Simply put, Surrealism is the depiction of unchained thoughts from the subconscious. The concept of Surrealism has always existed in one way or the other through dreams and psychoanalysis findings that has proved the human urge to explore artistic illustrations oozing out of the deep dungeons of the mind.
While you wonder what really fueled the movement of Surrealism, it is the outburst of the irrational mind that was enslaved by traditional reality and the element of reasoning over a long period of time.
Surrealist artists found strange beauty in depicting neglected or discovered objects, bizarre and unusual, and enjoyed exploring linguistic and autobiographical ideas.
The exploration of Surrealistic art form created two emerging trends among the artists – Figurative and Abstract. Figurative artwork was famous in the initial years where people used different shapes to depict hallucinatory images of our surroundings. Abstract paintings started to gain momentum when more artists romanticized unrecognizable paintings that were unprecedented and very symbolic.
Surrealism: Key Terms and Concepts
Automatic writing
In art making, automatism was adopted as an important part of the creative process by various artists.Surrealist artists adhered to this by going with the flow, creating fantastical and in their works that sprung to their minds.
Association
It refers to the connections made between the absurd and the spaces between the thoughts and ideas that form in the subconscious mind. Surrealists enjoyed correlating such thoughts, no matter how different they were.
Irrationality
The roots of Surrealism point to the productivity of rationality from the effects of World War I to the middle and upper classes. Surrealists believed that only a part of the irrational, completely different could be approached exclusively by the irrational mind.
Being irrational is the biggest part of surrealist identity. For example, a watch may suddenly start to melt, a man’s facial features may feel like an apple, and it may start to shower on men.
Dreams & Fantasies
With the fantasies now mentioned, we can easily get the next attribute of Surrealism – dreams and fantasies. Surrealist painting extracts scenes from the unconscious mind to create art without logical comprehension.
Just as Impressionists find inspiration in nature, so do surrealists find themselves in this ‘mental autonomy’. They try to channel this illusion to unleash the power of their imagination, which is derived from the dream scenes in which they encounter this fantasy.
The Unconscious
An important factor in Surrealism is dizziness, but what does tapping into it really mean? It means suppressing memories, our indescribable fears, and turning that ability into something creative.
This is where the crazy world of surrealist art comes into play. That tense dream of being in a fun house with a hundred glasses and no escape; Those with critters crawling across you; Something infamous that you fall free to your death.
All such themes inspired surrealists to create fantasies and texts that emerged from that movement. This, even after a little psychoanalysis, sometimes proves why we do not know what we want or why our bodies behave like that. It is through this fear that we too can develop such surrealist thinking into anything we want.
Impact and Influence of Surrealism
Surrealism has been one of the most influential cultural movements of the 20th century. Its global impact has been strong in many areas of life, from art and literature to philosophy, politics and social theory.
Surrealism also played an integral role in the development of the feminist art movement. Artists still use key surrealist ideas in their work, exploring psychoanalytic theory, bizarre, non-fiction, symbolic language, and more in their contemporary contexts.
Why Collect Surrealist Artwork?
There are many types of artwork to explore and discover about the genre of Surrealism. Surrealist works that have been influential in the art world for decades will vary in stylistics.
Surrealist art is innovative and transformative, and the viewer can express wonderful, imaginary worlds that help them escape from reality. It is a versatile genre that can be expressed through a variety of media through sculpture, film, painting, lithography, engraving, photography and more.
The wide-ranging explorations of this genre demonstrates why Surrealism continues to influence contemporary artists today. Surrealism evokes emotion through obscure, mesmerising and metaphorical ways – it presents a whole new perspective and innovative way of thinking, which is what has made the genre so widely collected.
How to Start Collecting Surrealist Artwork?
If you are interested in collecting a Surrealist work of art, it is important to gather some research about some of your favorite artists from the genre to find themes or images you like. There are a full range of styles, media and formal elements to consider
It can be anything from the artist’s bright color, subtle technique or the finest thing that catches your eye instantly.
Surrealist Art for Home Decor
Surrealist art can dramatically change the atmosphere in a room and certainly create character within a space.People show great interest in the artwork of the Surrealism movement that is a century old due to the fact that it’s fun, pretty and elegant to adorn their homes with such intriguing wall art painting . If you are looking for a unique area that can create an instant ‘wow’ factor, hanging a surrealist artwork will definitely create the most desired effect.
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