FREE ESSAY ON DADA VS. SURREALISM

DADA VS. SURREALISM

What elements of dada and surrealism suggest the influence of 
Freud?
The 20th Century marked a changed in how people viewed the known world. Since its
beginning art has played a major role in how people were able to express themselves. The
early 20th century brought rise to new and exciting art forms. These were types of
writings, paintings and, documentaries that no one had ever seen before. From
expressionism to Dadaism types of work ranged by all means of the artist. About the
1920's a new wave of art would soon be seen worlds over. This art form introduced
psychology in a new way to look at the conscious and subconscious minds. From the
beginning Dadaism and surrealism showed true signs of influence from psychology. Each
using new ideas of the conscious and unconscious worlds in each art form. These ideas
would come together and form a new revolution of art and science as one in the early
1920's.
As the world opens a new door into the 20th century, the art world is taken by storm. The
outbreak of World War I did not stop the creativeness of new century artist. They
embraced the war and expressed how it made them feel. 
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During this time a revolution in psychology was coming to mind. Sigmund Freud was
uncovering what we use our conscious and unconscious minds for. He wrote about how the
unconscious drives of the mind governed the body. Freud also made it clear in his,"
Interpretation of Dreams", that dreams were significant to every individual. Since Freud
was stirring up a new revolution in thinking artist all over the world were taking what
he said to mind. These new forms of art or movements served as a changing time in the
world's art forms. 
Many art forms have been introduced into our culture, but the two that made an impact all
over the world is Dadaism and Surrealism. Each of these forms used a new approach at the
world of art. As Freudian culture swept the world a group of artist intrigued by his
work, called themselves Dada. This simple word had no relative meaning to art or Freud,
but this was the way they felt their work could be expressed. In this movement of
Dadaism, Freud played a significant role in how their art was formed. They used the
unconscious world to express their paintings or writings. As Freud felt dreams were
unconscious desire's not expressed in the real world; Dada artist used this in their
work. They also felt that," everything obscure in the mind, buried deep, unrevealed",
(Fiero 41) as one French playwright revealed. Each artist of the Dada era had a new way
of expressing Freud's ideas. They also felt that art was a powerful means of
self-revelation, and that the images came from ones subconscious mind had a truth of its
own. As Marcel Duchamp mocked the Mona Lisa by drawing a 
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mustache on her, stated that the painting was a lewd message set by the conventional way
of thinking. Since the Dada artist did not believe in western culture this made sense,
because people only want believe what is told to them, instead of what is true. The Dada
movement marked a meeting of people to have "noise concerts" where they recited poems in
a free association verse. In these poetry readings the artist perceived how they felt
about the world. As World War I began the Dadaist perceived it as a world gone mad. Not
only did they express their work in unconventional ways; they used the subconscious as a
way of making their views true. Although the Dada era was short lived it influenced and
questioned the traditional concepts of the western world. These techniques set an agenda
for a new trial by error art form of this same era. The spirit of Freud in the Dadaist
era never really died, it is shown today as "Pop art" or sometimes known as neo-Dada art
forms. Also this revolution of thinking and art paved the way for the Surrealist
movement.
The Surrealist movement of the 1920's through 1930's captivated the world with its
bizarre way of thinking. Just as the Dadaist used Freud's way of thinking so did the
surrealist. Both of these groups were anti-rationalist and concerned with creating
shocking and disturbing pieces of art. The Surrealist were positive in their spirit of
thinking. The pioneer of Surrealism was Andre Breton, when he launched the movement with
his publication of the Manifeste du surrealisme in 1924. The central idea of this
movement was to release the 
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creative powers of the subconscious mind. (Chilvers and Osbourne 545) This theory was one
of elements influenced by the Freudian movement. As Freud 
believed that the unconscious was an interpretation of wanted desire's, this was
expressed in the Surrealist art. The dreams and free association of their art became the
means of new reality for them. As Breton described Surrealism as " pure psychic
automatism… intended to express, verbally, in writing or by other means, the real
process of thought; thoughts dictation, in the absence of all control exercised by
reason, and outside all aesthetic or moral preoccupation"(Birdsall et al. 908). This
truly showed the influence of the Freudian culture in their art. Not only did the
surrealist use the Dream State; they also had their unconscious desires replicated in
their art. As surrealism evolved a new artist named Salvador Dali lead the movement into
a new direction. Dali like most surrealists' agreeded with Freud that dreams were a form
of free association. When using his dreams for art, he did not sensor them, because Dali
felt that his dreams were reality and expressed them in his art. Not only did the
Surrealist use Freud's writings on free association and dream analysis they glorified it
in their everyday work. By going against the normal wave of culture, Surrealism paved the
way for new forms of thinking. Although it broke up during the war, surrealism offered an
alternative approach to various types of abstract art. Its influences and ideas are still
with many artists today. 
Overall the 20th century brought a new wave of creative advances in the art world. People
were now open to new and exciting ways of expressing how 
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they felt. With the advances in both art and psychology it brought about a new culture in
artistic form. Surrealist and Dadaist have many key characteristics alike 
but Freud was truly their equal. Each group felt that the unconscious was wanted desires
by that person. Not only did artist express it in their works they brought it to a new a
revolution in all art forms. As in the Dada movement they used unexpected ways to express
their art and poetry. Every artist used new and uncharacteristic ways of making art. Each
one had a new style like the Tzara using newspapers to create poetry and Duchamp using
cubism and futurism to mock De Vinci's Mona Lisa. Surrealism also used Freud's writings
on free association and dream analysis, to glorify the psyche by using it in their work.
As the people of the mid 20th century saw an era come to an end, they kept the spirits
alive in continuing to make new and obscure art become a reality in such a culture
dominated world.