Surrealism. Dictionary : Surrealism, n. Pure psychic automatism, by which one proposes to express, either verbally, in writing, or by any other manner,

Surrealism

Dictionary: Surrealism, n. Pure psychic automatism, by which one proposes to express, either verbally, in writing, or by any other manner, the real functioning of thought. Dictation of thought in the absence of all control exercised by reason, outside of all aesthetic and moral preoccupation.

Encyclopedia: Surrealism. Philosophy. Surrealism is based on the belief in the superior reality of certain forms of previously neglected associations, in the omnipotence of dream, in the disinterested play of thought. It tends to ruin once and for all other psychic mechanisms and to substitute itself for them in solving all the principal problems of life.

Places, Factors and Dates

1

1925 - La Peinture Surrealiste - The first ever Surrealist exhibition at Gallerie Pierre in Paris. Displayed works by Masson, Man Ray, Klee, Miró, and others. The show confirmed that Surrealism had a component in the visual arts (though it had been initially debated whether this was possible), techniques from Dada, such as photomontage were used. Galerie Surréaliste opened on March 26, 1926 with an exhibition by Man Ray.

Major exhibitions of the 1940s, '50s and '60s

1942 - First Papers of Surrealism - New York - The Surrealists again called on Duchamp to design an exhibition. This time he wove a 3-dimensional web of string throughout the rooms of the space, in some cases making it almost impossible to see the works.[28] He made a secret arrangement with an associate's son to bring his friends to the opening of the show, so that when the finely dressed patrons arrived they found a dozen children in athletic clothes kicking and passing balls, and skipping rope. His design for the show's catalog included "found", rather than posed, photographs of the artists.[6] 1947 - International Surrealist Exhibition - Galerie Maeght, Paris[29] 1959 - International Surrealist Exhibition - Paris 1960 - Surrealist Intrusion in the Enchanters' Domain - New York

"Alas! I believe in the virtue of birds. And a feather is all it takes to make me die laughing."

Surrealism is the "invisible ray" which will one day will enable us to win out over our opponents. "You are no longer a trembling, carcass." This summer the roses are blue; the wood is of glass. The earth, draped in its verdant cloak, makes as little impression upon me as a ghost. It is living and ceasing to live which are imaginary solutions. Existence is elsewhere.

The cerebral and irrational tenets of Surrealism find their ancestry in the clever and whimsical disregard for tradition fostered by Dadaism a decade earlier.

Bureau of Surrealist Research

The Bureau of Surrealist Research (Centrale Surréaliste) was the center for Surrealist writers and artists to meet, hold discussions, and conduct interviews. They investigated speech under trance.

Is this like speaking in tongues?

Dada was, officially, not a movement, its artists not artists and its art not art. That sounds easy enough, doesn't it? Of course, there is a bit more to the story of Dadaism than this simplistic explanation.

Surrealist Artists at a glance!

Salvador Dali

Giorgio de Chirico

Paul Klee

Francis Picabia

Pierre Roy

Jean Arp

Marcel Duchamp

Marc Chagall

Max Ernst

Joan Miro

Maurits Escher

Renee Magritte

Hans Bellmer

Frieda Kahlo

Francis Bacon

Giorgio de Chirico

Joan Miro

Giorgio de Chirico

Rene Magritte

Tanguay

A Surrealist Parlor Game: "Exquisite Cadavers," a.k.a. "The Exquisite Corpse"

This exercise was used to suppress the guarded mind, let chance play its role and get the creative juices flowing. Its name comes from the first time the game was played. The first sentence composed was: "The exquisite corpse will drink the new wine." To play:

Write down any word at the top of a blank piece of paper. Fold the paper down so that it hides the word and pass the paper to another person. Have that person write down a random word and fold the paper over the word. Pass the paper to another person and have him/her repeat: write the random word and fold to hide that word. When the paper is completely folded, open the paper to expose the list of words. Read the list of words as if it were a sentence.

Or

Draw one image, fold down the paper and pass the paper along to the next person. The chain of random words or images would be considered a cadavre exquis - an exquisite corpse.