Google ART: Who was Dali?

He did, however, admit to being influenced by the Dadaist movement, but many aesthetes are of the opening that Dali8217;s work was too painterly to be anti-establishment. Dali was born in Catalonia, Spain, in 1904. His early life was marked by two tragic events, the loss of his identical twin brother and later his mother, whom he 8216;worshipped8217;.

His talents surfaced early. Dali8217;s father, Salvadore Dali Cusi, held an exhibition of his charcoal drawings in 1916 and subsequent trips to Paris were instrumental in forming his decision to become an artist. Always an eccentric, Dali stood out with his long sideburns and hair and his get-up as an English dandy. Later, his handlebar moustache became a trademark.

Early influences of Cubism marked Dali8217;s student life but he went on to evolve a style that was entirely his own. Where clocks melted The Persistence of Time, trees morphed into elephants and the demarcation of dream and reality melted into one. The Surrealists were heavily influenced by Freudian theory and one of Dali8217;s paintings The Enigma of William Tell is dedicated to the Oedipus complex. Dali was also influenced by Luis Bunuel who he later made a path-breaking experimental film with.

The hallmark of Dali was not just his eccentricities but his vision combined with impeccable skill. His command over the brush could conjure up images that were hyper-real and yet he would employ distortions and fantasy landscapes to transform reality. Many Indian artists till date still pay tribute to Dali by quoting his images and in some instances imitating his eccentricities.

Demystify art, e-mail georgina.maddoxexpressindia.com