Introduction
Surrealism began as a philosophical movement that said the way to find truth in the world was through the subconscious mind and dreams, rather than through logical thought. The movement included many artists, poets, and writers who expressed their theories in their work. The movement began in the mid-1920s in France and was born out of an earlier movement called Dadaism from Switzerland. It reached its peak in the 1930s. Surrealism images explored the subconscious areas of the mind. The artwork often made little sense as it was usually trying to depict a dream or random thoughts.
Task
ON YOUR OWN: Explore these websites to learn more about Surrealism.
https://www.tate.org.uk/kids/explore/what-is/surrealism
WITH A PARTNER: Answer these questions
1) When did Surrealism start?
2) What was going on in the world when Surrealism was invented?
3) Who are some of the famous artists under Surrealism?
4) How would you describe what a Surrealist picture looks like?
Evaluation
AS A GROUP: We will be having a Fish Bowl discussion on the deeper meaning behind some Surrealist work. The webquest will give you the background knowledge to have a discussion about the work we will look at next class period.