New Surrealism: The Uncanny in Contemporary Painting by American artist and author Robert Zeller offers a sweeping examination of both historical Surrealism and its legacy in the world of contemporary art. Demonstrating the many ways in which the seminal art movement of the last century remains relevant today, the book features an international selection of contemporary artists whose compositions and studio practices reveal its influence.
The book begins with an examination of historical Surrealism's origins, leadership, participating artists, and major milestones. Zeller talks about the movement that started at the end of the First World War and the birth of Dada. The main players and events emerge through the timeline of events – including World War II and such notable artists as Max Ernst, Marcel Duchamp, Leonora Carrington and many others – until the death of its leader Andre Breton in 1966.
There are many forms of historical surrealism that still maintain contemporary currency: Presenting the familiar as unknown and uncanny, the juxtaposition of seemingly unrelated images, the use of absurdity to criticize political or social issues, and the use of erotic images in an irrational, unrelated image. Not all of the artists gathered in this book identify themselves as surrealists per se, but each uses some variation of surrealism in a personal way.
Zeller explores how elements of New Surrealism are put into practice in the contemporary art world. He offers a survey of 29 contemporary artists who engage in New Surrealism's seemingly limitless variations on the movement's original themes, including Rosa Loy, Glenn Brown, and Arghavan Khosravi.
Episode three features 14 artists, including important contemporary artists such as Inka Essenhigh, Ginny Casey and Anna Weyant, who talk about the influence of Surrealism on their studio practice and describe in their own words how they create a composition from start to finish.
Dimensions: 23.5 x 28.5 cm
Pages: 336
Language: English
Author: Robert Zeller
Publisher: Monacelli