🎨American Art – 1865 to 1968 Unit 9 – Surrealism & Magic Realism in US Art

Key Concepts and Definitions

• Surrealism aimed to unlock the unconscious mind and explore the irrational through art
• Automatism involved creating art without conscious thought, often through techniques like frottage and decalcomania
• The uncanny in art refers to strange, mysterious, or unsettling elements that evoke a sense of unease
• Juxtaposition places unrelated or contradictory elements together to create surprising or thought-provoking compositions
• Dreamlike imagery draws inspiration from the bizarre, illogical nature of dreams and the subconscious
• Magic Realism blends realistic elements with fantastical or mythical themes, creating a sense of wonder or mystery
• Psychological themes in Surrealist and Magic Realist art explore the inner workings of the mind, emotions, and desires

Historical Context and Origins

• Surrealism emerged in the 1920s in Europe as a response to the horrors of World War I and the desire to break free from rational thought
• The Surrealist movement was heavily influenced by the theories of Sigmund Freud, particularly his ideas about the unconscious mind and dream analysis
• Surrealism spread to the United States in the 1930s, coinciding with the rise of Fascism in Europe and the influx of European artists fleeing to America
• The 1936 exhibition "Fantastic Art, Dada, Surrealism" at the Museum of Modern Art in New York introduced Surrealism to a wider American audience
• American artists began to incorporate Surrealist techniques and themes into their work, often blending them with distinctly American subjects and styles
• Magic Realism emerged in the 1940s and 1950s, drawing inspiration from Surrealism but focusing on creating a sense of wonder or mystery within realistic settings
• The rise of Abstract Expressionism in the 1940s and 1950s overshadowed Surrealism and Magic Realism, but their influence continued to be felt in American art

Influential Artists and Works

• Man Ray, an American artist living in Paris, created iconic Surrealist photographs like "The Violin of Ingres" (1924) and "Noire et Blanche" (1926)
• Joseph Cornell's intricate box assemblages, such as "Soap Bubble Set" (1936), combined found objects to create dreamlike, nostalgic scenes
• Salvador Dalí's "The Persistence of Memory" (1931) features melting clocks in a barren landscape, symbolizing the fluidity and subjectivity of time
• Dorothea Tanning's "Birthday" (1942) is a self-portrait depicting the artist in a surreal interior with a winged creature at her feet
• Kay Sage's "Tomorrow Is Never" (1955) showcases her distinctive style of desolate, dreamlike landscapes with geometric forms
• Andrew Wyeth's "Christina's World" (1948) exemplifies Magic Realism, depicting a young woman crawling through a field towards a distant farmhouse
• George Tooker's "The Subway" (1950) uses Magic Realist techniques to create a sense of isolation and anxiety in a public space

Techniques and Stylistic Features

• Double exposure and solarization create ethereal, dreamlike effects in Surrealist photography
• Collage and photomontage allow artists to juxtapose disparate elements and create unexpected compositions
  • Max Ernst's "The Robing of the Bride" (1940) combines cut-out images from various sources to create a bizarre, unsettling scene
• Trompe l'oeil techniques create illusions of reality, blurring the line between the real and the imagined
• Precise, detailed rendering in Magic Realist works creates a sense of heightened reality or hyperrealism
• Distorted perspectives and impossible spaces challenge viewers' perceptions and create a sense of unease or disorientation
• Biomorphic forms, inspired by organic shapes and curves, appear frequently in Surrealist art
• Muted, earthy color palettes in Magic Realist works contribute to a sense of mystery and timelessness

Themes and Symbolism

• The subconscious mind and dreams are central themes in Surrealist art, exploring the hidden desires, fears, and impulses of the psyche
• Metamorphosis and transformation symbolize the fluidity of identity and the potential for change or growth
  • In Dorothea Tanning's "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" (1943), figures undergo strange transformations in a surreal hotel corridor
• Eroticism and desire are often expressed through symbolic or metaphorical imagery, challenging societal norms and taboos
• Isolation and alienation are recurring themes in Magic Realist works, reflecting the sense of disconnection and loneliness in modern society
• Mythology and folklore inspire Magic Realist artists, who incorporate fantastical elements into otherwise realistic settings
• Political and social commentary is sometimes embedded in Surrealist and Magic Realist works, critiquing the status quo or expressing dissent
• The relationship between humanity and nature is explored through dreamlike, mystical depictions of landscapes and natural forms

Impact on American Culture

• Surrealism and Magic Realism challenged traditional notions of art and reality, encouraging experimentation and pushing boundaries in American art
• The movements provided a means for artists to express the anxieties, desires, and social issues of their time in a unique, thought-provoking manner
• Surrealist and Magic Realist art influenced popular culture, including film, literature, and advertising, by introducing unconventional imagery and themes
• The use of juxtaposition and dreamlike elements in Surrealism paved the way for the development of Pop Art in the 1960s
• Magic Realism's focus on creating a sense of wonder or unease within realistic settings influenced the development of American literature, particularly in the works of writers like Gabriel García Márquez and Toni Morrison
• The psychological themes and symbolic imagery in Surrealist and Magic Realist art contributed to a growing interest in psychoanalysis and the exploration of the mind in American culture
• The movements' emphasis on individuality and the power of the imagination resonated with the American spirit of self-expression and non-conformity

Comparison with European Surrealism

• American Surrealism often incorporated uniquely American themes, subjects, and styles, such as references to Native American art and the American landscape
• European Surrealism tended to be more politically engaged, with artists like André Breton and Louis Aragon actively involved in Communist and anti-Fascist movements
  • American Surrealists were less overtly political, focusing more on personal expression and psychological themes
• American Surrealism was more closely tied to the development of Magic Realism, which blended Surrealist elements with realistic settings and subjects
• European Surrealists placed a greater emphasis on automatism and the exploration of the unconscious mind through techniques like automatic writing and drawing
• American artists often combined Surrealist techniques with other styles, such as Precisionism and Social Realism, creating hybrid forms unique to the American context
• The influence of Freudian psychoanalysis was more pronounced in European Surrealism, while American artists drew inspiration from a wider range of psychological and philosophical ideas
• American Surrealism was more readily accepted by the mainstream art world, with major museums and galleries exhibiting Surrealist works, while European Surrealism faced greater resistance from traditional art institutions

Legacy and Modern Interpretations

• Surrealism and Magic Realism continue to influence contemporary artists who explore dreamlike imagery, psychological themes, and the blurring of reality and fantasy
• The use of juxtaposition and unexpected combinations in Surrealist art has become a staple of modern advertising and graphic design
• The Surrealist emphasis on the power of the imagination and the importance of individual expression has shaped the way we understand creativity and artistic innovation
• Magic Realism has become a global phenomenon, with artists and writers from various cultures incorporating fantastical elements into otherwise realistic settings
• The legacy of Surrealism and Magic Realism can be seen in the works of contemporary artists like Cindy Sherman, David Lynch, and Guillermo del Toro, who explore the uncanny, the dreamlike, and the mysterious in their respective media
• The movements' focus on the subconscious mind and the exploration of hidden desires and fears continues to resonate with modern audiences, reflecting ongoing interest in the complexities of the human psyche
• The influence of Surrealism and Magic Realism extends beyond the visual arts, inspiring modern literature, film, music, and performance art that seek to challenge perceptions of reality and explore the boundaries of the imagination