CH 14 - Surrealism - Lecture notes 14 PDF

Preview

Summary

Surrealism art movement lecture notes...

Description

CH 14 – Surrealism -

Focus on fantasy, dreams, unconscious – focus on Freud, dream analysis Automatic writing, recognizable scenes, biomorphic surrealism o Biomorphic references amoebas, cells, etc. Felt it all evoked an inner reality

1. MAX ERNST, Two Children are Threatened by a Nightingale, 1924 a. Early surrealist before Dada movement b. Andre Breton – French writer that attacked the idea of the Rational in Western culture i. Surrealism centered around his writings, predominantly Ernst’s work c. Bulkiness, threat of violence in image, extension of artwork onto the frame i. Sense of “what is reality?” d. Struggle to make a logical connection to the narrative that is in the image—what is nonsensical and what is reality 2. JOAN MIRO, Carnival of Harlequin, 1924-1925 a. “Accidents” – elements of fantasy, nightmarish quality i. Mustache reference to Dali ii. Similar to Bosch Garden of Earthly Delights painting iii. Humanoid figures in left top corner b. Included in the first exhibition of Surrealist Paintings in 1925 c. Biomorphic Surrealism 3. SALVADOR DALI, The Persistence of Memory, 1931 a. Interested in the erotic and work of Freud b. Creates empty space, where time could have ended c. Controlled dreamscape 4. SALVADOR DALI, Soft Construction with Boiled Beans: Premonitions of Civil War, 1936 a. Related to Spanish Civil War b. Depicting psychological trauma and torture from the war c. Figure is pulling itself apart 5. RENE MAGRITTE, The Rape (Le Viol), 1934 a. Theme of sexual violence b. Unconsciousness of a fear around castration c. “Vaginal detata” – vagina with teeth i. An idea of a threatening woman 6. RENE MAGRITTE, The Treachery (or Perfidy) of Images, 1928-1929 a. Semiotics – theory of reading signs, be they linguistic or pictorial i. How images work, how they function ii. The symbolism inherent in the image iii. Think advertising; implied meanings, symbols, etc. b. “This is not a pipe” 7. WIFREDO LAM, The Jungle, 1943

8.

9.

10.

11. 12.

a. Work is a mix of cubism, surrealism, and (later) abstract expressionism i. Predates Jackson Pollock, but similar b. African, Asian, and Spanish descent c. Becomes a part of Picasso’s circle when he moves to Paris i. Picked up both Cubism and Surrealism at this time d. Returns to home (Cuba) i. Reflects on his own heritage—mainly Afro-Cubism ii. Reflects on Santeria religion 1. Yoruba and Congo beliefs that mixed from enslaved Africans in Cuba 2. Combines the African belief with Catholicism to make Santeria 3. Certain Saints were synchronized with African deities e. Work often has emphasis on horses, references to Ogun, Yoruba god of metal f. Elegda figures in this painting as well—the faces g. Forests represent a place of spirits, fits with the image and surrealist ideas MERET OPPENHEIM, Object (Luncheon in Fur), 1936, fur-covered cup a. Woman artist b. Transformed everyday objects into “the repulsive” c. Quintessential surrealist piece CLAUDE CAHUN (Lucy Renee Schwab), Self-Portraits, c. 1928 a. Androgynous, transformed appearance and name b. Images dealing with both feminine and masculine attributes i. The Dandy c. Expressions and explorations of gender d. Major surrealist element of Shock e. Extremely political f. Non-binary, gender neutral LEONORA CARRINGTON, Self-Portrait (The White Horse Inn), 1936-1937 a. Came from a wealthy family, both a writer and painter b. Moves to Paris with Max Ernst c. Suffered a nervous breakdown due to Ernst’s imprisonment of the French d. Dealt with the mythological and childhood fairytales e. In Freudian ideas, a horse (in general) represents sexual desires i. Carrington kept rocking horses in her apartment ii. Saw herself as a horse figure 1. Hair 2. White paints 3. Skin is same color of the horse 4. Body language similar iii. Representing herself with magical powers 1. Can transform herself into the horse running free outside f. Seen as a feminist artist PABLO PICASSO, Girl Before a Mirror, 1932 PABLO PICASSO, Bull’s Head, 1943 a. Found object sculpture

13. 14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

b. Bicycle seat and metal bars c. Bull = reference to Spain and a symbol of male sexuality JULIO GONZALEZ, Montserrat, 1937 a. Playfulness with abstraction and metal HENRY MOORE, Reclining Figure, 1929 a. Biomorphic forms – images and forms based on nature b. Pierced abstractions based on human figure c. Moore served in WWI, gassed at one of the battles d. Encounter with pre-Columbian art, African art, and other Nonwestern art i. Influenced his artwork and designs ii. Wanted to simplify forms and use more abstraction HENRY MOORE, Reclining Figure, 1939 a. Biomorphic forms – images and forms based on nature b. A part of “Unit One” i. A British abstract sculptural group c. Stayed true to the stone and natural qualities d. Landscape can be seen through the object due to the piercing in the material Chacmool Figures from Mexico (Pre-Columbian Art) a. Mayan and Toltec cultures b. Inspiration for Moore EUGENE ATGET, Magasin, Avenue des Gobelins, 1925 a. Embraced by surrealists, even though not technically surrealist b. Self-taught photographer c. Specialized in images of Paris in 1897 d. Man Ray loved this image i. Dreamlike in essence ii. Almost a voyeuristic piece iii. Like peeking into a small world BRASSAI, Dance Hall, 1932 a. Named himself after his hometown b. Recorded instances of human drama in his photos c. Was not a formal member of the surrealists—turned the group down when asked to join MANUEL ALVAREZ BRAVO, Laughing Mannequins, c. 1932 a. Would photograph the work of Mexican muralists b. Focused on indigenous Mexican peoples i. Celebrated the indigenous populations c. Considered surrealist—looking for visual poetry in the everyday d. Mannequins were a key part of surrealism...