Word Count: 891
From the real to the surreal, Salvador Dali embodied it all.
Once he was satisfied with his abilities to mimic what he
saw in the world, he began to play with objects and space.
He comprehended, perfected and finally transcended
realism and his work became much more than paint on
canvas.
In a forward that transpersonal psychologist Ken Wilber
did for Alex Grey’s book Sacred Mirrors: The Visionary
Art of Alex Grey, he stresses that "all of us possess the eye
of flesh, the eye of mind and the eye of spirit. We can
classify art in terms of which eye it mostly relies on. . . Each
of these eyes sees a different world – the world of material
objects, of mental ideas, of spiritual realities (respectively).
And each eye can paint what it sees. The higher the eye,
the deeper the art." Dali’s work seems to parallel this
theory.
He began as a child genius of art. At the youthful age of 14,
his charcoal drawings patterned techniques that Claude
Monet is so renown for using. Dali was capable of
portraying Monet’s stylistic texture in a texture-less
medium. By the time he reached his twenties, he perfected
this impressionistic style using oil paint on canvas. I believe
this is illustrated in The Three Pines, a painting which was
created when Dali was 15. Vague line definitions and
blending, vivid colors and values are just of few of the
comparisons that could be made between this and Monet’s
Water Lilies, Green Harmony.
As he perfected this style, he became more realistic. A
perfect example is his oil
painting, Basket of Bread in which a simple woven basket
sits on a white table cloth with four slices of bread inside. A
simple black backdrop provides an excellent subdued
contrast to keep
your eye focused on the subject. The entire painting, done
by Dali at age 22, is so realistic that at first glance it seems
like a photograph. You can feel the folds in the cloth as
well as the harsh texture of the basket. The lighting and
shadows are perfect for the object and not at all over
baring. His placement of the object in the lower half of the
painting gives the entire piece a good sense of depth.
From this point, Dali encompassed and transcended
realism into pre-surrealism and finally surrealism. He started
to incorporate ideas into his paintings and move beyond the
material world. This signifies the beginning of the use of the
second eye that Ken Wilber discusses and the continuation
into what I believe to be the third eye. To explain this, here
is another quote from Ken Wilber taken from his discussion
of achieving the highest or deepest degree of art: "The
purpose of truly transcendent art is to express something
you are not yet, but can become." (Ken Wilber; One
Taste, p. 6) In Dali’s painting, My Wife, Nude,
Contemplating her Own Flesh Becoming the Stairs, his
wife is seated with her back to us, staring at a surreal
depiction of her from our point of view. She is painted in
perfect realism with beautifully bright and natural colors.
Smooth lines and delicate shadows give us a taste of Dali’s
talent with a brush. The definition and detail of her hair
makes it seem as though we can reach out and touch it. It
appears that a light breeze could sway it from perfection.
By the title alone, we can say that she is sitting there
contemplating her image in the distance changing before her
eyes. The image is not only surreal but majestic in nature.
The
value of the color differs from that of the realistic human. In
the human, they are dark and defined, where in the
contemplated object they are pastel and soft. The
contemplation barely resembles it’s originator anymore but
holds just enough shape that you can place it. She watches
her image turn into a mechanical looking architectural
structure with a hollow center. The object is vulnerable to
destruction because of what little material is actually holding
it up. Stairs from the ground lead straight into the middle of
the object and beautiful Romanesque pillars augment the
hair. A statue stands atop a column inside the structure
where the heart would usually sit.
All of this can be taken literally as I am describing or you
can look deeper into it. A brief glance at my thoughts on it:
It’s a husbands view of his wife in which she sees herself as
she really is and contemplates from afar. She sees her body
open and unprotected with stairs leading you straight inside.
She welcomes her lover; her husband. This beautiful
architectural shrine is dedicated to him and that is his statue
beside her heart. The statue stands tall and victorious the
same way she sees her husband. This is all just the tip of
the iceberg.
When I first read Ken Wilbers discussion of art, I could not
agree more with him. Anyone can paint with the eye of the
flesh, it just takes practice. To take the step to the eye of
the mind, you must be willing to open yourself up and see
what comes out. You have to have a certain amount of
talent to be capable of expressing ideas on the canvas. Not
only that but conveying them in such a manner that they
make people stop and contemplate. To paint with the eye
of the spirit you must encompass all of these and transcend
yourself to a higher level of thought. Salvador Dali is my
absolute favorite painter because he can achieve these
things. In his work, I see a natural progression from basic
painting from sight to something that includes so much
more. Each step he took, he did not leave behind the
knowledge that he learned before, but he incorporated it
into something so much more incredible.
Keywords:
word count from real surreal salvador dali embodied once satisfied with abilities mimic
what world began play with objects space comprehended perfected finally transcended
realism work became much more than paint canvas forward that transpersonal
psychologist wilber alex grey book sacred mirrors visionary alex grey stresses that quot
possess flesh mind spirit classify terms which mostly relies each these eyes sees different
world world material objects mental ideas spiritual realities respectively each paint what
sees higher deeper quot dali work seems parallel this theory began child genius youthful
charcoal drawings patterned techniques that claude monet renown using dali capable
portraying monet stylistic texture texture less medium time reached twenties perfected
this impressionistic style using paint canvas believe this illustrated three pines painting
which created when vague line definitions blending vivid colors values just comparisons
could made between monet water lilies green harmony perfected style became more
realistic perfect example painting basket bread which simple woven basket sits white
table cloth with four slices bread inside simple black backdrop provides excellent
subdued contrast keep your focused subject entire painting done realistic first glance
seems like photograph feel folds cloth well harsh texture basket lighting shadows perfect
object over baring placement object lower half gives entire piece good sense depth from
point encompassed transcended realism into surrealism finally surrealism started
incorporate ideas into paintings move beyond material signifies beginning second wilber
discusses continuation into what believe third explain here another quote from wilber
taken discussion achieving highest deepest degree quot purpose truly transcendent
express something become taste wife nude contemplating flesh becoming stairs wife
seated back staring surreal depiction point view painted perfect realism beautifully bright
natural colors smooth lines delicate shadows give taste talent brush definition detail hair
makes seem though reach touch appears light breeze could sway perfection title alone
sitting there contemplating image distance changing before eyes image only surreal
majestic nature value color differs realistic human human they dark defined where
contemplated object they pastel soft contemplation barely resembles originator anymore
holds just enough shape place watches image turn mechanical looking architectural
structure hollow center vulnerable destruction because little material actually holding
stairs ground lead straight middle beautiful romanesque pillars augment hair statue stands
atop column inside structure where heart would usually taken literally describing look
deeper brief glance thoughts husbands view wife sees herself really contemplates afar
body open unprotected stairs leading straight inside welcomes lover husband beautiful
architectural shrine dedicated statue beside heart statue stands tall victorious same
husband just iceberg when first read wilbers discussion could agree more anyone flesh
takes practice take step mind must willing open yourself comes have have certain amount
talent capable expressing ideas canvas only conveying them such manner they make
people stop contemplate spirit must encompass these transcend yourself higher level
thought salvador absolute favorite painter because achieve these things work natural
progression basic sight something includes much each step took leave behind knowledge
learned before incorporated something much incredible
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