Objects of Desire
By Mariana Hristova
Dan Tobin Smith: A Matter of Perspective
At a time when the Bauhaus movement brought utility and German order into design, surrealism did just the opposite. Infusing practicality with imagination, surrealism gave to objects such as reading lamps shaped like horses, pipes on wheels and Mae West’s lips converted into what an iconic red sofa.
Objects of Desire: Surrealism and Design 1924–2020 explores the impact that design and everyday objects had on surrealism and its crucial role in surrealism’s evolution. The influence also worked the other way around, as surrealist art influenced design, liberating it from an imposed functionality by involving emotions, fantasies, fears and existential concerns.
The exhibition reveals the parallels between the two disciplines by showcasing paintings, sculptures, posters, magazines, books, photographs and films by artists and designers including Achille Castiglioni, Giorgio de Chirico, Le Corbusier, Salvador Dalí, Méret Oppenheim and Björk.