Salvador Dali And Surrealism in Europe

1. Salvador Dali And Surrealism in Europe

2. This is a long slide show. I started researching this topic and found it really hard to stop, especially when it came to the artwork. I went overboard with the number of pictures and I apologize in advance. Disclaimer:

3. Surrealism’s Beginning • Surrealism came from an anti-art movement called Dada. • Dadaism was born after WWI when many artists came back from the war to find themselves cynical and depressed by the terrors they had experienced. • The “art” from this time was nonsensical and overly simple– the artists basically wasted their talent to prove a point. • Connected to nihilism. Hans Arp Marcel Duchamp

4. The Founder of Surrealism Poet André Breton is given credit for starting the Surrealist movement in Paris. In 1924, he published the “Surrealist Manifesto” in which he established his thoughts on the new style. Unlike its preceding movement Dada, Surrealism was meant to again create art. Breton believed that the unconscious (which had recently been introduced through Freud) was the wellspring for all creative thought. If such a resource could be utilized, the results would be spectacular. Surrealism began as an art meant for literature but eventually spread to painting, sculpture, ect . It was a new form of abstract art that attempted to make sense of nonsense, and break down all the rules other artists followed. Sur - re - al - ism (n.) -a style of art and literature developed principally in the 20th century, stressing the subconscious or nonrational significance of imagery arrived at by automatism or the exploitation of chance effects, unexpected juxtapositions, etc.

5. Characteristics of Surrealist Art • Free association- A technique used by early surrealists to harness the limitless reserve of creativity believed to be hidden in the unconscious. Initially used in writing but later applied to art despite the length of the process. • Decalcomania- Pressing a piece of paper to wet canvas and removing it to create an interesting effect. • Grattage- scraping pigment across a textured surface to create a more complex piece. • Many surrealists paintings are set in a bare backdrop that adds to the random appearance of objects at first glance. • Staying true to their Freudian roots, Surrealists were never afraid to include blatant phallic symbols, sexual innuendos, and even actual portrayals of nude forms. A free association drawing by Andre Masson

6. Illuminated Pleasures 1929 A prime example of the surrealist empty backdrop. By creating a barren landscape over which more objects are added, the focus is completely on the subjects of the piece. This can also be seen in Dali’s most famous piece, The Persistence of Memory.

7. If you don’t know what’s going on, chances are you’re supposed to figure it out for yourself. Does this look familiar? Placement is extremely important in this type of artwork. Surrealists used awkward juxtapositions to portray an organized chaos. Though none of the objects in a picture are related, their placement contributes to the effect of the piece as a whole.

8. Surrealism’s Influence • Surrealism represented the rebirth of art in Europe, which built off of the eccentricity Dada artists used to turn people away. It was a victory for a continent scarred by war. • As art often is, Surrealism was a political force that visually and literarily captured the ideas of Freud, Marx, ect. It’s blatant honesty desensitized people and allowed them to take a less narrow view of social issues.

9. Young Virgin Auto-Sodomized By Her Own Chastity The Surrealist movement came at a time when women were trying to break free of the oppressive roles they had been forced into centuries ago. This artistic movement both helped and hindered women in their pursuit of equality. The female body is a common subject in Surrealist art– using the female body as art lifts up women as the source of mystery, muse, and creation. Unfortunately, the typical female figures portrayed in the paintings are idealized, and fail to really describe the majority of the female race. In this way they have the same influence that the media has on women in present times. Still, more than any other art movement before, women had a place as the creators of the art.

10. Salvador Dali “At the age of six I wanted to be a cook. At seven I wanted to be Napoleon. And my ambition has been growing steadily ever since."

11. Person at the Window and Basket of Bread The Basket of Bread was one of Dali’s first paintings. It earned him fame at a very young age, and shows a more realistic side to his genius, as does The Person at the Window.

12. Major Inspirations: Like other surrealists, Dali was influenced by the concept of Freud’s unconscious mind. His works were full of phallic symbols and nudity, especially during his early years in the Surrealist organization. He used his dreams and desires to come up with twisted interpretations of everyday images. Some of Dali’s works are clearly inspired by other works. There are sketches and paintings that clearly portray scenes from The Divine Comedy. (Shown later). Later in his career, Dali began using more religious themes, showing that he drew on the most basic elements of his culture. Important times in history also inspired Dali. The Spanish civil war is the subject of many of his works (though it is not immediately obvious at times). Also, one of the reasons Dali began painting religious subjects was the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. His ultimate muse was his wife Gala, who he met in 1929. She was also previously the lover of other surrealists including Max Ernst, Andre Breton, and Paul Eluard– three of the most influential figures in the creation of surrealism. Gala Dali, first the wife of Poet Paul Eluard.

13. Dali’s interpretation of Dante’s Inferno Inferno Paradiso

14. Paintings Inspired by the Spanish Civil War Autumn Cannibalism 1936 Soft Construction With Boiled Beans 1936

15. The Persistence of Memory 1931 Dali’s most famous piece.

16. Dali as an Icon • Salvador Dali did not only create Surrealist art– he lived it. • Like Lady Gaga does today, Dali created a persona for himself that added to the presentation of his works. • He was constantly pushing the limits of the society in which he lived, be it the United States or Paris.

17. The Temptation of St. Antony 1946 The painting portrays St. Antony fending off various temptations. Don’t ask me about the spindly legs unless you want me to make something up.

18. The Ship 1943 This is Dali’s rendition of famous painter Montague Dawson’s work.

19. Major Innovations • Dali, more than any other artist during the Surrealist time period, changed the definition of art. • He was the first to introduce objects as sculptures in art. • Dali’s creations relied on one’s own interpretations, allowing anyone to easily enjoy his pieces.

20. Christ of St. John of the Cross 1951 Toward the end of his career, when he moved to the United States after being expelled from the main group of Surrealists, Dali began to focus on more religious themes for his works.

21. Soft Watch at the Moment of First Explosion 1954 Another work where Dali’s signature melting watch is portrayed. In this picture, however, it is being destroyed. This could possibly symbolize the change in his paintings over the years.

22. T-shirt Idea?

23. References:http://www.surrealismcentre.ac.uk/papersofsurrealism/journal2/acrobat_files/matheson_review.pdfhttp://dali.urvas.lt/pictures.htmlwww.surrealist.comhttp://www.all-art.org/history800_dream_of_revolution4.htmlhttp://www.surrealist.com/history.aspxhttp://www.surrealism.org/http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/surr/hd_surr.htmReferences:http://www.surrealismcentre.ac.uk/papersofsurrealism/journal2/acrobat_files/matheson_review.pdfhttp://dali.urvas.lt/pictures.htmlwww.surrealist.comhttp://www.all-art.org/history800_dream_of_revolution4.htmlhttp://www.surrealist.com/history.aspxhttp://www.surrealism.org/http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/surr/hd_surr.htm