Salvador Dali created artwork that was highly influential. Leading the Surrealist movement, his collection is based on interesting and memorable concepts. Dali's artwork was not only prolific, but highly versatile. Some say he was a madman while others view him as nothing less than a genius.
Photo source: Deviant Art
He was a talented artist and an intriguing person — his upturned mustache, eccentric personality, and unique collection left a mark on the art world that will never be forgotten. He continues to be one of the most celebrated artists in history, offering the world boundless creativity.
Here is a brief look at the life of Salvador Dali, an artist ahead of his time.
The Life of Salvador Dali — A Brief Timeline
In 1904, Dali was born near Barcelona, Spain, where he was reportedly an intelligent child who produced advanced drawings at a young age. By the year 1921, he had convinced his father that he could make a living as an artist and moved to Madrid, Spain so that he could study painting.
Although he was imprisoned for political activity and kicked out of art school in 1925, he continued to develop his own style. Dali was fascinated by a dreamlike world, taking inspiration from the Italian painter Giorgio da Chirico, as he focused on the Surrealist movement.
By the 1930s, he created what he called his Paranoiac-Critical method. By creating his own reality, he did not find it necessary to change the world around him. In this sense, he trained himself to look at one object, only to visualize another. After meeting Gala, his wife, she became his key influence.
Throughout the thirties, Dali morphed from a leader and a key figure in the Surrealist movement, to someone who other surrealists frowned upon. Once the Spanish Civil War began, Dali and Gala stayed in Paris, where he continued to develop his artistic style. Strongly influenced by Sigmund Freud, Dali took great interest in psychoanalysis.
Photo source: Wikipedia
The 1940s brought new opportunities, as Dali and his wife moved to New York. Fleeing to America during World War II allowed Dali to explore his creativity through film. Teaming up with both Alfred Hitchcock and Disney, the end of this decade marked a time where Dali moved into his classical period.
As Dali evolved and his interests towards religion, science, and space grew, so did his collection. He wanted to explore life from every possible angle and in the 1960s, he began to work on what is now the Teatro-Museo Dali — or the The Dali Theatre-Museum, which today, continues to sit close to his birthplace.
After his wife and love of his life died, he did not paint as much as he once did. He continued to generate ideas which were highly mathematical in nature. After being injured in a house fire, he became confined to a wheelchair. He moved to his museum where he died of heart failure at the age of 84.
Life After Death
For years, Dali was fascinated with immortality, or as he referred to it - the fourth dimension. Although he passed away in 1989, his memory continues to live on. His passion, creativity, and fearlessness have been praised by people around the globe and his works continue to be showcased anywhere from Tokyo to London. The Dali Museum is now a place that offers world-class exhibits and educational opportunities — honoring Salvador Dali's name and his timeless collection.
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