Surrealism Movement: 1920-1950

Surrealism and Its Key Aspects

• Surrealism is characterized by eccentric and bewildering imagery that challenges traditional assumptions about art.
• Nature was often depicted in unusual ways, juxtaposed against illogical backgrounds in Surrealist paintings.
• Early Surrealist artists experimented with automatic drawing, allowing their inner psyche to guide the creation of the image.
• Some artists reportedly used drugs to tap into their subconscious minds for inspiration.
• The release of subconscious thoughts was instrumental in creating remarkable Surrealist masterpieces.
• Communism was an influential concept for Surrealists, providing an alternative to the destructive bourgeois society.
• Surrealism became a way to redefine ordinary objects, bringing a feeling of alienation in the modern world.
• Female artists in the Surrealist circle often used mythical or historical female figures to express power and autonomy.
• Salvador Dalí was a prominent Surrealist artist, known for his flamboyance and dramatic imagination.
• Dalí's artwork often featured hallucinatory and paranoiac visions, influenced by his "paranoiac-critical method."
• Frida Kahlo, another influential artist, used her art to cope with the physical and emotional pain she endured throughout her life.
• Kahlo's art was influenced by her experiences during the Mexican Revolution and her personal struggles with physical disabilities and miscarriages.