The pop surrealist pieces featured here draw deeply from two other well-developed fields of art, Surrealism and Pop Art.
Surrealism was ostensibly born from the ashes of the deflated Dada movement in the 1920s. Its elemental features include unexpected juxtapositions, seemingly nonsensical contexts and a strong appeal to the subconscious. Many Surrealist painters -- most prominently, Rene Magritte -- depict familiar everyday objects in unexpected contexts in such a way as to inspire the viewer to question the familiarity, order and normalcy of everyday life.
Pop Art is a child of the post-war 20th century consumerism. It first began in the United Kingdom and then migrated to the United States where it gained widespread popularity through artists like Andy Warhol. Artists who work in this style often emphasize the ubiquitous, pervasive nature of consumerism and pop culture in everyday life.
A day in the life of the average person is peppered with pop culture references and entangled in consumerism. Pop Surrealist artists tend to highlight the ironies and absurdities of this way of life.
- Gen Z
- Gen Alpha
- Millennial (primary audience)
- Gen X (primary audience)
