G A L L E R Y 4 2 P R E S E N T S
D A L Í A N D S U R R E A L I S M
P A R A L L E L M I S U N D E R S T A N D I N G S
I N 2 0 T H C E N T U R Y A R T
Following the success of his last talk, In The Footsteps Of Monet , Steve Lawson will bring together the culmination of his first term at Goldsmiths along with his knowledge of Dalí and Surrealism to bring you this exciting talk, which promises to arouse a great debate amongst attendants.
Catalan Master Salvador Dalí played a very important role both as a Surrealist and in 20th Century Art as a whole. By focussing first on Surrealism and then on Dalí himself, Steve will be able to relate important years and events (in the art world) of the 20th Century, as well as important and controversial artists including Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and Richard Prince, to the very artist who 'invented' commercialism in the art world; even if not its inventor, Dalí was certainly its most resounding pioneer, paving the way for such artists and their careers. He created the figure of the mad artist, and his ability to cotton onto social, political and geographical trends kept him in the public eye for almost his entire career.
By honing his motifs and keeping a close eye on the times in which he lived, Dalí was not unlike Monet in eventually being 'the last member left' (of Surrealism and Impressionism respectively). What remains the same now as it was then is the misunderstanding some people experience when they look at his work - this is the same when people view the art of many prominent 20th Century artists, especially those working around the time of the 'transition' from Modernism to Postmodernism. It is largely the case with Surrealism as a whole - but this is not a flaw of Surrealism, which instead invites the viewer to experience the free thoughts of the artist. Rather, galleries and establishments ought to contribute further in outlining the great visual and mentally stimulating power that is found in this great moment. Whilst the symbols have definitive meanings, their association with the viewer and their relationships to other art offer an infinite sea of re-evaluation and interpretation.
How did Dalí sustain? Can we draw parallels between misunderstandings across this great and diverse hundred year period? Steve will take you on a fantastic journey into the dreamscapes, the comic strip canvases and The Factory and explain why Dalí is the answer to it all.
Ticket details below.