Surrealism arose during the period between the two World Wars and became one of the most influential artistic and literary movements of the twentieth century. Profoundly marked by the senseless experiences of World War I, the Surrealists, under the leadership of André Breton, took off “on a passionate search for freedom in all of its forms.” By incorporating the subconscious into the creative process, they developed completely new forms of expression. Simultaneously, they invented radically new ways of exhibiting their art. This presentational tradition is carried on in both private collections and public museums to this day. Featuring exemplary works by prominent Surrealists—from Salvador Dalí, Max Ernst, and Joan Miró to René Magritte, Yves Tanguy, and Meret Oppenheim—the reader will experience characteristically Surrealist modi operandi as well as Surrealist strategies. It is not only contemporary artists who find sources of inspiration and contemporary references in Surrealism. (German edition ISBN 978-3-7757-3160-7) Exhibition schedule: Fondation Beyeler, Basel / Riehen, October 2, 2011–January 29, 2012