Surrealism

Surrealism was a movement in modern art born in 1924 out of the ashes of Dada. It was essentially a continuation of Dada, many of the Dadaists becoming members of the Surrealist group when it formed in Paris in October 1924. The official existence of the group was proclaimed by the publication of the Manifesto of Surrealism written by André Breton, Surrealism’s founder, its leader and until his death in 1966 the guardian of its doctrinal purity. Dada and Surrealism were both the result of a far-reaching and wide-spread revolt by artists of all kinds against the condition of western society as it was at the start of the twentieth century. This revolt was given a focus by the advent of the First World War (Dada began in Zurich in 1916). A civilization that could perpetrate such an atrocity on such a scale appeared totally discredited in the eyes of men of sensibility, as did the optimistic rationalist and materialist philosophies on which it was based.

This disgust with our civilization naturally extended to its art. However it is important to understand that Dada was not really anti-art as is often thought; quite the contrary, the Dadaists fervently believed in art as the repository and expression of humane and true civilized values. Believing this they naturally set out to purge existing art and create new and valid forms.

Change, however, was beginning to take place and, stated Breton: “All credit for this must go to the discoveries of Freud. On the evidence of these discoveries a current of opinion is at last developing which will enable the explorer of the human mind to extend his investigations much further…” This then was the Surrealist programme, to tap the creative and imaginative forces of the mind at their source in the unconscious and, it may be suggested, through the increase in self-knowledge achieved by confronting people with their real nature, to change society.

It may also be said that it is precisely the extent to which Surrealism, through its undoubtedly far-reaching influence on literature, theatre and the cinema in addition to the arts of painting, drawing and sculpture, has revealed and made familiar to us the world of the unconscious that constitutes the movement’s significance. Surrealism, in all its forms, it may be argued, has been the means by which the discoveries of psychoanalysis have been brought to a wide public and built into the very fabric of society. It may be added that bringing the public face to face with the unconscious for the first time was bound to produce a shock. The Surrealists tended to exploit this possibility as a revolutionary weapon, often stressing in their work particularly those aspects of instinctual behaviour, acknowledgment of which was most repressed in society at large: sexuality in all its manifestations and man’s addiction to violence and death. However, it should not be thought that the Surrealist ethos was in general negative and subversive. On the contrary, fundamental to Surrealism was the impulse to reveal and celebrate the potential magic of human existence.

Finally, the question of the interpretation of Surrealist painting must be briefly considered. It may be suggested that in general Surrealist art can be read on two main levels, the personal and the universal. Obviously much of the content of the unconscious is personal and interpretation of it must be largely dependent on our knowledge of the artist. In the case of Ernst, for example, or Salvador Dali, autobiography supplies a good number of clues to the personal element in their painting. On the other hand little is known of Magritte or Miró, and their paintings remain the most enigmatic of Surrealist works. (Furthermore, in the case of Miró and the other “automatic” Surrealists the imagery is itself more difficult to read.) However at another, perhaps deeper, level the unconscious contains material common to all human existence. This was very well summarized by Dali when he said, “The Subconscious has a symbolic language that is truly a universal language for it does not depend on education or culture or intelligence but speaks with the vocabulary of the great vital constants, sexual instinct, awareness of death, sense of the mystery of space – these vital constants are universally echoed in every human being.”

Notes:

surrealism [sə 'riə liz(ə)m]

manifesto [mæ ni'festə u]

II. Обратите внимание на следующие словосочетания, постарайтесь их запомнить:

to be born out of the ashes of smth.

to proclaim smth.

to appear totally discredited in the eyes of smb.

civilized values

to purge the art

to create new and valid forms

the explorer of the human mind

to extend investigations

creative and imaginative forces

the increase in self-knowledge

far-reaching influence on literature, theatre and the cinema

the question of the interpretation of Surrealist painting

vital constants

III. Ответьте на вопросы:

1. What was the continuation of Dada?
2. When was Surrealism born?
3. Who wrote the Manifesto of Surrealism?
4. Who were the leaders of Surrealism?
5. What was the Surrealist programme?
6. What influence did Surrealism have on literature, theatre and cinema?
7. What are two levels of Surrealism interpretation?
8. What are the great vital constants by Dali?

IV. Вставьте пропущенные предлоги: at, by (2), in, of, on (2), to (3)

1. The Dadaists fervently believed … art.
2. Surrealism has revealed and made familiar … us the world of the unconscious.
3. Surrealism has been the means … which the discoveries of psychoanalysis have been brought … a wide public.
4. In general Surrealist art can be read … two main levels.
5. Interpretation of the content of the unconscious must be largely dependent … our knowledge of the artist.
6. On the other hand little is known … Magritte or Miró.
7. … another level the unconscious contains material common … all human existence.
8. This was very well summarized … Dali.

V. Используйте выражения:

I agree, I agree completely (totally), I share this opinion – для согласия

I agree partly, I agree to some extent, I agree up to a point – для частичного согласия

I disagree, I disagree completely (totally), I can’t agree with it – для несогласия

со следующими утверждениями:

1. The Surrealist programme was to tap the creative and imaginative forces of the mind at their source in the conscious.
2. Surrealism, in all its forms, has been the means by which the discoveries of psychoanalysis have been brought to a wide public.
3. Bringing the public face to face with the unconscious for the first time was bound to produce a shock.
4. The Surrealist ethos was in general negative and subversive.
5. Surrealist art can be read on two main levels.

Контрольное задание 5.

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