“Surrealism” was a 20th century art movement which began in the 1920s and revolutionized art, literature, film and philosophy. This movement was actually based on dreams, subconscious mind and unrealistic thoughts beyond the limits of reality. The main goal of Surrealism was to free people from common thoughts and accustomed perspectives and give birth to a new type of art. Surrealism was not just an art movement but also a philosophy of life, which opened up new horizons for human thought and creativity.
Origin and History of Surrealism:
Surrealism was founded by the French poet and idealist “André Breton” who published the “First Manifesto of Surrealism” in 1924. Breton explained the purpose of Surrealism, by saying, “Surrealism is the liberation of the subconscious mind and itbwants to create art without any artificial logic or limitations.” Surrealism was originally developed from “Dadaism”, but it was more constructive and goal-oriented than Dadaism.
Surrealists believed that the inner creativity of humans could not be expressed only through the conscious mind. Rather, it was possible to create a new world outside of reality in their paintings by awakening the feelings deep in the subconscious mind and dreams.
The main concept of Surrealism- The subconscious mind and dreams:
The basis of Surrealism was the “Subconscious Mind” and “Dreams”. Freud’s “Psychological Theory” deeply influenced the main philosophy of Surrealism. According to Freud, our subconscious mind reveals our true desires, feelings unconsciously imposed restrictions. Surrealists believed that if the artist’s creativity came out of such a subconscious mind, it would create something new beyond the limits of reality. They expressed very strange and unusual thoughts that came out of the deep darkness of the mind through art.
Surrealist artists and their famous works:
Surrealist artists were very innovative and thoughtful. They tried to create dreamlike scenes, unreal worlds and something outside of reality. Some of their famous names are:
1. Salvador Dalí: Salvador Dalí is one of the main artists of Surrealism, he is famous for his strange and unrealistic paintings. His famous painting “The Persistence of Memory” (1931) was very popular, which shows a melting clock, which was an attempt by Salvador Dalí to explain the change of time and the relativity of reality.
2. René Magritte: René Magritte used to create strange dreamlike visions in his works, breaking the limits of reality. In his famous painting “The Son of Man”, a man’s face is covered by an apple, which is a manifestation of the unreality of his work.
3. Max Ernst: Max Ernst was a magical artist and his work “The Elephant Celebes” and other paintings created a strange world outside of reality.
Surrealism style and techniques:
Surrealist artists used a variety of techniques to express the subconscious mind and dream feelings in their paintings. Some of the common techniques are mentioned below:
1. Allomorphic photography: This is a technique where they presented ordinary images of real life in unusual and distorted ways, such as melting clocks or giant animals.
2. Photography: Many surrealist photographers wanted to capture dream scenes. They would create a new reality by presenting real scenes in strange ways.
3. Drawing and Painting: Surrealist artists used new types of compositional techniques in painting, which went beyond ordinary art to create unrealistic images.
Impact of Surrealism:
Surrealism was not only an art movement but also had a profound impact on literature, film and culture. The influence of Surrealism can be seen in the literary works of “James Joyce”, ” Virginia Woolf” and “Franz Kafka”. They reflected the subconscious mind and dreams in their literary works in the style of Surrealism.
Surrealism also had a wide influence on film. “Un Chien Andalou” (1929) by “Luis Buñuel” and “Salvador Dali” was an incredible and revolutionary film that created a new type of experience for the audience. This film broke the boundaries of reality and presented strange and chaotic scenes.
Conclusion:
Surrealism was an art movement that delved deep into the human mind and opened up new horizons of creativity. By transforming dreams, the subconscious mind and thoughts beyond reality into art, the Surrealists created a new way of seeing the world. Their work still stirs our world of thought, feeling and imagination today and the revolution they brought to the field of art should never be forgotten.