100 years of Surrealism: Everything you need to know about the art and literature movement

As comprehensive exhibitions and events the world over mark the centenary of the pivotal movement, here is what it entailed and some of its prominent proponents.

Meaning and origins of Surrealism

Surrealism is often considered to have been born out of the Dada movement, an anti-establishment art movement, which was developed around 1915. However, there are some fundamental differences between the two. While Dada opposed traditional artistic norms and produced work that defied logic, Surrealism emphasised positive expression and brought together the conscious and the subconscious, the rational and the dreamlike.

Breton’s 1924 Manifeste du surréalisme defined surrealism as “pure psychic automatism, by which it is intended to express… the real process of thought. It is the dictation of thought, free from any control by the reason and of any aesthetic or moral preoccupation.”

Breton is now largely considered the father of surrealism but the origins of the movement are not free of contention. French-German poet Yvan Goll had published his own manifesto of surrealism weeks prior to Breton’s. The fundamental difference in their approach was Goll’s rejection of the Freudian aspects of Breton’s version which focused on Austrian psychiatrist Sigmund Freud’s theories about the power of the unconscious mind. Goll’s perception of surrealism is considered closer to reality.

“The ambitious poet [Breton] was seeking to find a new form of artistic expression that would allow him to incorporate some of Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytical concepts into the Dada mindset. Breton was particularly interested in Freud’s research into the role the unconscious mind played in human behaviour, as revealed through dreams and “automatic” (stream-of-consciousness/spontaneous) writing,” wrote Will Gompertz in What Are You Looking At? 150 Years of Modern Art in the Blink of an Eye (2012).

Prominent artists and artworks

One of the most prominent artists of Surrealism was Spanish artist Salvador Dalí, who created detailed dream-like imagery in vivid colours (The Persistence of Memory, 1931; Metamorphosis of Narcissus, 1937).

German painter and sculptor Max Ernst is well-known for his use of techniques such as collages and frottage that involved rubbing a piece of paper against textured surfaces (The Elephant Celebes, 1921; The Antipope, 1942).

Belgian artist René Magritte played with reality and illusion (The Treachery of Images, 1929; The Son of Man, 1964).

Spanish Catalan modernist Joan Miró combined abstract forms in bold colours with fantastical surreal imagery (The Harlequin’s Carnival, 1925; Constellation Awakening, 1941).

Though Mexican artist Frida Kahlo denied being associated with surrealism, several of her vivid works using personal symbolism are read as surrealist (The Two Fridas, 1939; The Broken Column, 1944).

In India, artists such as Paritosh Sen and Bikash Bhattacharjee explored elements of Surrealism in their work, and F N Souza’s early work was also believed to have been influenced by Surrealism and Expressionism.

In literature and cinema

Surrealism influenced literature as well. Some prominent surrealists include French poet and novelist Louis Aragon, whose writings explored the unconscious mind and the fantastical (A Wave of Dreams, 1924; Paris Peasant, 1926).

French writer and poet Philippe Soupault, explored automatic writing (The Magne­tic Fields, 1920). The French poet Paul Éluard’s poetry boasted dream-like imagery and lyrical language (Capitale de la Douleur, 1926), and member of the French resistance René Char focussed on the interplay between reality and subconsciousness in his poem in the ’20s.

Frank Kafka’s writings also imbibed elements of Surrealism in works such as The Judgement, which combined Realism and Surrealism, and The Metamorphosis where his protagonist Gregor Samsa transformed into a giant insect.

One of the earliest surrealist films was the 1924 Entr’acte. Written by Rene Clair and Francis Picabia, and directed by Clair, the 22-minute silent film had no narrative structure. Famous surrealist filmmaker Luis Buñuel worked with Dalí on classic movies such as Un Chien Andalou (1929) and L’Age d’Or (1930), which featured rather disturbing imagery. Dalí also created a dream sequence for Alfred Hitchcock’s Spellbound (1945).

The enduring legacy

Over the years, Surrealism’s emphasis on freeing the creative process from rational thought has continued to influence artists, writers, and filmmakers. Surrealism also played an essential role in the birth of other art movements such as Abstract Expressionism and Neo-Surrealism. The 1970s also saw the emergence of neo-surrealism which expanded on the revival of surrealist ideals in the postmodern era.