The Failure of Surrealism

The Triumph of Surrealism or the Fireside Angel is a captivating artwork by Max Ernst. But what does it mean?

#arthistory #art

[TheCanvasArtHistory]

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[Scrofar]

That's so interesting that the Fireside Angel's expression is described as being in pain. I thought it looked joyful and jubilant, as if it took great glee in stomping around causing chaos with its form and erratic movement. Even after it flattens everything in its path and there is nothing left, it continues to stomp across the land, its form ever-changing. The beast cares nothing about what it destroys, it only cares that it is the one who does it.

[thegnarledpirate]

You also have to admit it's a damn good creature design.

[joshumu]

To me the failure of Surrealism to stop fascism boils down to the limitations of art as a medium. It brings to mind Woody Guthrie's "this machine kills fascists" (written on his guitar). Art can inspire people to fight fascism, but at the end of the day its people who take risks and and engage in direct action, and in some cases throw themselves into the horrors of war. It doesn't happen in a safe and comfy (and probably upper-class) studio. Maybe I'm jaded but the best that art can achieve in a revolutionary sense is to be propaganda (ie inspire people to revolutionary action).

[flaneur]

also note how the "angel" is actually posing and shaped as a whole Hakenkreuz. It is literally representing the rise of fascism and it's just overall an incredible work of art. I highly suggest looking into Max Ernst's vast variety of works, he was truly an incredible artist

[mrtunapie]

The ideology of surrealism may have died, but it's artistic influence was great and can be seen today in modern art as well as advertising.

[JesterIMC]

Every video you make is like a mini Art Appreciation class. I absolutely love your stuff. Thank you so much for sharing your passion and knowledge.

[CatholicSamurai]

As a mass of orbs with various lizard claws protruding from my main section, I deeply appreciate you taking the time to talk about absurdism.

[tommyorigani]

I love this painting so much. I remember at the 2019 Biennale of Venice there was an artist who did a version of this painting on a led fan (if i remember correctly), that thanks to the rotation reproduced the creature actually moving and dancing, like it was animated. I didn't knew the original painting back then, and when I searched more about it I understood the new version more: history is cyclic, it moves circularly just like the fan, and the same feelings and fears that Ernst tried to represent with his original painting are now returning, especially in Europe. Thank you very much for this video!

[floraposteschild]

I've also heard the title translated as The Angel of Hearth and Home -- one of the roots of Fascism.

Ernst said that an inspiration for his art was creatures he saw in wood grain -- e.g. in the headboard of his bed when he was a child. That inspiration is clear in the angel.

[freakishuproar]

I'm not surprised you and friend both independently chose this Ernst painting. _The Triumph of Surrealism_ might just be one of my favourite paintings of his.

Being both obsessed with monsters and weird creature as long as I can remember, and having spent all my teen and adult life enamoured with contemporary artists, this picture is a pretty stellar candidate for everything that encapsulates what it is I love about art. As much as respect and owe a vast debt to art criticism and theory, my real passion is envisioning every art exhibition or gallery I go to as a kind of three dimensional bestiary. Perhaps even some imaginary ecosystem for life beyond the norms of reality.

On a more sober note, it's absolutely appalling to realize just how relevant the paintings themes remain. Lately it feels like we're on the cusp on unleashing another imbecilic monster of collective bigotry and fascism upon ourselves.

[refugeinthewind]

Stunning... but I cannot look at this without seeing a joyful, triumphant evil, disorganized, disheveled, but treacherously bounding, narcissistically, dancing over the landscape, entitled and completely ecstatic... that lack of awareness will be its downfall...all things unknowingly seeking balance there is some hope. Stay well, mon ami.

[ryanroach]

hearing about the political implications and it’s failures of surrealism is fascinating. you usually only hear about the movement’s connection to Freud’s psychoanalysis and the subconscious. but learning about its intended resistance to fascism add another layer of depth to an already rich art movement.

[Germania]

So wish there are more art channels like this.
A lot of art stuff out there have been hijacked by Jordan Peterson, who has a lot of fans of mostly "classical realist" artists; and various illustrators. There's this realist artist who drew a very flattering portrait of Peterson on his channel.

[Ivan_p]

As an art student, your channel feeds my brain with the right information. Thank you for your effort, looking forward to the next video, as always.

[s.g.]

Part of me wonders if it's even more cynical than that towards Surrealism. You said the angel looks like it's in pain, which it does, but it also looks remarkably like a toddler throwing a tantrum. The screwed-shut eyes, the scream, the stomping feet and wildly gesticulating arms. Then you couple this with its design, which you pointed out looks like a kind of amalgamation of different Surreal art and artists, and it basically comes across as a deeply contemptuous criticism of the political statements made by Surrealists. They made a lot of noise, used a lot of bright colours and creative images, but ultimately, they were shouting and screaming in an empty desert.

[genepozniak]

The evil angel is happy, not in pain. For it, chaos and destruction is beautiful.

[taouinche]

I'm going to repeat myself, but thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. As a tech, I don't really have any skills on art, except the little I got on my own. Your videos are slowly filling that gap for me. Un grand merci à vous deux pour ce super boulot.

[Sharky_Arty]

I had never seen this before! Thank you so much for bringing it to light! Absolutely stunning

[danielealessi]

It's just incredible how you can tell from the very first glance that the "Angel" represents some form of authoritarian rule.
For me, it made me think of the leviathan, this disgraceful beast draconically ruling over a multitude of people, shapes and voices, morphing them into something just as monstrous as itself.
Absolutely bone-chilling.