Surrealism Facts

After the World War I many artists involved themselves in the Dada movement, which was opposed to bourgeois values and excessive rational thought. The followers of Dada movement protested by means of anti-art gatherings, performances, etc. Soon-to-be leader of Surrealism movement André Breton, trained in medicine used the psychoanalytic methods of Sigmund Freud. Breton joined in the Dada activities and started the literary journal Littérature along with Louis Aragon and Philippe Soupault to begin experimenting with automatic writing. With the lapse of time the group gathered more artists and writers. With their own philosophy developed the followers of the group felt that Surrealism would advocate the idea that ordinary and depictive expressions are vital and important. The group aimed to revolutionize human experience by freeing people from what they saw as false rationality. Andre Breton' «Surrealist Manifesto» of 1924 declared these intents and philosophy. Andre Breton' «Surrealist Manifesto» defined the purposes of the group and contained the examples of Surrealist works and discussion of Surrealist automatism.

The Surrealists developed a variety of techniques, including frottage and decalcomania, in the mid-1920s. Soon more artists joined the movement: Giorgio de Chirico, Salvador Dalí, Enrico Donati, Alberto Giacometti, and others. De Chirico surrealism painter was one of the important joining figures of Surrealism. His stark colour contrasts and illustrative style was later adopted by Surrealist painters. The images of De Chirico would create a decorative form of visual Surrealism. De Chirico surrealism artist was also a writer, his novel «Hebdomeros» presents a series of dreamscapes with an unusual use of punctuation, syntax and grammar.

In 1941, Andre Breton went to the US to co-found VVV magazine along with German Surrealist artist of Dada Max Ernst, Duchamp surrealism painter, and the American artist David Hare. The American poet, Charles Henri Ford, and his magazine View played great role in promoting of Surrealism in the United States.

Dali's surrealism painter is the most famous member of the surrealist group and his works are regarded as a symbol of the movement. Dali known for his frequently odd and shocking behaviors, created hundreds of paintings, prints, and sculptures.

Since the 1960s the artists combined Surrealism with mischtechnik technique. The style was called "veristic Surrealism" by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art former curator Michael Bell.

These days Surrealistic art also remains popular with many artists all around the globe. The painting created by contemporary artists can be viewed and obtained via different online galleries, such as klinkov.com, the website of Ukrainian painter V.Klinkov.