surrealism and the artist: rene magritte. surrealism is a 20th-century literary and artistic...
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SURREALISMSURREALISM
And the artist:And the artist:
RENE MAGRITTERENE MAGRITTE
Surrealism is a 20th-century literary and Surrealism is a 20th-century literary and artistic movementartistic movementthat attempted to express the workings of the subconscious by using fantastic imagery andthe startling juxtaposition of subject matter.
Surrealism is a term that refers to a Surrealism is a term that refers to a heightened sense of reality; translated heightened sense of reality; translated from French, the term means: from French, the term means: ““over-over-realismrealism””-- a vision of reality that takes -- a vision of reality that takes over the ordinary!over the ordinary!
RENE RENE MAGRITTEMAGRITTE(pronounced: rna mägrt, (pronounced: rna mägrt,
1898-1967)1898-1967)
"My painting is visible images which conceal nothing; they evoke mystery and, indeed, when one sees one of
my pictures, one asks oneself this simple question 'What does that mean'? It does not mean anything,
because mystery means nothing either, it is unknowable.” - René Magritte
Rene Magritte Rene Magritte was a Belgian was a Belgian
surrealist painter.surrealist painter. He painted in a realistic He painted in a realistic
style. While the objects style. While the objects appear to the viewer to appear to the viewer to
be recognizable, the be recognizable, the composition of those composition of those recognizable objects recognizable objects appears fantastic. appears fantastic.
His paintings are expressive His paintings are expressive for their juxtaposition for their juxtaposition (joining 2 unrelated things (joining 2 unrelated things to each other) of common to each other) of common objects, often altered in objects, often altered in scale, and placed in absurd scale, and placed in absurd settings. Magritte is deeply settings. Magritte is deeply interested in the process of interested in the process of thought, and his paintingsthought, and his paintings
tend to raise the awareness of the viewer to their own thought processes.
More often than not, Magritte More often than not, Magritte chose ordinary things from which chose ordinary things from which
to construct his works - trees, to construct his works - trees, chairs, tables, doors, windows, chairs, tables, doors, windows,
shoes, shelves, landscapes, people. shoes, shelves, landscapes, people. He wanted to be understood via He wanted to be understood via
these ordinary things, but he also these ordinary things, but he also wanted to shock and surprise his wanted to shock and surprise his
viewers.viewers.
Surrealistic Techniques - Surrealistic Techniques - ““How to make the How to make the
ordinary look extraordinaryordinary look extraordinary”” ScaleScale LevitationLevitation
JuxtapositionJuxtaposition DislocationDislocation
TransparencyTransparency TransformationTransformation
SCALESCALEChanging an objectChanging an object’’s s scale, or relative size.scale, or relative size.
SCALE
Personal Values
SCALE
LEVITATIONLEVITATIONFloating objects that Floating objects that dondon’’t normally floatt normally float
LEVITATION
Golconde
LEVITATION
JUXTAPOSITIONJUXTAPOSITION
Joining two images Joining two images together in impossible together in impossible
combinationscombinations
JUXTAPOSITION
DISLOCATIONDISLOCATION
Taking an object form its usual Taking an object form its usual environment and placing it in environment and placing it in
an unfamiliar onean unfamiliar one
DISLOCATION
DISLOCATION
TRANSPARENCYTRANSPARENCY
Making objects transparent that Making objects transparent that are not usually transparentare not usually transparent
TRANSPARENCY
TRANSPARENCY
TRANSFORMATIONTRANSFORMATION
Changing objects in Changing objects in unusual wayunusual way
TRANSFORMATION
TRANSFORMATION