I was having a discussion with a friend about how these classical era paintings and specific type of artworks are sold for absurd amounts in fancy auction houses. The discussion meandered from ulterior motives to hidden agendas to straight up conspiracy theories. At which point we had to let it go. Even though how big of an art historian we both considered ourselves to be.
Not long after, Mike Winkelmann, widely known as Beeple managed to sell his collage of artworks for USD 69 million at Christie’s in New York. The collage was made up of the first 5000 digital paintings of Beeple’s 13-year-long project where he creates a thought-provoking piece of digital art every day. It was appropriately named as ‘Everydays – The First 5000 Days’.
The transaction made headlines in the art scene all around the globe. I’ve been following Beeple for almost six years now. His work, unlike any other graphic designer is the most captivating for me. Reason – Blending modern technology with surrealistic artform. Of all the art movements in history, I’m gravitated the most towards Monet’s Impressionism, Van Gogh’s Post Impressionism and in this case, Surrealism.
For quoting a relevant example, let’s look at the modern mass media. American artist James Seehafer coined the term ‘Massurrealism’ in 1992 referring to the artworks that combined surrealistic themes with new age media and pop culture. For instance, Skie Graphic Studios combine Vaporwave, Neon and Cyberpunk aesthetics to form their own art.
Certain music videos have also experimented with this idea. Music videos are a weird artform. They’re often just a promotional add-on to a medium that works just fine on its own. In fact, I think, most of the times music works better without visuals. Videos seem to limit the song somehow. For me at least. They close down the possible ways one can experience the music.
Biggest counter to this point is the music video for ‘Up&Up’ from our favorite British band Coldplay. The song is from their ambitious LP ‘A Head Full of Dreams’. As mesmerizing and dreamlike the lyrics are, I am absolutely blown away by the artistic mastery in its music video. The fascinating visuals actually expand the experience rather than collapsing it. Combining unexpected objects to create visual contrast – central theme of Surrealism.
Emerging in the aftermath of First World War, Surrealism, at its core, was a revolutionary movement. It provided artists the opportunity to escape the external structures, gaze into the subconscious interiors and explore what’s hidden there. Salvador Dalí, one of the most famous Spanish artists of the 20th century described the process of making a Surrealistic painting as a ‘spontaneous method of irrational knowledge based on the critical and systematic objectivity of the associations and the interpretations of delirious phenomena.’ Dense, I know. In a nutshell, I think, he meant go wild and paint what you feel like.
My favorite and one of the most famous painters of this genre René Magritte never really thought of himself as a painter. More a thinker that used images to express himself. Well versed in philosophical writings from Plato to Michel Foucault, he developed his aesthetic style and used it to investigate and express ideas. Combining the elements which, at first, would seem unnatural draws the viewer to search for meaning behind his paintings.
Witnessing this evolution from 1920s to modern age has been nothing short of marvelous. Artists were fueled by creativity, juxtaposing different concepts together. They used tools the technology of their time allowed them to concoct this ‘hyper creativity’ and tried to cross the boundaries of consciousness.
When I look at ‘The Man in the Hat’ or ‘Golconda’, I think what exactly am I supposed to feel? Similarly, when one looks at a surreal painting and finds herself or himself either skeptical, delighted or any other emotion, ask yourself – what could be concealed in my subconscious that would make me react this way? Who am I and why am I feeling like this? And what does this tell me about the way I relate to the outside world?
Because in the end, a Surrealistic artwork isn’t about the art itself, or even the artist who created it. In truth, it’s all about you.
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