Surrealism Remixed

Today, Russell explores the roots of the movement. The first 'Surrealist Manifesto' was published in Paris in October 1924 by Andre Breton, who presented Surrealism as nothing short of a revolution to liberate mankind, proposing that the world could be re-made by unlocking the power of dreams.

Surrealism emerged when Europe was disfigured by war and Breton and his fellow Surrealists were disillusioned by the strict rationality that had led to mechanised mass destruction. Many of the Surrealists were committed Marxists and, for them, exploring their unconscious minds was a political act, designed to have a revolutionary impact. The Surrealist's desire to remake their world by plumbing the depths of the unconscious mind was also inspired by Sigmund Freud.

While Breton's manifesto was mainly concerned with writing, the ideas of Surrealism were also nurtured by visual artists, including Rene Magritte, Marcel Duchamp, Max Ernst and, most famously, Salvador Dalí. Surrealism rippled out from Paris via the ground-breaking International Surrealist Exhibition in London, during the Summer of 1936. This seemed to open a ‘portal into another way of seeing the world' for many people who were interested in what this would mean for the future.

With Dawn Ades, Louisa Buck, Kate Conley, Martin Creed, Felicity Gee, Darian Leader, Lisa Mullen, Mark Polizzotti, Vic Reeves, David Shrigley, Abigail Susik and Gavin Turk.

A Zinc Audio production for BBC Radio 4

To mark 100 years of surrealism, Russell Tovey is exploring where this mind-bending art movement came from, where it travelled to, and how it has remained relevant.

Today Russell explores the roots of the movement. The first 'Surrealist Manifesto' was published in Paris in October 1924 by Andre Breton, who presented ‘Surrealism' as nothing short of a revolution to liberate mankind, proposing that the world could be re-made by unlocking the power of dreams. Surrealism emerged when Europe was disfigured by war and Breton and his fellow Surrealists were disillusioned by the strict rationality that had led to mechanised mass destruction. Many of the Surrealists were committed Marxists and for them, exploring their unconscious minds was a political act, designed to have a revolutionary impact. The Surrealist's desire to remake their world by plumbing the depths of the unconscious mind was also inspired by Sigmund Freud. While Breton's manifesto was mainly concerned with writing, the ideas of Surrealism were also nurtured by visual artists, including Rene Magritte, Marcel Duchamp, Max Ernst and most famously, Salvador Dalí. Surrealism rippled out from Paris via the ground-breaking International Surrealist Exhibition in London, during the Summer of 1936. This seemed to open a ‘portal into another way of seeing the world' for many people who were interested in what this would mean for the future.

With Dawn Ades; Louisa Buck; Kate Conley; Martin Creed; Felicity Gee; Darian Leader; Lisa Mullen; Mark Polizzotti; Vic Reeves; David Shrigley; Abigale Susik and Gavin Turk.

[LISTEN NOW]

It led to a flourishing of writing, painting and sculpture depicting uncanny, illogical and dreamlike scenes. This desire to transform an imperfect world, struck a chord with artists and activists beyond the original Paris Surrealist group - people who were searching for new ways to fight the oppression they encountered, whether sexism or racism, to imagine a freer world.

The women of Surrealism are only now getting the recognition they deserve. So, in this episode, Russell Tovey looks closely at just a few of these incredible artists and activists - Meret Oppenheim, Ithell Calquhoun, Lee Miller, Leonora Carrington and Suzanne Césaire, who took the ideas of Surrealism in new directions.

Why did they find Surrealism so liberating?

With Chloe Aridjis, Louisa Buck, Kate Conley, Carine Harmand, Terri Francis, Katy Hessel, Lisa Mullen, Joanna Moorhead, Anthony Penrose and Alexandra Reza.

Readings: Hazel Holder

A Zinc Audio production for BBC Radio 4

To mark 100 years of surrealism, Russell Tovey is exploring where this mind-bending art movement came from, where it travelled to and how it has remained relevant.

100 years ago, when Andre Breton set out his ideas in the first ‘Surrealist Manifesto' in 1920s Paris, he promoted Surrealism as a way of questioning conventional reality and the rational world. He wanted to revolutionise human experience: could a better world be made through unlocking the subconscious and harnessing the power of dreams? It led to a flourishing of writing, painting and sculpture depicting uncanny, illogical and dreamlike scenes. This desire to transform an imperfect world, struck a chord with artists and activists beyond the original Paris Surrealist group - people who were searching for new ways to fight the oppression they encountered, whether sexism or racism, to imagine a freer world.

The women of Surrealism are only now getting the recognition they deserve, so today Russell is looking closely at just a few of these incredible artists and activists: Meret Oppenheim, Ithell Calquhoun, Lee Miller, Leonora Carrington and Suzanne Césaire, who took the ideas of Surrealism in new directions. Why did they find Surrealism so liberating?

With Dawn Ades; Chloe Aridjis; Louisa Buck; Kate Conley; Terri Francis; Katy Hessel; Lisa Mullen; Joanna Moorhead; Anthony Penrose; Mark Polizzotti; Alexander Reza.

[LISTEN NOW]

The concept of Surrealism was dreamt up 100 years ago, after the First World War, when the French poet André Breton published his first ‘Surrealist manifesto' in October 1924. Breton had big ambitions for Surrealism to tap into the unconscious, via the power of dreams, and reach beyond the narrow realism and destructive rationality he saw around him.

Surrealism first started entering popular culture, when the Surrealist artists began to work in other fields: Rene Magritte had a publicity firm, Salvador Dali advised Hitchcock and Disney and Man Ray was a successful fashion photographer. Understanding and exploring our inner world became fashionable during the mid 20th century, thanks in part to Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, who was a huge influence on the Surrealists. But by now, Surrealist techniques of tapping into the unconscious mind, were also being co-opted by the fast-growing advertising industry. As well as filtering into film, fashion and advertising, Surrealism has thoroughly influenced comedy, especially British comedy.

With Louisa Buck; Martin Creed; Anna María; Hugh Morrison; Lisa Mullen; Mark Polizzotti; Vic Reeves; John Luke Roberts; Laurence Scott; David Shrigley and Rory Sutherland.

A Zinc Audio Production

To mark 100 years of surrealism, Russell Tovey is exploring where this mind-bending art movement came from, where it travelled to, and how it has remained relevant.

[LISTEN NOW]