[Not Afraid]

Surrealism was first and foremost a philosophical concept that was interpreted through aesthetics. Andre' Breton was the "founder" of surrealism with his 1924 "Surrealist Manifesto" (which is actually a great read!).

The term surrealism can also be stated as "super real". The visual interpretations take ideas and concepts beyond the concrete, the known reality unto the unknown. This is done through juxtaposition of everyday visuals in incongruious or unreal settings.

The roots of Surrealism grew out of the exploration of the Freudian unconscious in response to rational thinking that many artists thought caused the horror of destruction of WWI. The movement grew out of the Dada movement and artists such as Marcel Duchamp.

Surrealism continues to exists in modern film and literature with Miazaki, Hitchcock (watch the Spellbound dream sequence directed by Dali), and with authors who add elements of magical realism like Garcia Marquez, Rushdie, Murakami, and Allende.

Artists to look at for inspiration include Dali, Magritte, Earnst, Tanguy, Arp, De Chirico, Miro and photographer May Ray. My personal favorites are Magritte, and Man Ray. Also, take a look at Hieronymus Bosch who proceeded Surrealism by over 400 years but whose art is definitely Surrealist in nature.