This introductory text provides a brief overview of Surrealism. Art terms are indicated with an underline and their definition can be viewed by hovering the cursor over the term. They can also be found in the glossary.
Originating in the 1920s, Surrealism is a twentieth century Avant-Garde art movement. It was an Interdisciplinary movement mostly associated with literature and the visual arts but also had manifestations in film and music. It was characteristed by experimentation and irreverence.
Surrealist artists emphasised the role of chance and play in the creation of their artworks. They were also interested in exploring the relationship between inner (psychological) and outer (lived) experience. Influenced by the emerging discipline of Psychoanalysis and Sigmund Freud’s theories of the unconscious, they used dreams and Free Association as techniques to gain access to the unconscious. Most of the Surrealists were based in Paris in the post-WWI period and many of them such as André Breton, Man Ray and Max Ernst had been involved in the international avant-garde movement Dada prior to becoming involved in Surrealism.
Artists directly involved with the Surrealist movement:
André Breton was the leader of the Surrealist movement and author of the Surrealist Manifesto, 1924. Other members included Philippe Soupault, Louis Aragon, Paul Eluard, Max Ernst, Salvadore Dalí, René Magritte, André Masson, Joan Miró, Man Ray and Francis Picabia.
Artists associated with Surrealism:
Several artists such as Alberto Gioccometti, Dorothea Tanning, Georgio de Chirico, Marcel Duchamp and Meret Oppenheim had associations with the Surrealist movement but were not directly involved or were involved for a short period.
South America and Mexico:
Artists such as Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera and Leonora Carrington, who were based in Mexico, are associated with Surrealism; however, their work is also seen to be influenced by a range of indigenous and local influences including folk art, mythology and Magical Realism.
The Surrealists experimented with a variety of methodologies, materials and techniques.
AUTOMATISM
Drawing on Freud’s psychoanalytic theories of free association, the Surrealists created poetry, prose, drawing and painting by using the first words or images which came to mind. In drawing and painting this involved letting the materials dictate the form of the work, using scribbling, poured paint and random and accidental mark making.
COLLABORATION
A form of arts practice where two or more artists, often from different disciplines, collaborate in the creation of an artwork.
COLLAGE
Originating in the work of Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso and known as Synthetic Cubism, collage refers to the construction of an artwork by assembling and gluing together materials such as textiles, paper and found objects.
DECALOMANIA
Spreading gouache, ink or paint onto a smooth, non-absorbent surface such as ceramic or glass which is then pressed onto another surface such as paper or canvas.
FROTTAGE
The creation of a surface pattern by rubbing with pencil or charcoal on a piece of paper laid over a rough or textured surface such as wood grain.
GRATTAGE
Similar to frottage but uses paint instead of pencil or charcoal.
ONEIRIC
Relating to dreams – in the context of Surrealism the term refers to the use of dream material as subject matter in the work of artists such as Max Ernst and Salvadore Dalí.
SURREALIST GAMES
Games such as Exquisite Corpse were used to bypass the conscious mind and also as a form of collaboration.
Fiona Loughnane, lecturer in modern and contemporary art in the Department of Visual Culture, NCAD, provides an essay What is Surrealism? Fiona’s essay includes examples of artists and artworks, some of which are included in IMMA’s Collection, highlighting the potential of IMMA’s exhibitions and Collection as resources for further investigation and enquiry into the subject of Surrealism.