Beyond Surrealism at Waddington Custot

May 30, 2024 Razvan Chiorean

29 April - 15 June 2024

'Beyond Surrealism' ingeniously merges unexpected juxtapositions and clever visual puns, showcasing artists like Clive Barker, Patrick Caulfield, George Condo, Allan D’Arcangelo, Barry Flanagan, Mimmo Paladino, Lucas Samaras, John Wesley, and Bill Woodrow. The exhibit also features key Surrealists such as Jean Arp, Giorgio De Chirico, Max Ernst, and Joan Miró, whose works delve into the unconscious, challenge reality, and conjure paradoxical juxtapositions, illustrating Surrealism's profound influence.

Celebrating the centenary of André Breton's Surrealist Manifesto, the exhibition traces Surrealism's evolution from Dada's avant-garde roots to a global movement. Max Ernst's 'La Carmagnole' (1927) epitomizes this transformation, depicting dancing, distorted figures that embody metamorphosis. Lucas Samaras’ hallucinatory Photofictions and Barry Flanagan’s amorphous sculptures echo Ernst’s themes, blurring boundaries between reality and fantasy.

Surrealists often embedded symbols and hidden meanings in their works. Bill Woodrow’s 'Half King, Whole Fish' (1988) and 'Clockswarm' (2001) prompt viewers to seek concealed messages. John Wesley’s playful yet disturbing paintings combine unrelated objects to evoke irrationality, much like René Magritte’s 'The Treachery of Images' (1929). Patrick Caulfield, inspired by Magritte, explores similar themes in 'Night Pipe' (1992) and 'Evening Paper' (1999).

Barry Flanagan, The Voyager, 1984

Giorgio de Chirico’s spatial dislocation in 'Piazza d’Italia' (1960) prompts scrutiny of reality versus imagination. This theme resonates in Allan D’Arcangelo’s 'Landscape with Three Trees' (1968) and Mimmo Paladino’s mythological sculptures, both challenging conventional perspective.

Bill Woodrow, Half King, Whole Fish, 1988

Jean Arp’s exploration of the subconscious through chance-created collages finds echoes in Paul Feeley and David Annesley’s organic forms, and in Landon Metz’s fluid paintings, extending Surrealist automatism into the 21st century. 'Beyond Surrealism' highlights how Surrealism continues to ignite the imagination, revealing the enduring impact of early Surrealist innovations on contemporary artistic practices.

Mimmo Paladino, Testimone (figure with horned animal), 1997