The Eye

The self is no other than a reflection of the mind. The killer and the saint are in different rooms even if in the same space, perception being exposed to interpretation, both will paint the scenario according to the colours of their memory, experiences, emotions and unconscious. These are the same entities that drive our actions, motivate our choices, feed our fears… So does the body rule the mind, or does the mind rule the body? "This boy looks like a fanatic”, said the father of Psychology, Sigmund Freud, about the young artist that was painting his portrait. Little did he know that the eccentric and aspiring boy, painting across from him with, would be, like himself, a symbol of what it lies beyond the conscious. If Freud is the man that overthrew the reign of the body over the mind, Dali is painter of dreams. The matter Freud opened up to interpretation, Dali interpreted. Salvador Dali died at the age of two, in Catalonia Spain. His father, Salvador Dali, named the child after a previously deceased son, and after himself, Salvador Dali. His strong personality sprung from an early age, much like his talent: at the age of 16, studying at the Art Academy of San Fernando in Madrid, he would attract attention with his long hair, tie, high socks and long jackets. After declaring that nobody there was capable enough to evaluate his work he got himself expelled from the academy. Despite his great respect for the Masters (his iconic moustache is said to be a tribute to Velázquez), Dali praised genius above institutions. When he moved to Paris, for example, he, said to Picasso “I came to visit you before I visit the Louvre”. Individualistic by nature, Dali disregard even the groups he would be considered as part of, declaring that “The only difference between the surrealists and me is that I’m Surrealism". Even if you don't agree with his personification of Surrealism, Dali cultivated a surrealist lifestyle, extravagant and passionate, embodying the frontier between reality and a dream. Even his work methods were meant to break the line of sleep: one of his techniques was to sit comfortably on a chair, holding a spoon over a tin plate, and upon drifting off to sleep he would drop the spoon and wake up to capture the dreamy images of his unconscious mind. The landscapes, animals and forms, the symbology of those themes and the relations between elements would reveal a deeper meaning, like a dream would reveal the self — a manifestation of the true person, free from the boundaries of conscience. Dali makes me realize how lonely and misunderstood we all are. Whatever word we read, sound we hear, painting we see, it will always resonate with the sense we personally make of it. Communication is never truly effective because we hear and see different things from the same source. Unknown even to ourselves — the more I try to comprehend myself the less I understand my actions. Dali makes me feel that that’s okay, as long as we keep exploring our dreams. Artur Deus Dionisio We ask for your help - please donate and help us release a new version of the app: http://support.getdailyart.com