PHIL 4435 Surrealism

Emphasizing imagination and creativity, Surrealism was an avant-garde art movement in the early 20th century. More than just an art movement, however, its founders saw Surrealism as a revolution, a way of life, a way of seeing and experiencing the world. In its original conception, Surrealism was the attempt to combine Freudian psychoanalytic theory with Marxist social theory. It was at heart a critique of modernity, western hyperrationality, and rampant consumerism. Beginning in poetry and literature, Surrealism quickly spread into the visual arts, cinema, and theater. In this course students will begin with Freud's work on dream analysis and his theory of the unconscious as well as Marx's critique of alienation. We will explore the work and theories of diverse visual artists, playwrights, filmmakers, and poets. We will view their works, hear their own descriptions of what they were up to, and consider the critical and philosophical reception of this important movement that continues to inspire artists of all genres today.

Credits

3