Culture: Surreale Welten/Surreal Worlds @ Sammlung Scharf-Gerstenberg, Berlin

                (Max Ernst: "L`Autoritaire" & Hans Bellmer: "Die drei Mädchen und der Tod")



(Drivebycuriosity) - Dreams are strange experiences. They are elusive, bizarre and peculiar. Dreams are often blurred mirror pictures of our fears and desires. No wonder that they influence books, movies and the arts.

                                                       (Alfred Kubin:"Der Sauger")

In the the early 1920s a group of artists started a cultural movement which they called "Surrealism" - an art form which is close to dreams. In order to  "resolve the previously contradictory conditions of dream and reality" the Surrealists "painted unnerving, illogical scenes with photographic precision, created strange creatures from everyday objects and developed painting techniques that allowed the unconscious to express itself and/or an idea/concept", writes Wikipedia (wikipedia).

                (from above: Max Ernst:"Le triomphe de l’amour/fausse allégorie", "Et les femmes volcaniques.....", "Facilité", "Qui est ce grand malade..")

If you come to Berlin you can visit a fascinating exhibition: "Surreale Welten/Surreal Worlds" (smb.museum). You will find it at Sammlung Scharf-Gerstenberg, which is a part of the "Staatliche Museen (public museums) of Berlin (Schloßstraße opposite of Schloss Charlottenburg). The show is running until further notice.

(from above: Georges Hugnet:"Fantaisie", "Le mystère est exempt du prudeur", "Untitled"; František Kupka: "Untitled"; Hans Bellmer: "Schwestern")



                                   Sinister Prison Scenes

                                          (Giovanni B. Piranesie)


The collection contains 250 works of Surrealists and their precursors. I enjoyed the early sinister prison scenes by Giovanni B. Piranesie (Italy 18th century). Georges Hugnet, who worked in Paris, and František Kupka were real discoveries for me. But I also liked the works of Max Ernst and other paintings there.

(from above: Odilon Redon: "Hommage á Goya"; Andrè Masson: "Femme"; Joan Miró: "Métarmophose"; Francis Picabia: "Untitled"; Odilon Redon: "Pégase captif

Let the pictures speak for themselves. Enjoy.