Key Aspects of Surrealism Inaugurated by Max Ernst
Amrit Johal, 301102319
FPA 111: D109 (Anna-Marie)
Research Essay, Fall 2010
Max Ernst, an inventive artist and one of the pioneers of the Surrealist movement, was able to project the ideas of Surrealism to his audience in a very efficient manner. Surrealism is a discipline, which allows one to think like a child and create art that brings you to a dream-like state. Ernst was able to accomplish this by creating images one can only imagine seeing in a dream, such as his ‘Angel of Heart and Home’ series. As well as by piecing things together which would not typically be put together (collages), such as his Oedipus Rex. Ernst’s work, Oedipus Rex(1922) and L’ange du Foyer(1937), are crucial works of art for the Surrealist movement and inaugurated many of the important characteristics associated with Surrealist art.
Surrealism
Surrealism is a cultural movement and artistic style that emerged in 1924 in the hands of André Breton. Surrealism style uses visual imagery from the subconscious mind to create art without the intention of logical comprehensibility. Breton defines Surrealism as a “psychic automatism in its pure state, by which one proposes to express – verbally, by means of the written word, or in any other manner – the actual reason, exempt from any aesthetic or moral concern" (Breton in Harrison, 2003, pg.452). It is meant to bring the viewer to a dream like state, where a sense of freedom can be achieved, as it would in childhood. Breton said that “the mind which plunges into Surrealism relives with glowing excitement the best part of its childhood…[it is] childhood where everything nevertheless conspires to bring about the effective, risk-free possession of oneself” (Breton in Harrison, 2003, pg. 452). He says that it is Surrealism that gives you a second chance to be like a child, it is another opportunity.
Although Surrealism, in a sense, emerged from Dada, the two