Influential and expressive Spanish Surrealist artist, Salvador Dalí, was a painter, sculptor, and film writer alongside his friend, Luis Buñuel. During the Surrealist art movement of 1924, Dalí was at the heart and soul, pushing to share wild dreamscape paintings and avant-garde sculptures across Europe. Dalí’s imagination drew toward the ideas of Sigmund Freud and André Breton, the creator of the Surrealist mindset and movement. “He sought to create in his art a specific documentation of Freudian theories applied to his own inner world.” (Arnason, H. Mansfield, E. 2012). Through this idea, Dalí grew into the most well-known Surrealist artist in history.
Before his fame in the Surrealism community, Salvador Dalí studied at the Madrid’s Academy of Fine Art during the early 1920s. Dalí continued his career by creating pieces such as The Persistence of Memory (1931) and, Apparatus and Hand (1927). Throughout his lifetime, he expanded the minds of future artists through the Freudian theory to create optical illusional imageries in his artwork that continued to inspire others for decades.
As Salvador Dalí expanded his work to new heights after his abrupt exit from the Surrealist movement, he carried his melting watches, obscure figures, and sunset settings to the following generations of artists. Dalí’s work can be perceived from various perspectives and appreciated for its artistry, and Christians can view his passion as a mindset for faith. Dalí was intrigued by dreams, philosophy, and physique, and he utilized every inspiration to create his most stunning works. As Christians in the 21st century, believers can put the same passion into spreading the gospel through art. “Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!” (Psalm 96:3, ESV Bible). Reflecting God’s Word through art could be as passionate and bold as Dalí’s artworks.
For more articles on Salvador Dalí please visit:
Museum of Modern Art Salvador Dalí: https://www.moma.org/artists/1364 & The Dalí (Salvador Dalí Museum): https://thedali.org/
Hannah J. Pasquini © 2022
References:
Arnason, H., H. and Elizabeth C. Mansfield. History of Modern Art. Available from: Liberty University Online Bookshelf, (7th Edition). Pearson Education (US), 2012. https://libertyonline.vitalsource.com/reader/books/9780205953233/pageid/328
The English Standard (ESV) Bible Psalm 96:3
