Surrealism and Beyond

Surrealism is fascinating – still and lasting. Its manifold aspects differ from time, places, circumstances, and individual characters of their protagonists. In regard of recognition, there is a significant gap between the European (male) positions and the (female) positions of the Americas. In its exhibition Surrealism and Beyond, DIE GALERIE wants to build bridges and show the links between by one of the most prominent examples of Surrealism, Max Ernst, and surrounding artists. Very fast, one has to leave the path that the both charismatic and demanding artist Max Ernst only influenced colleagues and family members; moreover, he likewise was inspired vice versa. In its program, DIE GALERIE (THE GALLERY) sets a focus on the art of Surrealism since many years and, besides André Masson, it is time and again Max Ernst who plays a central role in the exhibition calendar. For the exhibition Surrealism and Beyond Max Ernst is planned to be shown to a lesser extent as a unique genius of art but rather within the context of his closest contemporaries. The artists among the wives, liaisons, muses of Max Ernst always have been strong characters, involved into the arts long time before their acquaintance with Max. They developed their own pictorial language and made their own careers. With artists like Leonora Carrington,  Leonor Fini and Dorothea Tanning a feminist aspect of Surrealism becomes obvious (widely neglected in art history in the past) and especially in Germany little-known. Only in the last years public recognition increased,  with solo exhibitions such as at Reina Sofía and Tate Modern (Dorothea Tanning), Tate Liverpool and the Irish Museum of Modern Art (Leonora Carrington), and Museum of Sex, New York (Leonor Fini). Among the family circle of Max Ernst the exhibition will present, besides paintings, drawings and sculptures by the master himself, a few very rare collages by Max’ first wife, art historian and journalist Luise Straus-Ernst (1893-1944) as well as paintings and works on paper by their son Jimmy Ernst (1920-1984). The exhibition at DIE GALERIE does not intend to depict influences and mutual dependences of Max Ernst, but wants to make alive a very special view on Surrealism with tendencies on figurative narration and abstraction. Each artist is given space to describe the individual philosophy and biography by examples of selective paintings, drawings and prints.