Surrealism Midterm

Part I: Defining Surrealism

• Definition:
  Surrealism (1920s Paris) combines dreams and reality into a "super-reality" using techniques like automatism, dream imagery, and juxtaposition. Inspired by Freud’s theories.

• Historical Context:
  Post-WWI disillusionment (bankrupt systems: morality, science, art) → rise of alienation. Surrealism challenged reason and logic to access the unconscious.

• Key Figures:

  • André Breton: Manifesto of Surrealism (1924).

  • Freud: Psychoanalysis inspired Surrealist exploration of the unconscious.

  • Artists: Salvador Dalí, Max Ernst, René Magritte, Man Ray, Germaine Dulac.

Part II: Key Readings

1. Manifesto of Surrealism:

   • Themes: Childhood (pure creativity), Imagination (freedom from logic), Madness (gateway to truths), Dreams (link to unconscious), Marvelous (wonder in unexpected places).

2. Freud’s Interpretation of Dreams:

   • Dreams = “royal road” to the unconscious. Surrealists used this to create dream-like, illogical art.

3. Soluble Fish (Breton):

   • Example of automatic writing (bypasses conscious thought). Absurd juxtapositions reflect dream logic.

4. Nadeau’s The History of Surrealism:

   • Surrealism critiques rationalism. It penetrates reality instead of transcending it.

Part III: Surrealist Films

1. La Coquille et le Clergyman (1928):

   • Themes: Sexual repression, power, reality vs. hallucination.

   • Plot: A clergyman’s visions of desire and frustration.

2. Le Retour à la Raison (1923):

   • Themes: Randomness of objects, light, and movement.

   • Experimental, no narrative.

3. L’Étoile de Mer (1928):

   • Themes: Love, longing, and beauty of everyday objects.

   • Combines Desnos’ poetry with distorted visuals.

4. Comparisons:

   • Similarities: Unconscious, surreal imagery, non-linear narrative.

   • Differences: Dulac → psychoanalytic themes; Man Ray → visual experimentation.

Part IV: Techniques and Limits

• Surrealist Techniques:

  • Automatism: Creation without conscious thought.

  • Juxtaposition: Unrelated objects/images combined.

  • Dream Logic: Fluid, irrational structure.

  • Collage/Photomontage: Disparate elements into one whole.

• Critiques of Surrealism:

  • Accusations of elitism, contradictions in claiming freedom but following Breton’s definitions.

  • Lasting Influence: Modern art, literature, film, though relevance is debated.