This document provides an overview of surrealism including its founding, history, major artists, and influences. It was founded in 1924 by André Breton with the goal of uniting the conscious and unconscious realms. Major surrealist artists included Salvador Dali, René Magritte, Man Ray, Max Ernst, and Joan Miró. Their work was influenced by events like World War I, Sigmund Freud, and automatic writing. Surrealism had a large impact on later art movements and styles in various mediums.
1. Dan Adsit Liz Ferrill Erin Fowler Surrealism Surrealism Liz Ferrill Dan Adsit Erin Fowler 6th hour
2. Background Founded in 1924 by André Breton (Surrealist Manifesto) Manifesto stated: it was the means of uniting the conscious and unconscious realms The world of dream and fantasy would be joined to the everyday rational world in a “surreality” Emphasis on psychic automatism: artist using the interplay between free creation and unconscious where there is no conscious control Major artists include Dali, Magritte, Man Ray, Ernst, and Miró
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4. Automatic writing: continuation of writing without thinking what is beneath your pen, writing as fast as you can, choosing a letter to begin a sentence at random
9. December 1, 1924: La Revolution Surrealistewas the “the most shocking review in the world”
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11. History Cont. Surrealists’ Goal: attempt to discover a super-reality Tap into hallucinatory power of the irrational Surrealist poets were reluctant to align themselves with visual artists (laborious process of painting, drawing, sculpting were at odds with spontaneity of uninhibited expression) Surrealist movement in Europe dissolved with onset of World War II Renewal in the United States around 1940
12. Influences on Surrealism World War I World War II Dada Heisenberg Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung Einstein
15. JoanMiró 1923: Move toward sign-like forms, geometric shapes, overall rhythm 1924: joined Surrealist group led by breton (never completely integrated himself) 1927-28: Images crowded, gradually simplified “Horse, Pipe, and Red Flower” (1920) “Air” (1930)
16. JoanMiró 1930s: Experimentation with materials, dropped all traditional practices 1950: Mottled and “painterly” background, touches of color but mostly black and white 1950-70: Monuments and sculptures “Figurgegen rote Sonne II” (1950) “Lunar Bird” (1945)
18. Miró:Paintings Influenced by: Catalan folk art (flat, 2-dimensional, natural forms) Romanesque church frescoes in native Spain Crude execution, simple, flat, cartoon-like images Primary colors with thick black boundary Dark surrounding field Memory, fantasy, “hunger hallucinations”, informalism Grattage: partial images (complete image in mind of viewer), scrap paint off canvas with a trowel, increase texture Concentrated interest on the symbol embedded in piece
19. Miró:Paintings Paintings have a whimsical, humorous quality (like a 5 year old’s drawings) Differences of scale (largest object is most important) Playfully distorted animal forms, geometric constructions, organic shapes Limited range of bright colors Overall type composition: encompass entire canvas evenly Movement (curves, organic forms) Characterized by body language and freshness
34. ParanoiacCriticalMethod Induced paranoid state Gain greater understanding of world and reality Work through obsessions with symbolism “The Persistence of Memory” (1931)
44. AndreBreton Writer/poet Published magazine, La Révolutionsurréaliste One of the founders and leaders of the Surrealist movement Main Style: Automatic writing
46. TheSurrealistManifesto (1924) “pure psychic automatism whereby one’s intention is to express, either verbally or in writing, or in any other way, the real functioning of thought”
48. ManRay - “I photographed as I painted, transforming the subject as a painter would” - “I do not photograph nature. I photograph my visions” Experimented with new photography procedures: Rayograph: photographs without a camera -Also experimented with writing, painting, and Surrealist objects
70. Politics Directly: joining or aligning themselves with radical political groups, movements, and parties Indirectly: emphasize link between freeing imagination and the mind from archaic social structures New Left of the 1960’s and 70’s French revolt of May 1968