Surrealism was founded by André Breton in Paris in 1924 with the publication of the First Surrealist Manifesto. Inspired by Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theories, the movement sought to liberate the creative power of the unconscious, exploring dreams, free associations and psychic automatism. The Surrealists created dreamlike, unsettling images that challenged rational logic and bourgeois morality, leaving an indelible mark on 20th-century art, cinema and literature.
Main characteristics
- ●Exploration of the unconscious and dreams
- ●Psychic automatism and automatic writing
- ●Juxtaposition of incongruous elements
- ●Dreamlike and disturbing imagery
- ●Influence of Freudian psychoanalysis
Key works
- The Persistence of Memory – Dalí
- The Treachery of Images – Magritte
- The Two Fridas – Kahlo