surrealism and the artist: rene magritte. surrealism is a 20th-century literary and artistic...

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