Surrealism: Art

Surrealist art generally falls into two distinct categories based on how the artist accesses the subconscious:

: Heavily influenced by Sigmund Freud's theories of psychoanalysis, Surrealists viewed the unconscious as the wellspring of imagination. ART SURREALISM

The movement emerged as a reaction to the trauma of World War I and the perceived failure of "rational" thought that led to such destruction. Surrealist art generally falls into two distinct categories

: This style is more abstract and focuses on spontaneous creation. Artists like Joan Miró and Jean Arp used "biomorphic" shapes that were suggestive rather than definite, allowing the viewer's own associations to complete the image. Surrealism: everything you need to know - Christie's Artists like Joan Miró and Jean Arp used

: Artists like Salvador Dalí and René Magritte painted dreamlike, impossible scenes with "photographic precision". By depicting the irrational in a realistic way, they forced viewers to question their perception of reality.

: Beyond art, it was a philosophical and political movement (often associated with communism and anarchism) that stood for personal and social liberation.