Friday, May 29, 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.

A Dadaist, Andre Breton wanted to provide a greater understanding of surreal art in his book, "Surrealist Manifesto." Essentially, he wished to provide insight into the magnificent fantasy that goes along with the surrealism. He best described it as a unification of both a realistic and dream state all rolled into one incredible artwork.

It is not uncommon for people to channel Salvador Dali in association with surrealism. One of his more famous paintings, "The First Days of Spring," presents a somewhat alarming scene in which we are shown many whimsical figures along with a headless human.

An important thing to note is that Surrealism spanned across the globe. It was exercised in: Mexico, Europe, United States and South America. Its main vision was to promote the human mind's ability to go beyond normal visions and create alternate states by way of imagination.

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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