The first Manifesto of Surrealism, issued in Paris in 1924, defined Surrealism as:

Dictation of thought in the absence of all control exercised by reason, outside of all aesthetic and moral preoccupation.

The international Surrealist movement emphasized dreams, chance, and the unconscious. Such sources of inspiration had the potential for both artistic and personal liberation. Not solely a style or movement, Surrealism is also a worldview or politics that believes in transforming daily life by challenging a viewer’s sense of reality.

100 years after Surrealism’s inception, explore its revolutionary contributions to art across mediums, geography, and time.

Drawn from the Blanton’s collection with select loans, the exhibition includes famed Surrealists such as Hans Bellmer, Leonora Carrington, Max Ernst, Wifredo Lam, and Man Ray, alongside artists inspired by its innovations, including Yayoi Kusama and Dorothy Hood, and contemporary artists working within its vocabulary. Long live Surrealism! expands our understanding of one of the twentieth century’s most enduring ideas—and its continued relevance today.

Curated by Claire Howard, Associate Curator, Collections and Exhibitions, Blanton Museum of Art.