Essay
Surrealism essay history of architecture in English
- Course
- Institution
A 20-page essay on surrealism in English
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
mehtapak
Content preview
ARISTOTLE UNIVERSITY OF THESSALONIKISCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE
ERASMUS
—
02TH12
Art, Culture 20th-21th Century
—
Professor: Mpikas Panagiotis
Student: Mehtap Ak
SURREALISM
Essay Topic
,The first half of the 20th century posed significant challenges to the global community. After
World War I, people were left feeling frustrated and hopeless, seeking refuge in personal, ima-
ginary realms where their thoughts and ideas were valued. One such escape took form in the
Dada movement, which served as a means of expressing outrage and disillusionment. Tired of
the ravages of war, Dada artists, poets, and sculptors embarked on a quest to reinvent art and
challenge the existing world order. Renowned figures such as Hans Arp, Marcel Duchamp, and
Francis Picabia emerged as prominent voices within this movement.¹
Dadaism emerged simultaneously in Zurich, New York, and Paris during the First World War,
before finding its footing in Germany and eventually settling in France. Its heyday spanned
from 1916 to 1922. The movement aimed to ridicule what its proponents perceived as the futi-
lity of the modern world, promoting anti-war sentiments and creating works that were consi-
dered anti-art.² Many individuals joined the movement, criticizing bourgeois nationalism and
colonial interests, which they believed were the root causes of the war. Through their artistic
expressions, the Dadaists vehemently rejected the rationale and logic of bourgeois capitalist
society that had led to the outbreak of the First World War. In essence, they embraced chaos
and irrationality as a form of protest. The Dada movement positioned itself as an antithesis
to art, seeking to purify it through mockery. Consequently, the artists developed playful and
provocative pieces that evoked strong reactions.
For instance, Marcel Duchamp famously added a mustache to the portrait of Mona Lisa. Each
Dada artwork aimed to provoke and challenge established cultural and aesthetic norms, with
the ultimate goal of dismantling them. Despite its relatively short existence, Dadaism left a
lasting impact on contemporary art, advertising, and societal structures. Without Dadaism, it
is doubtful that movements such as Surrealism and other modern art forms would have emer-
ged.
1
, Speaking of, Surrealism, a subsequent and equally influential movement, emerged from Da-
daism. While Dada focused on presenting anti-art and highlighting the darkness and despair
of war, Surrealism approached reality with a more positive lens. Surrealism sought to expand
reality infinitely, rejecting the dichotomy between the real and the imaginary that had been
previously accepted.³
It stands out for its diverse styles united by a common goal of presenting reality in unconven-
tional ways and can be defined as the expression of the real process of thought through psy-
chic automatism in various forms, such as verbal expression, writing, or any other medium.4
While Surrealism has roots in the earlier Dada movement, it distinguishes itself by its more
organized and relevant approach to the real world. André Breton, the founder of Surrealism,
brought a unique perspective to the movement due to his background in medicine and psy-
chiatry.5 During World War I, Breton utilized his medical skills in a neurological hospital, trea-
ting soldiers afflicted with combat stress reaction. It was during this time that he discovered
the value of Sigmund Freud‘s psychoanalytic methods in their treatment. After the war, Breton
returned to Paris and became involved in the Dada movement. Together with his friends Louis
Aragon and Philippe Soupault, he co-founded a literary journal.6 Surrealism, unlike Dada, ai-
med not only to express personal views on social situations but also to tap into the artist‘s true
talent by exploring the depths of the subconscious.7
Surrealism emerged in the late 1910s and early 1920s as a literary movement experimenting
with automatic writing or automatism, a technique aimed at unleashing the untamed imagi-
nation of the subconscious. The movement gained official recognition in Paris in 1924 with the
publication of the Manifesto of Surrealism by André Breton, a poet and critic. Surrealism soon
became an international intellectual and political movement. Breton and his fellow French po-
2
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller mehtapak. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $6.58. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
58716 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 15 years now