Salvador Dalí's Surrealism: From Canvas to Film
The article explores Salvador Dalí's cross-disciplinary practice, focusing on the recurring motif of the severed hand in both his paintings and films. In 'Un chien andalou' (1929), co-directed with Luis Buñuel, the hand covered in ants and later severed symbolizes the repression of primal instincts by social and religious constraints. This imagery appears earlier in Dalí's paintings such as 'Mano cortada' (1928-29) and 'Il Miele è più dolce del sangue' (1926/1927), as well as in 'L'enigma del desiderio' (1929). Dalí's paranoiac-critical method, a subjective re-elaboration of reality akin to dream logic, underpins his work across media. The severed hand remains recognizable but re-signified, creating a disorienting effect for the viewer. The article also promotes Artribune's newsletters and social media channels.
Key facts
- Salvador Dalí co-directed 'Un chien andalou' with Luis Buñuel in 1929.
- The film features a hand covered in ants and later a severed hand.
- The severed hand motif appears in Dalí's paintings 'Mano cortada' (1928-29) and 'Il Miele è più dolce del sangue' (1926/1927).
- The same motif is in 'L'enigma del desiderio' (1929).
- Dalí's paranoiac-critical method reinterprets reality through subjective associations.
- The severed hand symbolizes the repression of the id by the superego.
- The article was written by Sabrina Crivelli for Artribune.
- Artribune offers newsletters on art market, urban regeneration, and cultural tourism.
Entities
Artists
- Salvador Dalí
- Luis Buñuel
- Sabrina Crivelli
Institutions
- Artribune
Locations
- Figueres