Surrealist art frequently utilizes strange juxtapositions.
Surrealism was an important cultural and artistic movement in the early 20th century. It grew primarily from the cafe scene, where surrealist artists would meet to engage in discussion and games. It developed out of Dadaism, an anti-war cultural movement that ridiculed traditional art standards and embraced working-class values. Surrealist artists, particularly Salvador Dali, continue to be popular into the 21st century.
Dreamlike Imagery
Surrealist art frequently resembles the imagery found in dreams. The objects portrayed by the art may be vivid and realistic, but the arrangement or juxtaposition of the images is often fantastic and bizarre. For example, a surrealist painter might paint a realistic picture of a car being driven by a guitar in the ocean. Surrealist art is frequently -- but not always -- brightly colored, with clear lines of demarcation between objects.
Surrealist Artists
Perhaps the best-known surrealist artist was painter, sculptor and writer Salvador Dali. Dali's art often featured clocks in strange locations. He also created surrealist images of historical scenes. Max Ernst and Oscar Dominguez, two other well-known surrealist artists, frequently created art with more abstract imagery than that of other surrealists.
Surrealist Culture
Surrealists are frequently associated with leftist political movements, including anarchism and communism. Many surrealists wanted to eliminate the traditions and social mores that they believed to be restricting human freedoms. Surrealist art often reveals an interest in culture, politics, anthropology, religion and the social sciences and may contain literary or historical references.
Unconscious Mind
An interest in the unconscious mind is a defining feature of surrealism. Many psychologists of the time theorized that dreams were an expression of unconscious, unexpressed desires, and surrealist artists frequently aimed to visually capture these desires. Poet Andre Breton, who published a surrealist manifesto, felt that rational thought was restrictive and believed that mental freedom could be obtained by uniting the conscious and unconscious minds. Surrealists were heavily influenced by the work of early psychologists, such as Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung.
