Why Surrealism Matters

Resumen del libro

Why does Surrealism continue to fascinate us a century after André Breton's Manifesto of Surrealism? How do we encounter Surrealism today? Mark Polizzotti vibrantly reframes the Surrealist movement in contemporary terms and offers insight into why it continues to inspire makers and consumers of art, literature, and culture.

Polizzotti shows how many forms of popular media can thank Surrealism for their existence, including Monty Python, Theatre of the Absurd, and trends in fashion, film, and literature. While discussing the movement's iconic figures including André Breton, Leonora Carrington, Salvador Dalí, René Magritte, Man Ray, and Dorothea Tanning he also broadens the traditionally French and male-focused narrative, constructing a more diverse and global representation. And he addresses how the Surrealists grappled with ideas that mirror current concerns, including racial and economic injustice, sexual politics, issues of identity, labor unrest, and political activism.

Why Surrealism Matters provides a concise, engaging exploration of how, a century later, the Surrealist revolution remains as dynamic as ever.

Biografía del autor

Mark Polizzotti es traductor al inglés de más de cincuenta libros, entre ellos obras de Patrick Modiano, Gustave Flaubert, Raymond Roussel, Marguerite Duras y Paul Virilio. En español ha publicado "Highway 61 revisited", traducido por Jorge Isusi, y "La vida de André Breton. Revolución de la mente", traducido por Juan José Utrilla y Gabriel Bernal Granados. En la actualidad es editor en el Metropolitan Museum of Art en Nueva York.