9.6 Juxtaposition and metamorphosis

Juxtaposition and metamorphosis are key techniques in Surrealism and Dada. These methods challenge reality by creating unexpected connections between disparate elements, aiming to unlock the subconscious mind and reveal hidden truths.

Artists use various approaches to juxtaposition and metamorphosis across different mediums. These techniques disrupt logical thinking, explore the fluidity of identity, and continue to influence contemporary art and popular culture.

Definition of juxtaposition

• Juxtaposition emerges as a cornerstone technique in Surrealism and Dada, challenging conventional perceptions of reality
• Surrealist artists employ juxtaposition to create unexpected connections between disparate elements, provoking thought and emotion
• This technique serves as a visual manifestation of the movement's goal to access the unconscious mind and reveal hidden truths

Origins in surrealism

Top images from around the web for Origins in surrealism

• 

  Surrealist automatism - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  La biblioteca del psicoanalista y su escritorio: André Breton. Diccionario del surrealismo View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Surrealist automatism - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  La biblioteca del psicoanalista y su escritorio: André Breton. Diccionario del surrealismo View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 2

Top images from around the web for Origins in surrealism

• 

  Surrealist automatism - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  La biblioteca del psicoanalista y su escritorio: André Breton. Diccionario del surrealismo View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Surrealist automatism - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  La biblioteca del psicoanalista y su escritorio: André Breton. Diccionario del surrealismo View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 2

• Emerges from André Breton's Surrealist Manifesto in 1924, emphasizing the importance of unexpected combinations
• Influenced by Freudian psychoanalysis, juxtaposition aims to unlock the subconscious mind through visual shock
• Dada movement's rejection of logic and reason paves the way for Surrealism's embrace of juxtaposition
• Early Surrealist experiments with automatic writing inspire visual artists to apply similar principles to their work

Contrast vs comparison

• Juxtaposition in Surrealism often emphasizes stark contrasts rather than subtle comparisons
• Contrasts create cognitive dissonance, forcing viewers to reconcile seemingly incompatible elements
• Comparison aspects of juxtaposition reveal hidden similarities between disparate objects or concepts
• Surrealist juxtaposition blurs the line between contrast and comparison, challenging viewers' perceptions
• Examples include combining organic and inorganic forms (Dalí's soft watches) or blending human and animal features (Ernst's bird-headed figures)

Techniques of juxtaposition

• Surrealist artists develop various methods to create jarring and thought-provoking juxtapositions in their work
• These techniques span multiple artistic mediums, from painting and sculpture to literature and film
• Juxtaposition serves as a tool for Surrealists to disrupt logical thinking and access the realm of dreams and the unconscious

Visual juxtaposition

• Collage techniques combine unrelated images to create new, surreal compositions
• Scale manipulation places objects in unexpected size relationships (Magritte's oversized apples)
• Incongruous settings place familiar objects in bizarre environments (Dalí's melting clocks in a desert landscape)
• Hybridization merges different objects or beings to create chimeric forms
• Color juxtaposition uses contrasting hues to create visual tension and emphasize surreal elements

Literary juxtaposition

• Automatic writing combines unrelated words and phrases to create stream-of-consciousness texts
• Surrealist poetry employs unexpected word pairings to evoke powerful imagery and emotions
• Cut-up technique randomly combines text fragments to generate new meanings (William Burroughs)
• Paradoxical statements challenge logical thinking and conventional language use
• Metaphorical juxtaposition creates striking comparisons between disparate concepts

Conceptual juxtaposition

• Combines abstract ideas or concepts to challenge established thought patterns
• Juxtaposes different time periods or historical events to create anachronistic scenarios
• Merges scientific concepts with mythological or religious imagery
• Explores the intersection of reality and dreams through conceptual contrasts
• Challenges social norms by juxtaposing conflicting cultural elements

Metamorphosis in surrealism

• Metamorphosis emerges as a central theme in Surrealist art, reflecting the movement's fascination with transformation and fluidity
• Surrealist artists use metamorphosis to explore the boundaries between reality and imagination, conscious and unconscious
• This concept allows for the visual representation of psychological processes and dream-like states

Transformation of forms

• Depicts objects or beings in various stages of change or mutation
• Blends organic and inorganic forms to create hybrid entities (Dalí's "Swans Reflecting Elephants")
• Uses visual ambiguity to suggest multiple interpretations of a single form
• Employs techniques like morphing, melting, or dissolving to show transformation in progress
• Explores the concept of anamorphosis, where distorted images reveal hidden forms from specific viewpoints

Fluidity of identity

• Challenges fixed notions of personal identity through shape-shifting figures
• Explores the concept of the fragmented self through multiple or distorted representations
• Depicts human figures merging with their environment or other objects
• Uses masks, reflections, and shadows to suggest alternate identities or hidden aspects of the self
• Incorporates gender fluidity and androgyny to question societal norms and expectations

Key artists and works

• Surrealist movement features numerous influential artists who pioneered unique approaches to juxtaposition and metamorphosis
• These artists' works exemplify the core principles of Surrealism while showcasing individual styles and techniques
• Their creations continue to inspire and influence contemporary art and popular culture

Max Ernst's collages

• Develops the technique of "frottage" to create textured, dreamlike landscapes
• "Une Semaine de Bonté" (1934) combines Victorian engravings to create surreal narratives
• "The Robing of the Bride" (1940) juxtaposes human and animal forms in a ritualistic scene
• Employs "grattage" technique to scrape paint and reveal unexpected textures and forms
• "The Elephant Celebes" (1921) combines mechanical and organic elements in a surreal landscape

René Magritte's paintings

• "The Treachery of Images" (1929) juxtaposes image and text to challenge representation
• "The Son of Man" (1964) obscures a portrait with a floating apple, creating visual tension
• "Golconda" (1953) depicts raining men in bowler hats, juxtaposing the ordinary with the impossible
• "The Lovers" (1928) shows kissing figures with shrouded faces, exploring identity and intimacy
• "The Empire of Light" (1953-54) juxtaposes day and night scenes in a single image

Salvador Dalí's metamorphoses

• "The Persistence of Memory" (1931) features melting clocks in a barren landscape
• "Swans Reflecting Elephants" (1937) uses reflection to create metamorphic illusions
• "Metamorphosis of Narcissus" (1937) depicts the mythological figure transforming into a flower
• "Apparition of Face and Fruit Dish on a Beach" (1938) creates multiple images within a single composition
• "Dream Caused by the Flight of a Bee Around a Pomegranate a Second Before Awakening" (1944) combines dreamlike elements with realistic rendering

Psychological aspects

• Surrealism draws heavily from psychological theories, particularly those of Sigmund Freud
• The movement seeks to explore the unconscious mind through artistic expression
• Juxtaposition and metamorphosis serve as visual representations of psychological processes and dream states

Freudian influence

• Incorporates concepts of the id, ego, and superego into visual narratives
• Explores the idea of the uncanny (unheimlich) through strange juxtapositions
• Uses symbolism derived from Freudian dream interpretation (phallic symbols, maternal imagery)
• Depicts the process of free association through unexpected visual combinations
• Represents the concept of repression through partially obscured or distorted imagery

Unconscious associations

• Employs automatic drawing and writing to access the unconscious mind
• Creates visual puzzles that invite viewers to form their own psychological connections
• Uses archetypal imagery to tap into collective unconscious (Carl Jung's influence)
• Explores the concept of pareidolia, finding meaningful patterns in random stimuli
• Represents the fluidity of thought processes through metamorphic imagery

Impact on other art movements

• Surrealism's techniques of juxtaposition and metamorphosis influence subsequent artistic movements
• These concepts continue to resonate in contemporary art, challenging viewers' perceptions and expectations
• The legacy of Surrealism extends beyond visual arts into literature, film, and popular culture

Influence on pop art

• Appropriates Surrealist techniques of juxtaposition to comment on consumer culture
• Andy Warhol's repetitive imagery echoes Surrealist exploration of the uncanny
• Roy Lichtenstein's comic book-inspired works juxtapose high and low art forms
• Claes Oldenburg's oversized sculptures recall Surrealist scale manipulation
• Richard Hamilton's collages combine elements of Surrealist and Pop aesthetics

Legacy in contemporary art

• Neo-Surrealism movement continues to explore juxtaposition and metamorphosis (Mark Ryden, Jacek Yerka)
• Digital art and photomanipulation techniques enable new forms of surreal juxtaposition
• Installation art incorporates Surrealist principles to create immersive, dreamlike environments
• Contemporary artists use Surrealist techniques to address social and political issues
• Surrealist influence evident in magical realism literature and cinema