Surrealism

Surrealism started in the 1920’s as a movement in painting, writing, dance, film, and all aspects of art.  It was known for its element of surprise, imagination, and unexpected juxtapositions that make its audience question art.  In visual art, its images are usually ugly, confusing, fantastic, subconscious; not usually ‘pretty’ images.

Artist Rene Magritte, a surreal artist, was known for combining objects that don’t go together.  He would paint an umbrella with a glass of water, raining men with bowler hats, a man with a pumpkin for a head, or a train leaving a fireplace.  Confused by these images and ideas?  Exactly!  The students were not told the lesson, but told to write down some nouns that DON’T go together on a scrap of paper; bumble bees and coffee, rocks and pencils, soda and dandelions, unicorns and toenails.  Brainstorming together is challenging, but produces great results. Combining these images is a way for the students to create and understand surrealism. The students were asked to pick their favorite images and draw them with pencil.