I have looked at several artists that would be great sources of inspiration, this is to help me develop & evolve my own ideas. I have searched up artists particularly who create in VR and also traditional surrealists. I have chosen artists that would be beneficial researching so I can understand how they portray surrealism in different ways.
Salavor Dali
Image 1 – Salvador Dali 
Image 2 – ‘The persistence of memory’ – 1931 
Image 3 – ‘The elephants’ 1948
Salavor Dali was an iconic example of a Surrealist painter. His most famous work being ‘The persistence of memory’ – 1931 depicts the fluidity of time as a series of melting watches which suggests time is relative & fluid as the watches are melting in different ways. He was inspired by the theory of relatively, the subconscious mind and a camembert cheese that he saw melting under the sun. There are also symbolic elements that also have hidden meanings such as the ants in the painting represent decay, the olive tree symbolises peace and the orange clock represents the sun. This painting became an icon of surrealism & one of the most famous artworks of the 20th century.
Dali is also an important inspiration to other surrealists with his explorations of the subconscious mind, symbolism and technical mastery have inspired countless artists to experiment and challenge traditional modes of expression.
Aram Vardazaryan
Image 4 – ‘Caravan Dali’ by Aram Vardazaryan 
Image 5 – ‘Silent’ by Aram Vardazaryan
Aram Vardazaryan is another surrealist I have explored. Aram is not only a surrealist but is a painter, concept artist, character designer, production designer & so much more. Aram is the founder & CEO at VardazaryanStudio. He also creates surrealism in 3D art. This designer dedicates his work to the guru of surrealism, Salavor Dali. His work ‘Caravan Dali’ was in inspiration. Artists such as Aram make me think of what icon surrealists such as Dali could have done if he used the technology we have today as Aram paints surrealism digitally.
Rene Magritte
Image 6 – ‘Son of man’ 1964 
Image 7- ‘The art of living’ 1967 
Image 8 – ‘The man in the bowling hat’ 1964
Another artist I have researched is Rene Magritte. Rene was a Bulgarian artist known for his depictions of familiar objects set in unusual scenarios. Rene’s painting ‘Son of man’ is his best known artwork and is supposedly a self-portrait. It depicts a man wearing a black suit, a red tie and a bowling hat, the background is a cloudy sky and sea. You can see the presence of an apple hovering the subjects face blocking his facial features. This is the most striking part of the painting. This theme of obstructing objects is very common in his paintings. Another similar painting of his is ‘the man in the bowling hat’. You can see the subject is dressed similar however there is a bird instead of the apple. You can also see a theme where they deal with obscuring the true self from an audience. Rene spoke about human curiosity, where one seeks to find hidden things or meanings behind other things. However we get frustrated when doing so. These paintings are supposed to represent the frustration or ‘conflict’ Rene puts it by putting the subjects face behind the fruit.
My final thoughts after exploring these artists work are these are the very few examples of artists that have shaped the surrealism movement, each providing with their own interpretation and meaning. I think learning about the surrealists can inspire your imagination as it is a fun and mind-bending movement.
References
The Art Story. “Salvador Dalí.” The Art Story, 2011, www.theartstory.org/artist/dali-salvador/. Accessed 11 Oct. 2023.
The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “Salvador Dali | Biography & Facts.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 19 Jan. 2023, www.britannica.com/biography/Salvador-Dali. Accessed 11 Oct. 2023.
BITESIZE. “What Is Surrealism?” BBC Bitesize, www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/ztw2p9q/articles/zmtyrmn. Accessed 11 Oct. 2023.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Surrealism | Definition, Artists, & Facts.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., 5 Nov. 2018, www.britannica.com/art/Surrealism. Accessed 11 Oct. 2023.
cgtrader. “When Reality Fades Away: Surrealism Invades 3D Art | Blog.” CGTrader, 3 May 2013, www.cgtrader.com/blog/when-reality-fades-away-surrealism-invades-3d-art. Accessed 11 Oct. 2023.
Columnist, Luxury. “11 Famous Surrealist Artists That Will Blow Your Mind.” Luxurycolumnist.com, 4 Aug. 2022, luxurycolumnist.com/famous-surrealist-artists/. Accessed 11 Oct. 2023.
Pieces, Art . “The Son of Man | René Magritte.” Artpieces.net, 2019, www.artpieces.net/son-of-man.html. Accessed 11 Oct. 2023.
uploads2.wikiart.org/images/rene-magritte/man-in-a-bowler-hat-1964(1).jpg. Accessed 11 Oct. 2023.
Image references
Salvador Dali. th.bing.com/th/id/R.8edd8f89efe49b9e06c99b7dce74d4df?rik=JL9ZLNNZVDQzuA&riu=http%3a%2f%2fwallsdesk.com%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2017%2f01%2fSalvador-Dali-Wallpapers.jpg&ehk=NtXfmFTFAPeUZsvjLyUw8RNYouglTJqmiBOumG%2f2tqA%3d&risl=&pid=ImgRaw&r=0. Accessed 11 Oct. 2023.
The Persistence of Memory Salvador Dali. www.bwallpapers.com/wallpaper/the-persistence-of-memory-salvador-dali-9208/. Accessed 11 Oct. 2023.
Pinterest. www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/240801911299105240/. Accessed 11 Oct. 2023.
www.behance.net/gallery/4733921/-Caravan-Dali-. Accessed 11 Oct. 2023.
ArtStation. www.artstation.com/artwork/silent-8f1edb5e-2089-478d-b2b1-30ebee276a7f. Accessed 11 Oct. 2023.
The Son of Man. i.etsystatic.com/5851351/r/il/93c2aa/1662054495/il_1140xN.1662054495_lnu5.jpg.
“The Art of Living.” Www.renemagritte.org, www.renemagritte.org/the-art-of-living.jsp. Accessed 11 Oct. 2023.
www.renemagritte.org. Man in the Bowling Hat, www.renemagritte.org/man-in-a-bowler-hat.jsp. Accessed 11 Oct. 2023.