Page 19 - International Iconic July 2024

S ALVADO R
DALÍ

ne of the greatest showmen in the history of modern followed by his enlightening trips to Brussels and Paris, where he
art, Salvador Dali’s enigmatic personality continues to also met Picasso. His first exhibition in Paris at Camille Goemans
Ogenerate fascination among people across the globe. It Gallery in 1929 generated much enthusiasm among the critics and
was in the course of his life that one can trace the situations that led consolidated Dali’s reputation as a bonafide artist of the time.
Dali to become the artistic powerhouse he was. One of his most famous works, The Persistence of Memory
Born in 1904 in the small Spanish town of Figueres, Salvador was first exhibited in his second exhibition in Paris held at Pierre
Dali grew up under the shadow of his deceased brother, who was Colle Gallery in 1931.
also named Salvador and died in 1903, aged two. Anguished by The artist’s association with America marked an important
this loss, the artist’s parents preserved their deceased son through juncture in Dali’s larger-than-life popularity. After his first solo show
his brother, which led to a sense of a hollowed identity for the artist. in 1933 there, the artist frequently travelled to the United States.
Owing to this, Dali grew up with innate rebellious tendencies that “The only difference between a madman and myself is that I am not
would later become a hallmark of his artistic identity. At the same mad,” the artist famously claimed during a lecture at the Museum
time, Dalí was haunted by the idea of his dead brother throughout of Modern Art in 1935. Eventually, a watershed moment came
his life, mythologizing him in his writings and art. when he had to move to America in 1940 as World War II broke out.
Art had been a major influence in Dali’s life since a young Known as a country of no bounds, when it came to self-expression,
age. He pored over several volumes of art monographs gifted to America made for a perfect playground for Dali’s eccentric self-
him by his father. He also received encouragement from Pepito styling. The floodgates of publicity were swung open, and Dali’s
Pichot, a friend of his father whose brother was an impressionist company began to be coveted by the rich members of the upper
painter living in Paris and known to Picasso. This culminated with echelons of modern American society.

“I do not paint a portrait to look like the subject,

rather does the person grow to look like his portrait.”

Dali executing paintings even before he had turned ten. In 1917, he During these years, Dali dabbled in several modes of
enrolled at the Municipal School of Drawing in Figueres to study expression. He painted society portraits, wrote a novel titled
under Professor Juan Nuñez, who further nurtured the talents of Hidden Faces, began publishing his self-promotional newspaper,
the young artist. Dalí News, and also collaborated with Hollywood giants such as
Next year, at the age of 15, Salvador Dali had his first public Walt Disney and Alfred Hitchcock.
exhibition at the Municipal Theatre in Figueres. The early years Dali, at last, returned to Europe in 1948 and was expelled from
and the decades of 1920 were a sinuous journey for the artist. A the Surrealist movement, primarily due to his public admiration of
profound sadness swept over him with the passing of his mother fascist dictators like Hilter and General Franco. In this post-war
in 1921. In 1923, he was rusticated from the San Fernando Royal era, Dali became the poster boy of a frenzy for sensationalism
Academy of Fine Arts and had to undergo compulsory military perpetuated by the consumption of the burgeoning mass media.
service. Despite these detours, Dali continued to dedicate Referring to himself as the ‘Divine Dali,’ he was widely celebrated
himself to his art and experimented with various styles of painting. for his ludic personality.
He explored Cubism and Purism and also experimented with At the same time, he continued to experiment with his artistic
representationalism of the subconscious in a Surrealist manner. His modes and visual language. During different phases, he adopted
talents were soon recognised. different styles, including expressionism, pointillism, and optical
In 1925, the first one-man exhibition of his works was art. He also introduced several new techniques like holography,
showcased at Dalmau Gallery in Barcelona. This success was stereoscopy, and digitalisation into his art practice.