“Surrealism, then, neither aims to subvert realism, as does the fantastic, nor does it try to transcend it. It looks for different means by which to explore reality itself.”
In this quote, Michael Richardson explains the difference between surrealism and other genres such as the fantastic. He states that surrealism does not aim to subvert or transcend realism, but rather seeks to explore reality in a different way. This suggests that surrealism is not about escaping reality, but rather about delving deeper into it through unconventional means.
In the quote by Michael Richardson, the concept of Surrealism is highlighted as a unique way of exploring reality. This philosophy goes beyond simply subverting or transcending realism, and instead seeks to discover different methods of understanding and interacting with the world around us. Today, Surrealism continues to be relevant as a source of inspiration for artists, writers, and thinkers who aim to think outside the box and delve into the complexities of our existence.
"Surrealism, then, neither aims to subvert realism, as does the fantastic, nor does it try to transcend it. It looks for different means by which to explore reality itself." - Michael Richardson
When thinking about Surrealism and how it explores reality in different ways, consider the following questions:
“The fantastic is in complicity with the realist model, in the claims that realism makes to represent the true face of reality. It points to the gaps and inadequacies of realism, but does not question the legitimacy of its claims to represent reality. The concept of “suspension of disbelief', that beloved criterion of positivist criticism supposedly serving to establish the legitimacy of the fantastic, confirms this hegemony.”
“Refusing what Adorno called that 'comfort in the uncomfortable' taken by the fantastic, surrealism seeks to reintegrate man into the universe.”
“Surrealism also refuses the representation of reality: reality can only be; its existence proves its reality. Fiction thereby becomes impossible or is, by definition, false.”
“A stubborn refusal of the conditions of 20th Century 'reality', surrealism has denied intransigently and consistently that modern man can live without a sense of wonder at the world that was once embodied in myth. In approaching literature, it has aimed at restoring to the word its magical qualities. And at giving back to language the elemental power it once had within society. This determinism lies at the heart of the surrealist attitude and distinguishes it radically from the modernism which took shape contemporaneously with it.”
“The form of the Gothic novel also implicitly contested the claims of Realism to reflect the world directly by showing how artificial its structure was.”
“In our modern world, this elemental quality of storytelling is denied. We live today in a world in which everything has its place and function and nothing is left out of place. Storytelling is thus at a discount and like everything else in a world ruled by the laws of exchange value, literature is required to submit itself to the requirements of the market and must learn, like any other commodity, to adapt and serve needs that lie outside of itself and its concrete value. It is forced to stand not for itself but for an ideological cause of one sort or another, whether it be political, social or literary. It cannot exist for itself: like everything else it has to be justified. And for this very reason the power of storytelling is automatically devalued. Literature is reduced to the status of complimentary utilitarian functions: as a pastime to provide distraction and entertainment, or as a heightened activity that would claim to explore 'great truths' about the human condition.”