10.6 Surrealism and politics

Surrealism's political roots run deep, intertwining art and activism. The movement emerged as a radical response to societal norms, drawing inspiration from Marxism and reacting to World War I's horrors. Surrealists aimed to merge dreams and reality in both art and politics.

Surrealist politics challenged authority, critiqued capitalism, and supported revolutionary causes. Key figures like André Breton shaped the movement's direction, while manifestos outlined its principles. Surrealism's legacy continues to influence modern activism and social movements.

Origins of surrealist politics

• Surrealist politics emerged as a radical response to societal norms and political structures in the early 20th century
• Rooted in the avant-garde art movement, surrealist politics sought to revolutionize both artistic expression and social consciousness
• Surrealists aimed to merge the realms of dream and reality, applying this principle to their political ideologies

Influence of Marxism

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• Adopted key Marxist concepts such as class struggle and alienation in capitalist society
• Embraced the idea of dialectical materialism as a method for understanding social and historical processes
• Incorporated Marxist critique of bourgeois culture into surrealist art and literature
• Viewed revolution as a means to liberate both the individual and collective unconscious
  • Emphasized the role of the proletariat in bringing about social change

Reaction to World War I

• Developed as a direct response to the horrors and irrationality of World War I
• Rejected the nationalist fervor that led to the conflict
• Sought to expose the absurdity of war through dream-like imagery and illogical juxtapositions
• Emphasized pacifism and international solidarity as alternatives to militarism
  • Explored themes of trauma and psychological impact of war in their works

Anti-bourgeois sentiments

• Criticized middle-class values and conventions as stifling creativity and individual freedom
• Attacked bourgeois morality, particularly regarding sexuality and social norms
• Advocated for the destruction of traditional institutions (family, church, state)
• Promoted a radical reimagining of society based on desire and the unconscious
  • Experimented with automatic writing and drawing to bypass bourgeois rationality

Surrealism as social critique

• Surrealism functioned as a powerful tool for questioning and challenging established social orders
• Utilized shocking imagery and unconventional techniques to provoke thought and disrupt complacency
• Aimed to revolutionize not just art, but all aspects of human experience and social interaction

Challenging societal norms

• Rejected conventional logic and reason in favor of the irrational and the unconscious
• Explored taboo subjects such as sexuality, violence, and death in their works
• Promoted alternative lifestyles and unconventional relationships
• Advocated for mental health reform and criticized psychiatric institutions
  • Celebrated "madness" as a form of creative liberation (André Breton's "Nadja")

Subversion of authority

• Questioned the legitimacy of political, religious, and cultural authorities
• Used humor, irony, and absurdism to undermine established power structures
• Challenged the notion of artistic genius and the cult of individuality
• Promoted collective creation and anonymous works
  • Developed techniques like "exquisite corpse" to subvert individual authorship

Critique of capitalism

• Exposed the dehumanizing effects of capitalist production and consumption
• Rejected the commodification of art and the notion of art as a luxury good
• Advocated for the redistribution of wealth and resources
• Explored alternative economic models based on gift economies and communal living
  • Created surrealist objects to challenge the logic of commodity fetishism (Salvador Dalí's "Lobster Telephone")

Political activism of surrealists

• Surrealists actively engaged in political movements and organizations beyond their artistic endeavors
• Many surrealists saw their art and political activism as inseparable, using their creative skills to further political causes
• Surrealist political activism often led to conflicts with established political parties and movements

Involvement in communist parties

• Many surrealists joined or affiliated with communist parties in various countries
• Participated in workers' demonstrations and strikes
• Contributed to leftist publications and propaganda efforts
• Faced internal conflicts between artistic freedom and party discipline
  • Louis Aragon's transition from surrealism to socialist realism exemplifies these tensions

Anti-fascist stance

• Strongly opposed the rise of fascism in Europe during the 1930s
• Created anti-fascist artworks and literature (Luis Buñuel's "L'Age d'Or")
• Participated in anti-fascist organizations and resistance movements
• Supported the Republican cause during the Spanish Civil War
  • Pablo Picasso's "Guernica" became an iconic anti-fascist surrealist work

Support for revolutionary movements

• Aligned with various revolutionary causes worldwide
• Expressed solidarity with anti-colonial struggles in Africa and Asia
• Supported indigenous rights movements in the Americas
• Advocated for workers' rights and labor unions
  • Frida Kahlo's paintings often incorporated revolutionary symbolism and Mexican folk art

Surrealist manifestos and politics

• Surrealist manifestos served as crucial documents outlining the movement's artistic and political principles
• These manifestos evolved over time, reflecting changes in the surrealist movement's political orientations
• Manifestos often caused controversy and led to debates within and outside the surrealist circle

First Surrealist Manifesto

• Written by André Breton in 1924, established the foundational principles of surrealism
• Defined surrealism as "pure psychic automatism" and emphasized the importance of dreams
• Criticized rationalism and called for a revolution of consciousness
• Included a list of surrealist predecessors (Lautréamont, Rimbaud, Jarry)
  • Proposed surrealist techniques such as automatic writing and dream recording

Second Surrealist Manifesto

• Published by Breton in 1929, marked a shift towards more explicit political engagement
• Declared surrealism's alignment with historical materialism and the communist revolution
• Criticized former surrealists who had abandoned the movement's revolutionary goals
• Emphasized the need for both inner and outer revolution
  • Introduced the concept of "convulsive beauty" as a surrealist aesthetic principle

Political declarations

• Issued numerous political statements and open letters throughout the movement's history
• Addressed contemporary issues such as colonialism, war, and social injustice
• Often led to collaborations or conflicts with other political and artistic groups
• Included declarations of support for various revolutionary causes worldwide
  • "Declaration on the Right to Insubordination in the Algerian War" (1960) opposed French colonialism

Key political figures in surrealism

• Certain individuals within the surrealist movement played crucial roles in shaping its political direction
• These figures often faced personal and ideological conflicts as they navigated between art and politics
• Their political evolution reflects the broader tensions within surrealism and leftist movements of the time

André Breton's leadership

• Founded and led the surrealist movement, shaping its artistic and political direction
• Maintained a complex relationship with communist parties, joining and leaving the French Communist Party
• Developed the concept of "mad love" as a revolutionary force in both personal and political spheres
• Organized international surrealist exhibitions and conferences
  • Collaborated with Leon Trotsky on the manifesto "For an Independent Revolutionary Art" (1938)

Louis Aragon's communist turn

• Initially a key figure in surrealism, later became a staunch supporter of the French Communist Party
• Abandoned surrealist techniques in favor of socialist realism in his writing
• Served as a cultural ambassador for the Soviet Union
• His shift caused significant controversy within the surrealist movement
  • Wrote "Le Paysan de Paris" (1926), a surrealist novel, before his communist conversion

Paul Éluard's resistance poetry

• Combined surrealist imagery with political themes in his poetry
• Played an active role in the French Resistance during World War II
• Wrote clandestine poems that became anthems of the resistance movement
• Maintained a balance between surrealist experimentation and political engagement
  • His poem "Liberté" was airdropped over occupied France by Allied forces

Surrealism and colonialism

• Surrealism had a complex and often contradictory relationship with colonialism and non-Western cultures
• The movement both critiqued European imperialism and at times reproduced colonial attitudes
• Surrealists' engagement with non-Western art and cultures significantly influenced their artistic and political perspectives

Critique of European imperialism

• Condemned European colonial practices and exploitation of indigenous peoples
• Supported anti-colonial movements and independence struggles
• Exposed the hypocrisy of Western claims to civilization and progress
• Used surrealist techniques to subvert colonial narratives and stereotypes
  • René Magritte's "The Treachery of Images" challenged Western representations of reality

Fascination with non-Western cultures

• Drawn to indigenous art, myths, and spiritual practices from Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
• Collected and exhibited non-Western artifacts, often without full cultural context
• Sought inspiration from non-Western approaches to dreams, magic, and the unconscious
• Viewed non-Western cultures as alternatives to European rationalism and materialism
  • Max Ernst's incorporation of Hopi kachina dolls in his paintings exemplifies this fascination

Primitivism vs anti-colonialism

• Struggled with the tension between romanticizing "primitive" cultures and supporting their political autonomy
• Criticized the exploitation of non-Western art by European museums and collectors
• Advocated for the preservation of indigenous cultures threatened by colonialism
• Attempted to reconcile surrealist aesthetics with anti-colonial politics
  • Aimé Césaire's fusion of surrealism and négritude in his poetry addressed this complex relationship

Surrealism during World War II

• World War II profoundly impacted the surrealist movement, scattering its members and reshaping its political focus
• Surrealists engaged in various forms of resistance against fascism and Nazism
• The war experience led to significant shifts in surrealist thought and practice in the post-war period

Exile and diaspora

• Many surrealists fled Europe to escape Nazi persecution and war
• New York became a temporary center for surrealist activity during the war years
• Exile communities formed in Mexico, the Caribbean, and other parts of the Americas
• The diaspora led to new collaborations and influences on local art scenes
  • André Breton's stay in Martinique influenced Aimé Césaire and the Négritude movement

Resistance activities

• Surrealists participated in various forms of resistance against Nazi occupation
• Created underground publications and distributed clandestine artworks
• Some joined armed resistance groups or provided support to Jewish refugees
• Used surrealist techniques to create coded messages and propaganda
  • Claude Cahun's photomontages and leaflets undermined Nazi morale in occupied Jersey

Post-war political shifts

• The experience of war led many surrealists to reassess their political positions
• Some became disillusioned with communism after the revelations of Stalinist atrocities
• Increased focus on individual freedom and existentialist themes in surrealist works
• Explored new forms of political engagement, including environmentalism and anti-nuclear activism
  • Roberto Matta's paintings evolved to address themes of cosmic consciousness and technological anxiety

Legacy of surrealist politics

• Surrealist political ideas and practices continued to influence various social and cultural movements after the movement's decline
• The fusion of art and politics pioneered by surrealists remained a powerful model for later generations of activists and artists
• Surrealist techniques and concepts were adapted to address new political challenges in the post-war world

Influence on 1960s counterculture

• Surrealist ideas of liberation and revolution resonated with the youth movements of the 1960s
• Psychedelic art and music incorporated surrealist techniques and imagery
• The concept of "revolution of everyday life" influenced situationist theory and practice
• Beat poets and writers drew inspiration from surrealist automatic writing
  • The Beatles' "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" exemplifies surrealist influence in popular music

Impact on civil rights movements

• Surrealist emphasis on freedom and authenticity inspired civil rights activists
• African American writers and artists adapted surrealist techniques to explore racial identity
• Feminist surrealists challenged gender norms and patriarchal structures
• LGBTQ+ artists used surrealist methods to express queer experiences and desires
  • Audre Lorde's poetry combined surrealist imagery with explorations of Black female identity

Surrealism in contemporary activism

• Modern activists continue to use surrealist tactics in political protests and social media campaigns
• Culture jamming and détournement draw on surrealist subversion of mainstream imagery
• Environmental movements employ surrealist visualizations to highlight ecological crises
• Anti-capitalist groups use surrealist humor and absurdism to critique global economic systems
  • Adbusters magazine's "subvertisements" apply surrealist techniques to critique consumer culture

Controversies and internal conflicts

• The surrealist movement was marked by numerous internal conflicts and ideological debates
• These controversies often reflected broader political tensions of the time
• Disagreements led to expulsions, splinter groups, and the eventual fragmentation of the movement

Expulsions from surrealist group

• André Breton frequently expelled members for perceived ideological or artistic transgressions
• Expulsions often resulted from conflicts between artistic freedom and political orthodoxy
• Some expelled members formed rival surrealist groups or joined other artistic movements
• The practice of expulsion was itself criticized as authoritarian by some surrealists
  • Salvador Dalí's expulsion in 1934 for his perceived fascist sympathies was a notable example

Ideological disagreements

• Debates over the relationship between surrealism and communism caused significant rifts
• Disagreements arose over the role of occultism and mysticism in surrealist practice
• Tensions between artistic experimentation and political commitment led to factional disputes
• Conflicting views on the nature of revolution and social change divided the movement
  • The break between André Breton and Louis Aragon exemplified ideological conflicts within surrealism

Surrealism vs political realism

• Surrealists struggled to reconcile their commitment to the irrational with demands for political pragmatism
• Debates over the effectiveness of surrealist techniques in achieving concrete political goals
• Criticism from orthodox Marxists who viewed surrealism as bourgeois decadence
• Attempts to synthesize surrealist methods with more direct forms of political action
  • The tension between surrealism and socialist realism in the Soviet Union highlighted this conflict

Surrealist art as political expression

• Surrealist artists developed unique visual languages to convey political messages and critiques
• The fusion of dreamlike imagery with political content created powerful and often controversial works
• Surrealist art challenged viewers to reconsider their political and social assumptions through unexpected juxtapositions and symbolism

Visual propaganda techniques

• Adapted traditional propaganda methods to create subversive and thought-provoking images
• Used collage and photomontage to critique mass media and political rhetoric
• Employed shocking or absurd imagery to draw attention to political issues
• Created posters and pamphlets for various political causes and demonstrations
  • John Heartfield's anti-Nazi photomontages exemplified surrealist propaganda techniques

Symbolic representation of politics

• Developed complex systems of personal and collective symbolism to represent political ideas
• Used anthropomorphic figures and hybrid creatures to embody political concepts
• Transformed everyday objects into charged political symbols through unexpected contexts
• Created dreamlike landscapes that reflected social and political anxieties
  • René Magritte's "The Son of Man" subtly critiqued bourgeois conformity through symbolic imagery

Subversive imagery in paintings

• Challenged traditional artistic conventions to undermine established political narratives
• Used distorted perspectives and impossible scenarios to question reality and authority
• Incorporated elements of chance and automatism to bypass conscious censorship
• Explored taboo subjects and repressed desires as forms of social and political critique
  • Max Ernst's "Europe After the Rain II" depicted a post-apocalyptic landscape as a commentary on war and fascism