Women in the Surrealist Movement: I am not just a muse and an object of desire Lecture by Anna Mašátová

Lecture as part of the UNI Live series.

Almost everyone in the Czech Republic knows names like Toyen or Frida Kahlo. But what about personalities like Gala Dalí, Leonor Fini, Leonora Carrington or Dorothea Tanning? Anna Mašátová's lecture will explain the important role of women in the Surrealist movement, their struggle for artistic freedom and their efforts to overcome deeply rooted stereotypes. Although Surrealism rejected patriarchal structures, women artists in its milieu often encountered misogyny and sexism. Yet they were able to use Surrealist principles to search for their own identity, push the boundaries of art, and establish the foundations of a feminist oeuvre that went beyond the movement itself.

The works of surrealist women artists have become an integral part of the discussion of modern art. Their life stories reveal the influence of women - not only as artists, but also as muses, models and managers - on their more famous colleagues, including André Breton, Paul Éluard, Max Ernst and Salvador Dalí. They also show the power of female solidarity and friendship, which were a key source of inspiration and mutual support.

Anna Mašátová is a music journalist and art historian, deputy editor-in-chief of the cultural magazine Uni and editor of the ArtCafé programme on Czech Radio Vltava.

Admission recommended 100,- CZK on the spot