Surrealism: Desire Unbound

by Jennifer Mundy

Surrealism: Desire Unbound is not only a wonderfully produced catalog to accompany the Tate Modern's excellent surrealism exhibition but also a compelling addition to surrealist studies in its own right. As lavishly illustrated as you could hope for (no fewer than 300 color illustrations), the book really owes its strength to the quality of the essays, which come from some of the best art historians around. Professor Dawn Ades, the consultant editor, contributes "Surrealism, male-female," which builds on themes of sexuality and the notion of the fluidity of the category of gender so important to the surrealists, which she (and others, see particularly Surrealism and Women) has previously addressed elsewhere; her book on Marcel Duchamp, a constant reference point for so much modern art, is particularly good. Hal Foster (well known for his argument that the 1990s saw the return to bodies and spaces in art in his thought-provoking The Return of the Real) adds a superb essay on the objectification and fetishization of women within surrealist photography. David Lomas walks us through the influence of Freud (arguably the first theorist of desire and psychoanalysis) on surrealism, and Annie Le Brun rounds off the book with a look at the invention of desire by surrealism and its adoption by modernity. Desire, as a category and as an impetus, compelled much of the art and thinking of the surrealists, and this excellent volume does much to explore and problematize the issues surrounding sex, gender, and identity (the subtitle of the essential Women in Dada, which should certainly be consulted when broaching these issues) that obsessed these important artists and their often iconic art. This is a big, beautiful, and bold book that does the surrealists proud. --Mark Thwaite, Amazon.co.uk

Genres: Art, Art History, Nonfiction, Philosophy

352 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Lance Grabmiller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really solid collection on the surrealist engagement with the idea of desire. Though none of the included essays was really striking, I was glad to see they engaged with surrealist writing and film (not just visual art). Has a lot of striking reproductions of work I had never seen before, all in color.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hottt!

[Chuck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazingly comprehensive book about the psychologicam, social and political motivations of the Surrealist MOVEMENT!

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another one for the Surrealism and Rebellion course. So very grand.

[Frederic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Published to accompany a major exhibit at the Tate (that also travelled to the Met), this is an excellent survey of the subject. And the book itself is very well produced, large format with excellent illustrations of the work.