SURREALISM And the artist: RENE MAGRITTE

Surrealism is a 20th-century literary and artistic movement Surrealism is a 20th-century literary and artistic movement that attempted to express the workings of the subconscious by using fantastic imagery and the startling juxtaposition of subject matter.

Surrealism is a term that refers to a heightened sense of reality; translated from French, the term means: “over- realism”-- a vision of reality that takes over the ordinary! Surrealism is a term that refers to a heightened sense of reality; translated from French, the term means: “over- realism”-- a vision of reality that takes over the ordinary!

RENE MAGRITTE (pronounced: rna mägrt, ) "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 was a Belgian surrealist painter. He painted in a realistic style. While the objects appear to the viewer to be recognizable, the composition of those recognizable objects appears fantastic. He painted in a realistic style. While the objects appear to the viewer to be recognizable, the composition of those recognizable objects appears fantastic.

His paintings are expressive for their juxtaposition (joining 2 unrelated things to each other) of common objects, often altered in scale, and placed in absurd settings. Magritte is deeply interested in the process of thought, and his paintings His paintings are expressive for their juxtaposition (joining 2 unrelated things to each other) of common objects, often altered in scale, and placed in absurd settings. Magritte is deeply interested in the process of thought, and his paintings tend to raise the awareness of the viewer to their own thought processes.

More often than not, Magritte chose ordinary things from which to construct his works - trees, chairs, tables, doors, windows, shoes, shelves, landscapes, people. He wanted to be understood via these ordinary things, but he also wanted to shock and surprise his viewers. More often than not, Magritte chose ordinary things from which to construct his works - trees, chairs, tables, doors, windows, shoes, shelves, landscapes, people. He wanted to be understood via these ordinary things, but he also wanted to shock and surprise his viewers.

Surrealistic Techniques - “ How to make the ordinary look extraordinary ” Scale Scale Levitation Levitation Juxtaposition Juxtaposition Dislocation Dislocation Transparency Transparency Transformation Transformation

SCALE Changing an object ’ s scale, or relative size.

SCALE

Personal Values SCALE

LEVITATION Floating objects that don ’ t normally float

LEVITATION

Golconde LEVITATION

JUXTAPOSITION Joining two images together in impossible combinations

JUXTAPOSITION

DISLOCATION Taking an object form its usual environment and placing it in an unfamiliar one

DISLOCATION

TRANSPARENCY Making objects transparent that are not usually transparent

TRANSPARENCY

TRANSFORMATION Changing objects in unusual way

TRANSFORMATION