SURREALISM

Surrealism was started in 1924 by the French poet Andre Breton. He defined Surrealism as " Thought expressed in the absebce of any control exerted by reason, outside all moral and aesthetic considerations." Surrealism aimed to break down the barriers between the people's inner and outer worlds, and change the way they percieve reality.

Max Ernst, Man Ray and Jean Arp are some of the original surrealists. The most important intellectual influence on the artists was Freud. The unconsiousnus, dreams and number of key Freudion theories were used by the Surrealists as repertiores of repressed images to exploit at will. In particular they were interested in Freud's ideas about castration anxiety, fetishes and the strange. Man Ray was the first Surrealist photographer.

 Salvador Dali

 Max Ernst, The Elephant Celebes (1921)

A Night at Saint Jean-de- Luz (1929)-Man Ray

*Dempsey Amy, Art in the Modern Era, Harry N. Abrams Inc.,2002