Surrealism in Photography
Greenman said, 1692785511
As an ex-art-school student, I generally summed up surrealism as "that reminds me of" images. Rene Magritte painted in "Time Transfixed" (1938) a steaming locomotive entering a lounge through the fireplace, because fireplaces are generally black, smoky holes that reminded him of (or made his mind conjure up) railway tunnels. He was telling you what connections his mind was constantly making as he walked through the world looking at this and that.
Lewis Carroll in 1865 wrote, "Alice thought she had never seen such a curious croquet-ground in her life; it was all ridges and furrows; the balls were live hedgehogs, the mallets live flamingos, and the soldiers had to double themselves up and to stand on their hands and feet, to make the arches." John Tenniel's illustrations to "Alice In Wonderland" therefore couldn't be anything but surrealist long before the Surrealism Art Movement began in the 1920's.
Surrealism in photography (avoiding composites) might call for a few strategically placed unusual props I should think. Just a thought (this brain's connections).
Huw said, 1692787137
There's probably more surrealism in British politics than in British art at the moment.
(Waits for the squeals of outrage... )
It has always been political.
Visa sans planète (Visa without a Planet) by Abdel Kader El-Janabi 1983-90
https://artlab.hyundai.com/editorial/the-subversive-politics-of-surrealism
MidgePhoto said, 1692795273
JPea fair enough. Coincidence and making a pattern or interpreting coincidences are a feature of our species and world.
Indeed, the universe may be coincidental.
MidgePhoto said, 1694105903
Upcoming film, Kate Winslet as Lee Miller. Vanity Fair article.
https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2023/09/awards-insider-kate-winslet-lee-miller-first-look
Jessica Leigh Photography said, 1694106976
MidgePhoto thank you 😊
I've been playing around with a few ideas. Even picked up an old 35mm camera to get some of them on film 😊
RedBaron said, 1694114472
I am always wary of terms like this as everyone tends to interpret things a little differently, no matter how others try to lock down a term. For example Brooke Shaden would not describe herself as a surrealist photographer but I would say some of her later work in particular is quite surreal. She describes herself a fine art conceptual photographer and has some course on Creative Live
https://brookeshaden.com/gallery/
EDIT: I have just seen that her latest class is streaming for free on September 11th on Creative live. Be warned though they stream is as a full days course, or sometimes more, so you will need to be well prepared. Though of course you can buy it to watch at your leisure should you wish
Edited by RedBaron
Edited by RedBaron
Jessica Leigh Photography said, 1694116163
RedBaron yes, I've noticed that it seems to be very subjective. I've started playing around with still life ideas to begin with 😊
Mikey Mongol said, 1694118333
John Santerineross does dark, often erotic surrealism quite well. Nowadays he does a lot with green screens but back in the day he painstakingly built all of his sets by hand.
Kyle Cassidy used to do a lot of surrealism with floating people and objects, unusual lighting, props, etc. He's much more of a documentarian nowadays, which is a pity. He's still really good but maybe not quite as much fun as he used to be.
Personally I try to evoke the surreal in a lot of my work without actually going fully into surrealism by injecting elements like incongruous lighting and colors, deliberately discordant imagery, and sometimes long or multiple exposures. The idea is to make the viewer either subtly or explicitly uncomfortable, which is sort of the remit with surrealism a lot of the time.
waist.it said, 1694120555
Astra Art said
Hi All,
I've been recently looking into Surrealism and wondered if anyone had any recommendations for photographers who shoot surreal images.
I'm particularly looking for photographers who create images that aren't heavily edited, so ideally not composite work.
Any ideas? 😊 Thank you.
I don't know if this adds anything useful to the conversation or not, but I've has a whole tonne of fun with these fellows...
Aliens ate my shed (a nod to Thomas Dolby's "Aliens Ate My Buick")
Alien prank (a bit of a surprise for the wife)
Alien Food (fun with a romanesco "living fractal")
And of course the occasional shoot where I combine the "droids" with an actual real human model...
I got mine for free from a chap you was sadly closing his studio. But there are loads of spare mannequins around because of all the high street shops that are closing. You might even find some in a skip. I wouldn't claim any of this is "art". But it's been bloody good fun. :-)
Jessica Leigh Photography said, 1694120903
Mikey Mongol thank you. I'll have a look at the people you've recommended. I also really like your images on here 😊
Jessica Leigh Photography said, 1694120968
waist.it I actually have a shoot planned (in my head atleast) that will involve a mannequin 😂
Thank you for your comment and the links. I like the aliens and it definitely looks like a lot of fun!