Movements stem from situations and changes in history. In the 1920s – 30s, movements such as Surrealism, Bauhaus and New Objectivity came into play as artists began to rebel and express themselves through new, and perhaps disturbing art work.

Each movement holds a weight of sadness, and enlightened discovery with the use of colours and shapes. This time held the aftermath of WW1 and the hidden anticipation for the following war to come. The public was in mourning for the experienced death and trauma, yet many wanted an escape from the tragedy. Many artists used this time to counter previous art trends by creating refreshing, and distorted pieces which changed the course of art history

In this post, we will be discussing how these specific movements have impacted and are very much a part of art today.

BONOBO – NO REASON​

DIRECTOR –  OSCAR HUDSON ​
SURREALIST MUSIC VIDEO 2017

Surrealism in Music Videos

Bonobo’s music video ‘No Reason‘ 2017 takes the audience through a series of scenes from a boys bedroom. We travel through doors following a straight line, seeing the surrounding scene change as the boy and objects around him grow increasingly bigger.​

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Director Oscar Hudson takes us through this surreal narrative watching a supposedly happy which becomes increasingly more trapping and uncomfortable. The character plays with the audiences emotions by having a mask on his face and acting normally while touching and moving different objects in the room.​

At the end of the music video, the boy reaches out toward us for help from each room. The pace of the music increases and the melody intensifies.​

This is an example of surrealism in music videos and how we grasp the concept of making a surreal reality to express inner emotions – in this case feeling trapped.

NAM DAS  – AS ABOVE​

SURREALIST ARTIST 2019

Surrealism in Art

Nam Das creates visual narratives in his art by arranging complex scenes with diverse objects and symbolism to support a primary idea.​

He states his ideas  ‘play around the different archetypes of the collective unconscious or mythologems observed throughout history’​. The pieces of work are dark yet creatively mystical. They draw focus onto different objects with the use of light and positioning.

RZH – HONDA

DESIGN DIRECTOR 2017

Richard Hooker is a Designer / Art Director / Design Director who came up with genius ideas for the Honda advert 2017 in the Bauhaus style.

‘Design is much more than making thinks look nice. It’s helping narratives to make sense, and people’s journeys to be seamless’