‘New Surrealism’, a group exhibition, aims to explore this famous cultural movement through the lens of a new wave of Artists whose dream-like scenes and illogical or bizarre imagery collectively explore the workings of the mind and many of the common themes of the original movement, but almost 100 years later.

 

Defined in 1924 by Andre Breton, Surrealism wanted to revolutionise human experience in its personal, cultural, social, and political aspects. They wanted to free people from false rationality, and restrictive customs and structures that they believed had led mankind to the First World War. This liberation of the mind and artistic expression also meant seeking political freedom. 

 

The political and social landscape of the past 6 years has been more than surreal. From Trump, Brexit, a global pandemic and now war, we are certainly in a period in history where our lived experience has come to feel increasingly more bizarre.

 

From the automatic drawings and paintings of Stefano Ronchi and Enigm which attempt to unlock ideas and images from their unconscious minds to the dream worlds of Ed Hicks or hidden psychological tensions of Perspicere, this exhibition attempts to engage with this new reality through the veil of the Surrealist movement that was so influential in the early twentieth century.

 

Participating artists:

Ed Hicks

Enigm

Perspicere

Ronch