Description

Surrealism in Paris. How did it happen?

The catalogue documents the origins, history, and contemporary relevance of Surrealism and focuses on its innovative forms of expression in a wide variety of media.

In the period between the two world wars, Surrealism rose to become the most influential artistic and literary movement of the 20th century. Profoundly shaken by the experience of the First World War and its senseless futility, the Surrealists, under the leadership of André Breton, took off “on a passionate search for freedom in all of its forms.” By incorporating the subconscious into the creative process, they developed completely new forms of expression. At the same time, they reinvented the way in which art was presented at exhibition, staging their shows in a radically new manner that continues to influence the presentation of Surrealist works in private collections and public museums to this day.

Characteristic strategies of Surrealism are identified and discussed in the example of works by the movement’s most prominent representatives – from Salvador Dalí, Max Ernst, and Joan Miró to René Magritte, Yves Tanguy, and Meret Oppenheim. Surrealism remains a source of inspiration with contemporary relevance for artists right up to today.

Texts by Quentin Bajac, Philippe Büttner, Julia Drost, Annabelle Görgen, Ioana Jimborean, Robert Kopp, Ulf Küster, Valentina Locatelli, Guido Magnaguagno, Philip Rylands, Marlen Schneider, Jonas Storsve and Oliver Wick explore Surrealism from a range of different angles.