Surrealism is a cultural movement that developed in Europe in 1924 in which artists depicted fantastical, unexpected scenes expressed by the subconscious. In the United States, Surrealism gained wide popularity when European Surrealist exiles fled to New York during World War II.

Surrealism balances a rational vision of life with one of the unconscious and dreams. The movement’s artists find magic and beauty in the unexpected and the uncanny, the disregarded and the unconventional. Surrealist artworks defy logic and challenge ways of thinking. They transport us to other places and dimensions in unexpected ways, merging the everyday world with an eerie dream world, and channeling the subconscious mind as a means to unlock the power of the imagination. Surrealist art tricks our eyes, leading us to question what we are looking at, and asks us to try and make sense of what is not entirely rational but full of deep symbolism. 

After WWII, Surrealism was declared dead in New York, but remained a significant force in other parts of the country, notably in Chicago and the greater Midwest where a group of artists whose work was based on fantasy and mystery emerged in the late forties.

Its impact can still be felt in the art of today, to which some of the fundamental characteristics of Surrealism, such as the exploration of dreams and the irrational as a source of artistic creation, have remained central. Surrealism has become a normal part of everyday life through movies, books, technology, design, and all forms of creativity.

In Surrealism from the CMA Collection, transcend the everyday and be entranced by unique works from our collection that capture some of the most fantastical, dreamlike elements of surrealism. Although surrealism takes its roots in the early 20th century, this exhibit pays homage not only to that history, but also the many contemporary artists who incorporate elements of surrealism into their art. 

Images from top to bottom:

Bob Davis, Contradictions?

Sigmund Shawkey, Remnants of Yesterday

Alessandro Gallo, Gently Down the Stream

Kay Sage, Questions Going Nowhere

John Jude Palencar, Not Flesh nor Feathers

Kristen Cliffel, The Navigator

Thumbnail image: Paul Spina, Untitled Good & Plenty Drawing