Thursday, 4 June 2015

Background To Surrealism

By Emily Sigidson


We were first introduced to Surrealism in the 1920's, when it was first brought about to expand the human mind. It is not biased to the form it takes as it has been seen in art, film, sculpture, etc. Most often, these types of work will offer an element of surprise. This is usually displayed through a random character or landscape that presents some form of unusualness.

Essentially, this type of art started from an era known as the Dada movement. Artists that painted surreal works wished to expand on poetry and really exercise the human imagination. Sigmund Freud proved one of the most impactful inspirations with his revolutionary work.

Andre Breton (a Dadaist) did a wonderful job of explaining this new form of art in his book, "Surrealist Manifesto." His main goal was to assist with the greater understanding of what surreal art was really creating. His words describe the art as a way to merge a dream and realistic state into one combined state.

Often times, people associate Salvador Dali with Surrealism. One of the most impactful of his works was "The First Days of Spring" which presents a somewhat bothersome dream state, with incredible character and a headless human.

It is important for people to understand that Surrealism was very much at a global level. It was practiced by artists in different cultures and places including: Mexico, Europe, United States and South America. The idea that the human mind was capable of expanding and envision alternate realities was its key focus.

This is only a brief synopsis and this truly incredible art form. This idea allowed for the expansion of the human mind and continues to do so today. It is a wonderful way to explore the limitless abilities of our imagination and allow us an opportunity to escape into a dream state by simply studying an artwork.




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