Un Chien Andalou
1927
Surrealism
35mm Film
The Museum of Modern Art, New York, USA

Dali had acquired an education in art by the age of 24 and was inspired by Picasso to practice his own interpretation of Cubism and utilize Surrealist ideas and concepts in his paintings. It was also at this time he joined with Luis Buñuel, a film director, to create something radically new – a film that veered from the traditional narrative into dream logic, lack of plot, non-sequential scenes, and free association. Recreating an ethereal setting, “Un Chien Andalou” presents images in montaged clips that jostle reality and tap the unconsciousness, shocking the viewer awake and even soliciting feelings of discomfort as if in a nightmare. The film was a sensation and gained Dali entrance to the most creative group of Parisian artists of the time, the Surrealists. “Un Chien Andalou” is recognised as the first Surrealist film and remains in prominent in the canon of experimental filmmaking.

Salvador Dali
Surrealism, Surrealist Sculpture, Biomorphism, Assemblage
Born: 11 May 1904, Catalonia, Spain
Nationality: Spanish
Died: 23 January 1989, Catalonia, Spain

Dali was a surrealist artist known for his technical skill, precision draftsmanship, and the striking and often bizarre nature of his images. Initially influenced by Impressionism and the Renaissance he became increasingly interested in Cubism and the avant-garde movements of the time. By the late 1920s, he joined the Surrealist group of artists and became one of its leading exponents