Surrealism and Magic: Enchanted Modernity

(Hardback)

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This beautifully illustrated new volume on the Surrealist movement uncovers the influence magic, myth and the occult had on its development. Like no other 20th-century movement, Surrealism was keenly inspired by tropes of magic, myth and the occult. In their engagement with the irrational and the unconscious, numerous of its members looked to magic as a poetic and deeply philosophical discourse, related to both arcane knowledge and individual self-empowerment. In their works, they heavily drew on esoteric symbols and cultivated the image of the artist as a magician, visionary, and alchemist. This catalogue explores the myriad ways, in which magic and the occult informed the development of the Surrealist movement in international perspective, from the "metaphysical paintings" of Giorgio de Chirico through to works of the post-war period. Lavishly illustrated, it combines longer research essays with focused chapter introductions, all penned by leading scholars in the field. Amongst the many fascinating artists included in the volume are Victor Brauner, Leonora Carrington, Paul Delvaux, Salvador Dali, Max Ernst, Leonor Fini, Rene Magritte, Roberto Matta, Kay Sage, Kurt Seligmann, Dorothea Tanning, Yves Tanguy, and Remedios Varo. SELLING POINTS: . Surrealism is one of the most intruiging artistic movements of the twentieth century, and this book takes an interesting, original approach to the artwork it produced . This book combines surrealist art with in-depth essays from leading academics about how it has been inspired by magic and the occult . This is a catalogue to go with a major European exhibition, allowing readers to understand the relationship between surrealism and magic . This book includes some of the most renowned surrealist artists including Max Ernst, Leonora Carrington, Salvador Dal, and Ren Magritte 200 colour illustrations