This piece makes me feel like I am in some sort of dream like fantasy world, with an element in it that connects me back to reality. The piece has an element of mystery within it, creating the sense that there is more of this hidden world to be revealed, and that maybe it can be found in ones dreams or day or deep subconscious thoughts. I feel slightly disturbed by the irrelevantness of some of the objects that are situated in what looks like a reality based place. It encourages me to be intrigued and captures my attention, making me want to know the meaning behind this piece is and why reality and a fantasy domain have been combined. I think this painting represents the ideas of birth, death, time, and the differences between reality and one’s subconscious thoughts. I think that the melting clocks and watches in the piece represent that time is eternal and flexible. I think the harsh more geometric objects represent reality, and the harsh environment of the world we live in today. I think that Dali preferred to engross himself in paintings as a way of escaping from the corrupt society he lived in. By creating this piece he was able to share his experiences in his fantasy world where time will never die and life is eternal. The orange clock is covered with ants, this could symbolise the decay of human life. The white figure in the foreground represents a human figure; this symbolises Dali himself in the form of a foetus, stuck in a dream like trance of the fantasy world which he has created.
Elements and principals have been used within the piece The Persistence of Memory to convey ideas of a subconscious world and reality and how they relate to the decay of time. The tone in the piece is mysterious; the foreign world creates a sense of interest and mystery. The smooth, streamlined texture seen within the clocks and white figure can be interpreted as dreamlike and subconscious thoughts. The movement