Cosmic artistism, passionate surrealism, Salvador Dali: exhibition displaying the famous artist’s works opens in Astana
The exhibition "The Salvador Dali. Cipher" has opened in Astana, organized by the Has Sanat Gallery. The exhibition includes 61 original color graphic works by the great surrealist Salvador Dalí, collected by a private collector over the past ten years. Kazinform correspondent reports from the opening.
These works were created by the master in different periods of his career, and the exhibition offers a unique opportunity to get acquainted with the depth and versatility of his genius. Among the presented collections are lithographs from the series "Carmen", "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland", "Dali's Horses" and "Trilogy of Love", as well as 20 illustrations for the novel by Pedro Antonio de Alarcon, "The Three-Cornered Hat", made in the technique of xylography.
As Polina Egamina, co-founder of the Lumiere-Hall museum and one of the organizers of the exhibition, noted, 2024 is a special year for the world of art. This year marks 100 years since the emergence of surrealism, an art movement that changed the idea of reality and the world as a whole. It is also the 120th anniversary of the birth of Salvador Dalí, one of the most prominent representatives of surrealism.
According to Egamina, Salvador Dali not only created his own works but also actively collaborated with other creative individuals: “Salvador Dali was a genius of ideas, and he understood that he would not be able to do everything in his life. Therefore, he collaborated with Schiaparelli and made fashionable images. He collaborated with architects and built amazing buildings. He collaborated with jewelers and made some crazy works of jewelry art. He collaborated with photographers. He had photo books dedicated only to himself. That is why I truly admire this man—that he was ahead of his time in terms of the number of works, precisely because he knew that you also need to trust other people. I believe this, of course, is his great strength, and we all need to learn from this."
The exhibition pays special attention to four main collections, each of which reflects Dali's unique approach to art.
The Trilogy of Love is one of the most significant series at the exhibition. These works are dedicated to space and Dali's endless love for his wife and muse, Gala. Polina Egamina notes that space was one of the key themes in Dali's work, and he considered his mustache to be antennas that capture ideas from the universe. In the works from this series, visitors can see a combination of cosmic elements with sensual images, creating a spectacular composition where every detail has deep symbolism. At the center of these lithographs is the idea of harmony between love and art, associated with something unearthly.
Carmen is a series of lithographs based on the famous opera by Georges Bizet. Here, Dali adds his surreal elements to classical scenes, transporting viewers into the magical world of his imagination. Each work is filled with passion, drama, and emotional tension, making these works exciting and unique. The artist uses contrasting colors and surreal imagery to create unusual interpretations of the classic story.
Dali's Horses is another striking collection at the exhibition. These lithographs represent a symbol of movement and freedom, with horses depicted in dynamic poses against a backdrop of fantastic landscapes. These works convey the freedom and unpredictability that are characteristic of surrealism. Dali's horses are not just animals but symbols of strength, passion, and energy; their forms are elongated and distorted, creating unique and expressive images.
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is a series of lithographs where Dali visualizes scenes from Lewis Carroll's famous book. The artist's surrealist perception gives the new characters a magical and mysterious look. All the characters are depicted in Dali's unique style, adding elements of absurdity and fantasy to the classic story. This collection is especially interesting in how the artist transfers his vision to a world full of paradoxes and metaphors. However, this series also hides the secret of the main character, who appears in the paintings in an unusual way for the viewer.
The exhibition will run until September 29, and, according to Polina Egamina, after that it will leave Kazakhstan and go to the State Museum abroad.
"This exhibition is our unique opportunity. We were in a hurry to open it in Astana. We really wanted to bring them here too. We did not want this to remain outside the viewers of this city. Of course, we are really happy that it worked out,” she emphasized.
Earlier, Almaty also hosted the exhibition “Salvador Dali. Secret Writing," which presented 41 original lithographs and woodcuts. An important part of that exhibition were works from the “Dali Horses” series and illustrations for Pedro de Alarcon’s “The Three-Cornered Hat," made in a rare woodcut technique. The central element was the “Trilogy of Love," which delighted visitors to the southern capital of Kazakhstan with its deep metaphors and visual allusions to infinity and the universe. The exhibition also included a multimedia show, "Living Canvases," which allowed viewers to delve deeper into the world of Dali's ideas and see his works in a new light.
The exhibition is open to visitors daily from 11:00 to 22:00 until September 29, after which it will leave Kazakhstan and go to another museum.
