and wanted more 3. Dali would eventually leave France before WW2 started and bring Surrealism to America, furthering his artist career and impact on the modern art world.
The Persistence of Memory, 1931 from Google Images
Conclusion
Surrealism would go on to impact the many mediums that still circulate the world today, from commercial art, movies, books and of course art. Despite everything, surrealism would still maintain its core goals and vaules of unleashing the weird to the world without shame.
René Magritte, Golconda (Golconde), 1953 from Google Images
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Sarah Urist Green, “The Case for Surrealism,” filmed March 2017 at PBS Digital Studios, video, 10:17, https://youtu.be/wtPBOwE0Qn0?si=AVyYxKVa2WhGMxlF.
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Green, “The Case for Surrealism”.
3.Andrew Lee, “Surrealism The Big Ideas (Director's Cut),” filmed October 2018 at Roundhouse Creative Studios, video, 11:33, https://youtu.be/rp2PRA0qaD4?si=Y4C9CFlEDo6HR8K1.
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