Art History
Art History, BVA312,
Questions on what my essay could be about??
Surrealism in history??
Is surrealism an art movement or is it more of a way of thinking???
Questions on what my essay could be about??
Surrealism in history??
Is surrealism an art movement or is it more of a way of thinking???
Has Surrealism been expressed in further art forms and styles prior to its own movement?
How is the development of surrealism observable in artworks prior to its definition as a movement by Andre Breton in his Surrealist Manifesto 19244 and while some mark its conclusion with the death of Breton in 1966, how does it surrealism continue to manifest in contemporary art today and why?
Has
Surrealism been expressed in further art forms and styles prior to its own
movement?
How is the development of surrealism observable in artworks prior
to its definition as a movement by Andre Breton in his Surrealist Manifesto
19244 and while some mark its conclusion with the death of Breton in 1966, how
does surrealism continue to manifest in contemporary art today and why?
From Da-Vinci and Michelangelo to Vermeer and Jacques-Louis David
and finishing with Andre Breton and Salvador Dali. We search through the
history of art and give them labels of when the movements started but has
anyone ever thought about Surrealism always being in the midst art of history
from the Renaissance (14th - 17th century) To the Baroque (16th-1750 century.)
or even from the Neo classics to the Rococo era till now a contemporary status.
The idea of Surrealism art is the interpretation of dreams and the
use of the 'Sub-conscious" mind. The old history of art has been so
controlled with a touch of a brush stroke but how has the interpretation of the
visual idea come to be? With dreams? or with the idea of movement?
Surrealism is a 20th era Advant-Garde movement in art
and literature to release the potential of the “sub-conscious mind”. Which
begun in the early 1920s, this was a movement that involved not only art but
writing, poetry, plays and any expression of automatism. (Voorhies, 2004)
Automatism…
Carl G Jung
A theorist of analytical psychiatry Carl G. Jung has a diverged
himself in the idea of the creation of the personality theory of the ego (conscious mind), Personal unconsciousness (personal
memories and ideas) and collective consciousness (memories and ideas shared by
society). Along with looking at what makes the "psyche" such as the
persona - image of yourself that we present to the world. Shadow - Hidden
anxieties and repressed thoughts - and the Anima/Animus - Male/female alter
egos (https://www.psychologistworld.com) (World, 2019) . Jung also explains
in in his book of his own adapted notes and the adaptation of associated
theorist. “Man, of his symbols” (Jung C. G., 1964) Is the “approach to the unconscious” and the “Importance
of dreams”. Why is this important? Jung explains that the expression of
written, spoken words or the visual idea show the meaning of what they want to convey,
and the aspects of the unconsciousness perceives our reality. Jung also
explains the general rule is always in a “form of a dream”, That the aspects of
any event is related to the consciousness. Which is revealed to us in the mind
as a dream and not appearing as a rationalized thought but maybe as a form of a
symbolic image (Jung C. G., 1964)
The subconscious is the part of the mind that is not fully aware
of what we think it means but it influences how feelings, actions and visual
ideas are portrayed. (intellect, 2018) (Contributors, 2019)
“psychic automatism in its pure state, by which one proposes to
express the actual functioning of thought. Dictated by thought, in the absence
of any control exercised by reason, exempt from any aesthetic or moral
concern.” Andre Breton quoted from his first manifesto of surrealism (Breton,
1924). Explains that the idea of Automatism- which is the suppression of
conscious control, letting the un-conscious mind take over tin the art
practice. (TATE, n.d.) – in the purest state
can express the “Functioning Thought” (Breton, 1924) with the absence and
loss of control.
Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s sculpture is from the baroque era dating back to 1625 after the Renaissance period (made from stone in Rome, Italy) (Artble, 2019) . Inspired by book 1,
a myth of “Ovid’s Metamorphosis. Visualizes the idea of Apollo (god of poetry
and light) trying to pursue and seduce Daphne (A Naiad Nymph – goddess
associated with gods). But Daphne did not want Apollo’s lust and hand in
marriage. She tried to run away from him and called for god for his help, with
that help god transformed her into the “Tree of eternal youth” (Artble, 2019) .
Works Cited
Has
Surrealism been expressed in further art forms and styles prior to its own
movement?
How is the development of surrealism observable in artworks prior
to its definition as a movement by Andre Breton in his Surrealist Manifesto 1924
(Breton, 1924) . While some mark its
conclusion with the death of Breton in 1966, how does surrealism continue to
manifest in historical and contemporary art today and why?
From Da-Vinci and Michelangelo to Vermeer and Jacques-Louis David
and finishing with Andre Breton and Salvador Dali. We search through the
history of art and give them labels of when the movements started but has
anyone ever thought about Surrealism always being in the midst art of history
from the Renaissance (14th - 17th century) To the Baroque (16th-1750 century.)
or even from the Neo classics to the Rococo era till now a contemporary status.
The idea of Surrealism art is the interpretation of dreams and the
use of the 'Sub-conscious" mind. The old history of art has been so
controlled with a touch of a brush stroke but how has the interpretation of the
visual idea come to be? With dreams? or with the idea of movement? With myth,
legends and any biblical sense? Or has artist un-knowingly put their imprint of
their mind into these paintings to depict their stories?
This essay is to explore the notion of surrealism having always
being seen through art with the use of the mind and visual depictions of
stories of history. To not label surrealism as a movement from the birth of
this idea. To give a sense that the classic’s and the Masters of Art where
thinking about this underlying idea while painting a scene from biblical or
historical sense. Did they already know about the idea of using their
un-conscious mind to open them to the imagery they have portrayed?
Surrealism is a 20th era Advant-Garde movement in art
and literature to release the potential of the “sub-conscious mind”. Which
begun in the early 1920s, this was a movement that involved not only art but
writing, poetry, plays and any expression of automatism (Voorhies, 2004).
The surrealism movement had many movements diverging off it, with
a combination of using the sub-conscious mind and the idea of no control. Or
the dream state of the mind from when we fall asleep to a state of un-consciousness.
This is where the idea of Automatism came from, with the purpose of no control
of the consciousness (Diagnosis, 2018) . Automatism as a term was investigated from
the study of psychology, to describe movements of the body and the un-conscious
state of where the mind goes through seizures of un-consciousness (Bauduin, 2015) (Diagnosis, 2018) . Sigmund Freud and
Andre Breton explored the idea of the unconscious through art, “Automatic
drawings” and writing. Together the released the movement of Surrealism with
the publication of Andre Breton’s “Manifesto of Surrealism” (1924) (Breton, 1924) . This was defined as
a “Pure Psychic Automatism”, dictating the idea of thoughts with absence and
loss of control. To be exercised by reason, without moral and aesthetic
apprehensions (TATE, TATE, 2018) . This idea mainly
influenced and exercised by artist from the 1920’ to twentieth-century artist, but
in many older paintings the idea was exercised through myths legends and
stories from the bible (TATE, TATE, 2018) . To portray the
depictions of what was going on through the artist’s mind and hidden perceptions
behind the classic paintings to create this visual aspect and idea. The
subconscious is the part of the mind that is not fully aware of what we think
it means but it influences how feelings, actions and visual ideas are
portrayed. (intellect, 2018) (Contributors, 2019)
A
theorist of analytical psychiatry Carl G. Jung has a diverged himself in the
idea of the creation of the personality theory of the ego (conscious mind), Personal unconsciousness
(personal memories and ideas) and collective consciousness (memories and ideas
shared by society). Along with looking at what makes the "psyche"
such as the persona - image of yourself that we present to the world. Shadow -
Hidden anxieties and repressed thoughts - and the Anima/Animus - Male/female
alter egos (https://www.psychologistworld.com) (World, 2019) . Jung also explains
in in his book of his own adapted notes and the adaptation of associated
theorist. “Man, of his symbols” (Jung, 1964) Is the “approach to the unconscious” and the
“Importance of dreams”. Why is this important? Jung explains that the
expression of written, spoken words or the visual idea show the meaning of what
they want to convey, and the aspects of the unconsciousness
perceives our reality. Jung also explains the general rule is always in a “form
of a dream”, That the aspects of any event is related to the consciousness.
Which is revealed to us in the mind as a dream and not appearing as a
rationalized thought but maybe as a form of a symbolic image (Jung, 1964) . Love
is a state of confusion between the real and the Marvellous to show the
true function of thought and outside all moral or
prosthetic manifestations. (intellect, 2018)
“psychic
automatism in its pure state, by which one proposes to express the actual
functioning of thought. Dictated by thought, in the absence of any control
exercised by reason, exempt from any aesthetic or moral concern.” Andre Breton
quoted from his first manifesto of surrealism (Breton, 1924). Explains that the
idea of Automatism- which is the suppression of conscious control, letting the
un-conscious mind take over tin the art practice. (TATE, TATE, n.d.) – in the purest state
can express the “Functioning Thought” (Breton, 1924) with the absence and
loss of control
The expression
of surrealism has defiantly occurred in art dated back to the 14th
and 15th century with Hieronymus Bosch Bible depiction of the garden
of Eden and the birth and death of man (SOTHEBY'S, n.d.) . Bosch’s “The Garden
of Earthly Delight’s” (1490-1510) has clear elements of surrealism with merging
of faces and combining different elements of animals, men, woman and other fundamentals
of tree’s and portraits (SOTHEBY'S, n.d.) .
The three-piece
scene depicts the peaceful paradise of heaven leading into the poisoned sanctuary
from the lust of humanity. Where the garden creatures are entwined and mingled
with people, along with the idea of myths and legends having creatures such as
unicorns and mermaids, tainting the paradise of Eden. Then the third panel
leading into the destruction of humanity and torment from their sins (TATE, TATE, 2018) . The elements of
surrealism progress further and further. With battered tree stumps merging into
a beast with a human face. The closer you look there is torment and destruction
with surreal character’s diverging into one-another.
In more contemporary art This painting is about love, life and the
inevitable death that comes with life. This was expressed by her feelings to
her husband Diego Rivera. The representation depicts Diego with adult features
in the face but attached to the body of a baby’s, along with the third eye on
his forehead- giving the symbol of wisdom and being wise. While Frida has
depicted herself to cradle him like a mother figure relating back to her own
child loss and trauma of it.
Giving a merge of identities between Frida and
Diego combining their relationship as one. With the aesthetic relating back to
Mexican mythology which relates to her own roots and upbringing (www.FridaKahlo.org, n.d.)
This also relates to a “mother nature” figure with the organic
depiction of the earthy mother holding them together as one. The hidden
messages behind it feels as though it is all related to mother hood and the
abandonment of the baby that never came to be. There is an emotional feel of
loss, love and the growth of life becoming death.
She has used this surrealistic style to construct this idea of
abandonment and loss from mother-hood. Reflecting this to my own works, the
organic emotions I have portrayed in my art. Even though she didn’t prefer to
call herself a surrealist artist more of an expressionist. These elements of
surrealism are confronted with her trauma and events of life.
Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s sculpture is from the baroque era dating back to 1625 after the Renaissance period (made from stone in Rome, Italy)
This sculpture
creates a moving image with surreal elements of a woman becoming and morphing
into a tree and whittling away into bark and merging into the stone. (Artble, 2019) The perception of
this sculpture was created in a way were the feet were not flat on the ground
but lifting to gain the perception of Apollo running. While Daphne was given
the perception of her trying to run away but feeling as if she is merging into
the ground to become the tree. This gives us a clear example of surrealism
being present in prior history to the birth of the movement (Lubow, 2008) .
The Baroque period
(1600-1750 century) of art history was evolving from the renaissance period
prior (14th-17th century), pushing the extravagances and
drama of sculpture, music, architecture and art (Richman-Abdou, 2018) . Baroque was very
much known for its pushing of the boundaries between painting and audience.
Creating a new and evolved “Cultural movement” (Richman-Abdou, 2018) . To characterized
firm and stable figures, human proportions or architecture by this Exaggerated
and flamboyant style or aesthetic. Pushing boundaries by using tenebrism
(paintings lit by candle light.) or pushing the interest of “Dynamism” (The
idea of movement, motion or action’s) (Richman-Abdou, 2018) . Giving artist a new
incentive to push boundaries and unlock this new form of art pushing through
old elements of surrealism undermining logic.
A contemporary and still alive Russian Euro Surrealist artist now
uses surrealism in a completely new form of art. By joining the style and
aesthetic of renaissance, classism and Baroque with surrealism and the thought
of the “Sub-conscious mind” (Safonkin, n.d.) . He demonstrates artistic techniques such as
“Tenebrism”, Renaissance and Baroque in his earlier 2000 – 2012 work’s. While
combing the uniqueness and informalities of surrealism, creating a story
merging from the painting. (Safonkin, n.d.) Giving himself the
description of becoming a Euro surrealist artist (mixture of combined
techniques basing in Europe) (Kitson, 2019) . He draws his
inspiration from artist such as Bosch, Beksinski and other surreal artist
involving the topics of “gothic horror” into their work’s. Bringing forth is
unique creative ability of his “Sub-conscious” and his own impression of what
Reality is (Kitson, 2019) .
Linking back to my question of how this is relevant, contemporary
artist now are influencing there works from other artist from history right
through to the renaissance and Baroque period pushing through the surreal
elements to a further extent. Making it clear that sub-consciously the idea of
Surrealism has been pushed through in and out of art History.
The overall development of observing surrealism from prior
centuries, gives us the conclusion that artist from earlier centuries where
thinking like artists from the surrealist movement. Comparing them to each
other shows clear element’s that Surrealism was a “Thing” from early
renaissance, Baroque and to contemporary artist now. Surrealism continues to
branch from its original birth into contemporary art today by the
Euro-Surrealist and more. Surrealism continues to manifest in historical and contemporary
art today to give a broader and fresher look into visual depictions from the
“Sub-conscious” mind.
Works Cited
Artble. (2019). Artble.
Retrieved from Artble:
https://www.artble.com/artists/gian_lorenzo_bernini/sculpture/apollo_and_daphne
Bauduin, T. M.
(2015). The ‘Continuing Misfortune’ of Automatism in Early Surrealism. Communicatio,
4(10), 1-42. Retrieved 6 7, 2019, from http://scholarworks.umass.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1032&context=cpo
Breton, A. (1924).
Manifesto of surrealsim. Yvan Goll .
Contributors, T.
A. (2019, June 6). www.Theartstory.com. Retrieved from The art story -
movements: https://www.theartstory.org/movement-surrealism.htm
Diagnosis, N.
P.-B. (2018). ScienceDirect. Retrieved from ScienceDirect:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/automatism
Edwards, S. H.
(n.d.). Nashville arts Magazine. Retrieved from Nashville arts
Magazine: https://nashvillearts.com/2014/09/see-berninis-apollo-daphne/
intellect, m.
(2018, january 24). Dada and Surrealism: Europe After the Rain documentary .
Retrieved from you tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdBaS8fgwNs&t=1s
Jung, C. G.
(1964). “Man and his symbols”. In C. G. Jung, “Man and his symbols” (p.
page 23 ). New York, United States: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group
Inc.
Kitson, W. (2019).
Seymour magazine. Retrieved from Seymour magazine:
https://magazine.seymourprojects.com/2015/06/viktor-safonkin-interpretation-of-the-irrational-world/
Lubow, A. (2008,
october). Smithsonian.com. Retrieved from Smithsonian.com:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/berninis-genius-11934809/
Richman-Abdou, K.
(2018, march 25). Modern Art Met. Retrieved from Modern Art Met:
https://mymodernmet.com/baroque-period/
Safonkin, V.
(n.d.). www.safonkin.com. Retrieved from www.safonkin.com:
https://www.safonkin.com/author.htm
SOTHEBY'S. (n.d.).
SOTHEBY'S EST.1744. Retrieved from SOTHEBY'S EST.1744:
https://www.sothebys.com/en/videos/hieronymus-bosch-the-garden-of-earthly-delights
TATE. (2018). TATE.
Retrieved from TATE: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/a/automatism
TATE. (n.d.). TATE.
Retrieved from TATE: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/a/automatism
Voorhies, J.
(2004, october). metmuseum. Retrieved from metmuseum:
https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/surr/hd_surr.htm
World, P. (2019). www.psychologistworld.com.
Retrieved from Psychologist World. Parts licensed under GNU FDL.:
https://www.psychologistworld.com/cognitive/carl-jung-analytical-psychology
www.FridaKahlo.org.
(n.d.). www.FridaKahlo.org. Retrieved from www.FridaKahlo.org:
https://www.fridakahlo.org/the-love-embrace-of-the-universe-the-earth-mexico-myself-diego-and-senor-xolotl.jsp
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