This book presents an overview of the development of sculpture by artists who were inspired by the goals and methods of Surrealism. Surrealist Sculpture delineates a dialogue between the two dominant modes of sculpture that evolved in tandem within the Surrealist movement: found-object assemblages and nature-inspired biomorphism. The book offers a continuous
narrative of contributions by both European and American Surrealist artists from the early 1920s through the early 1950s.
Artists from France, Germany, Britain, Spain, Switzerland, and
the United States established Surrealism as transnational from
the outset. Key artists who incorporated found objects in their
works include Marcel Duchamp, Man Ray, Salvador Dalí, Hans
Bellmer, and Joseph Cornell. The biomorphists encompass
Jean Arp, Max Ernst, Henry Moore, and Isamu Noguchi. In
addition, Alberto Giacometti, Alexander Calder, and David
Smith are highlighted for their game-changing innovations
that influenced the evolution of modern sculpture. Nearly
two hundred illustrations and a selection of historical texts
accompany the insightful essay and chronology by Valerie
Fletcher. Fans of Surrealism and those new to the genre will
appreciate this book’s in-depth approach to its innovative and
influential three-dimensional masterpieces.