Surrealism
Surrealism is a 20th Century avant-garde art movement that gained prominence after World War I. Born out of Dadaism, a movement predominantly concerned with nihilism, Surrealism pushed the boundaries of art and design, stressing the significance of the unconscious and non-rational thought in art creation. By premising the creative process, such as automatic drawing, over the artistic outcome, Surrealist artists produced uncanny and thought-provoking pieces of art that were enriched with unexpected juxtapositions.
20th Century Surrealist Artist: Meret Oppenheim
In 1936, Meret Oppenheim created the Le Dejeuner en fourrure (Breakfast in Fur). The artwork comprised of a teacup, saucer and spoon cast in animal fur. The unexpected choice of medium for the crockery embodies Surrealism’s rejection of the rational in conjuring the uncanny.
21st Century Surrealist Artist: Betty Hirst
Betty Hirst’s work is a homage to Meret Oppenheim’s Breakfast in fur. Like Oppenheim, Hirst selects an uncanny choice of medium for the crockery, creating the teacup, saucer and spoon in bacon. By creating the crockery in a medium that is prone to rapid decay the practical purpose of the crockery is removed. This, essentially, encapsulates Surrealism’s conceptual point of reference.
References:
http://www.musee-magritte-museum.be/Typo3/index.php?id=8
http://www.paxtonfineart.com/Midrealism/Pages/Surrealism.html
http://newyork.seriouseats.com/2008/11/unrestrained_emotions_of_meat_after_me.html
Sian Williams 