Surrealism and abstraction both influenced music, literature and films.
The abstract and surrealist artistic movements dominated 20th century art, accompanied by a century of reinvention and the reimagining of the place of art. The two movements demonstrated the influence of science and technology on the art world, while giving artists an opportunity to discuss these changes through art that displayed the valuable social concerns of the artists.
Surrealism
Surrealism, as an artistic movement, presented images that could not exist within reality, but presented them in a way to allow the viewer to see something important about the image. In essence, the surreal qualities of the art presented elements of the vision rather than the vision itself. For instance, Salvador Dali's "The Three Sphinxes of Bikini" depicts a mushroom cloud in the distance, a tree in the middle and a human head close to the artist's perspective, each in an identical shape. The surreal shape of the three subjects seems to suggest that mankind should consider the impact of nuclear weapons on nature, because nature cannot watch war from a distance.
Abstract
Abstract art uses shapes, lines and colors to create striking images. Abstract art is generally nonobjective, meaning that the artist is not painting something she is looking at, but rather painting something she sees in her mind. The straight lines and geometric shapes are often considered representational of the modern shift to science and technology, but others, such as Georgia O'Keeffe, used subtle curves and lines to represent the human form in natural images, such as flowers, clouds or animals.
Surrealism Impact
Following World War I and extending through World War II, the surrealist movement gained strength from the powerful cultural imagery depicted in the art. Where art had been representational, depicting real images seen by the painter, surrealism allowed artists to depict social messages in paintings. Surrealism ushered in a wide array of social messages, which, combined with the postmodern literary movement, began to assert art as a cultural motivator rather than a cultural recorder. For instance, while Dali's depiction of a nuclear explosion was based on his own interpretation, it allowed him to present an argument against the use of nuclear weapons.
Abstract Impact
The early impact of the abstract movement occurred during the early years of the 20th century, in relation to the rise of science, technology and the understanding of the human brain. Abstract art represented many of these new ideas. The nonobjective quality of abstract art, relating to the fact that artists are not painting something they physically see, opened the door for the surrealist movement. Abstract painting created an opportunity to develop the earlier impressionist movement into a modernist world.
