There’s something seductive about surreal art. Surrealism, a revolutionary movement of the 1920s that is still alive and well today, is a place where the real world and the dream world meet.
Surrealists wanted to ‘liberate the imagination’ and many artists wanted to free people from false rationality, and restrictive customs and structures. This is not unlike the later psychedelic era of the 1960s and mid 1970s where artists explored the potentials of consciousness through drug use.
So while the effects of surreal art as an escape from the mundane reality of everyday life may be similar to the strange, unpredictable, hallucination effects of illicit drugs (or so I’m told!), there are many reasons why saying yes to surrealism and no to drugs is the best course of action in the 21st Century. In fact, here are seven reasons why surreal art works way better than drugs as a way to liberate your mind.
1. It’s a cheaper form of escape
While surreal art can be addictive (a quick browse through our Surrealism Art collection will prove that theory to be true), drugs are expensive and you soon become very poor.
Drug addicts are not only at risk of losing money quickly, but they can also lose their jobs. It can become tricky to get up in the mornings and trickier to eventually even function. An addiction to surrealism means you can enjoy escaping, but continue to support yourself (while buying more art).
Lose track of time with this Dali inspired Melting Watch print. Watch your troubles melt away…
ESCAPE: Forget the pressures of life with surreal art, inspired by Salvador Dalí.
2. You won’t get any strange looks
Sure, drug users blend in at first don’t they? Oh yes, it’s all fun and games until someone loses all their friends because they’ve done something stupid.
There’s no need to become a hermit when you can have this green set of eyes watching over you at home. This At One With Nature print is a great conversation piece for when friends visit. In fact, with this grassy, green-eyed mountain, you’ll never be lonely again.
NO STRANGE LOOKS: Friends will love the appeal of this gorgeous green surrealist print.
3. You can never have too much
Drugs are bad, MmmmK? If you have too much of the baddest of bad drugs, it can be lethal. You can die. But there’s no such thing as too much art.
These three surrealist cat prints – the Fat Cat, the Monacle Cat and the Three-eyed Cat – highlight there’s no such thing as too much surrealism. No risk of overdose whatsoever!
NO RISK: These surreal cats look pretty shady, but they will not kill you.
4. There are no side effects
What the … ?
This print Making A Fist Of It shows you can have a picture of a big fist with one eye that has lots of little fists sticking out of it with two of the fists holding knitting needles hanging on your wall at home – and nothing at all bad will happen to you.
Alternatively, brain damage from drugs can be permanent.
5. It’s great for your love life
While drugs can lead to impotence in males, surreal art – like this Woman Behind The Mask print – will lead to good times in the bedroom.
How sexy is it when you so completely lose yourself in the moment that you don’t know who you are? I mean, that’s my interpretation of this seductive print. This faceless lady has taken herself off to some place that I’d rather be!
Just say YES!
YES YES YES: Spice up your love life with a piece of surreal art for your bedroom.
6. You won’t lose any friends over it
Hard drugs can be dreadful for your mental health – even the legal ones! While drug use might sound like the escape you need at the time, the living nightmare can be quite different and very difficult. Drugs can destroy relationships and you may end up hurting people you love. Some drug abusers become losers with no prospects. Noone actually wants that!
Alternatively, an eclectic collection of surreal art in your home will gain you more friends. The conversations alone will mean they’ll want to remain in your life – you interesting, mysterious person you! Float away with your friends with this Elephant In The Sky print.
FLOAT AWAY: Decorate your home with this surreal conversation piece.
7. It’s not against the law
We do not live in Nazi Germany where surrealism and, in fact, any modern art was considered ‘degenerative art’. We are blessed to have freedom of artistic expression. Any of us can paint and purchase surrealism to our heart’s content.
Drugs – on the other hand – are illegal. In fact, while we won the war against the Nazis, we are still fighting the war against drugs.
Surreal art comes from a place of peace and a spirit of safe escape. Indulge without fear nor fervour. It’s what our forefathers would want from us, afterall.
