Sureallism

Surrealism emerged in the 1920s as a movement to free the imagination from rational. It drew inspiration from Sigmund Freud’s dream theory and sought to express the unconscious mind. According to Breton’s Surrealist Manifesto, the goal of Surrealism was ‘pure mental automatism’-allowing the mind to flow unchecked.

Surrealism’ is a relatively open-ended and more visually orientated theme. The term itself does not point to a specific behaviour, but more to a style and feeling. To me, surrealism usually means images that do not conform to the logic of reality, strange but intriguing combinations, and a state between the familiar and the unfamiliar.

When collating related images, I focus mainly on those that are illogical in comparison. Examples include objects with abnormal proportions, contradictory spatial structures, everyday elements in unusual settings, or a distinct sense of dissonance in an image. These images usually don’t directly explain what they are saying, but they make you stop and look more and ask questions.

I have noticed that the images associated with surrealism usually do not rely on complex movement, but rather create a sense of instability through the image itself. Some images feature scenes that appear to be part of the real world, but are noticeably off in detail; others are completely removed from reality, but still retain some recognisable elements. This state of ‘seeming real, not real’ is a common thread that I found over and over again as I sorted through the material.

In the process of observing these images, I realised that surrealism aims to break the norm to change the way the viewer understands. These images emphasise feelings and associations rather than a clear narrative or plot. Different people may have completely different interpretations of the same image, which is what makes this subject so interesting.

Salvador Dali – The Precision of Dreams

Dali’s paintings, such as The Persistence of Memory, combine photographic detail with dreamlike distortions. His melting clocks and distorted landscapes show how time and identity lose their structure in the subconscious. Dalí visualises our hidden fears and desires, turning the invisible into the visible.

René Magritte – The Paradox of the Ordinary

Magritte takes a quieter, more conceptual path. He depicts ordinary objects in unlikely environments – a man whose face is covered by an apple (Son of Man), or a pipe labelled ‘This is not a pipe’. His work questions the connection between ‘seeing’ and ‘knowing,’ showing that appearances are never equal to truth.

Both artists reveal the instability of reality – shaped by perception, memory and emotion.

Surrealism remains relevant today as it reminds us that creativity often begins where logic ends. Surrealism confronts the absurd and turns chaos into beauty.

References
Freud, S. (1900). The interpretation of dreams. Leipzig and Vienna: Franz Deuticke.
Breton, A. (1924). Manifesto of surrealism. Paris: Éditions du Sagittaire.