Liberating the Unconscious Mind

How deep is your mind? When you close your eyes, there are thoughts which seem to be far, far beneath what you can think of. Sometimes it makes you feel void somewhere and elsewhere in you,  in your unconscious mind, overwhelmed with the desire to liberate something.

Creative people express this first by visualization then through artistic works using different media. They call it 'surrealism'.  These days that there are many challenges to mental health, the creatives have a better way of dealing with it by creating something that comes from the core of their unconscious minds. In such a way, they release whatever is there and it can be a liberating experience.

Let's explore the web showing artworks on surrealism. Each art piece has a story and a message of the artist to convey to the viewers. See these --

• Surrealism Art
• 10 Famous Surrealist Paintings That Will Tickle Your Subconscious
• Surrealism Art: Seven Famous Surrealist Artists and Their Most Iconic Paintings

According to Wikipedia, "the word 'surrealism' was coined in 1917 by Guillaume Apollinaire three (3) years before Surrealism emerged as an art movement in Paris."

In the early 1920s, Surrealism began as a cultural movement, best known for its visual artworks and writings.

Today when we see surrealistic artworks, at a glance they seem to be illogical, unusual, disparate, insane, weird and other related adjectives, but they reflect the artists' boldness in 'allowing the unconscious to express itself'.

John Lennon said,

Surrealism had a great effect on me because then I realized that the imagery in my mind wasn't insanity. Surrealism, to me, is reality.

It is like a union of a dream and reality and making it look like super-realistic, transferring an emotion that will be felt by the viewer or reader.

There is the so-called automatism in the process. It is "the method of art-making' in which the artist suppresses conscious control over the making process, allowing the unconscious mind to have great sway."  Oh, that great sway! I experience it when I paint on my canvas. Truly it can be liberating!

It is interesting to note that the Surrealism movement in the mid-1920s was characterized by meetings in cafes. The Surrealists discussed the theories of the movement, played collaborative drawing games (I think to activate the neurons of their brains and to build a better relationship among members), and developed a variety of drawing techniques.

Here I see some social media posts of local artists doing the same (except those movement theory discussions and drawing games) in the hotel functions rooms, coffee shops and restaurants. There are speakers who share some techniques in creative artworks, and the leaders showcase the talents of collaborating artists.

Musicians collaborate. Some composers write the lyrics, others sing the songs, set up their bands, and perform touching the hearts of viewers/listeners.

With the self-publishing businesses popping out everywhere coupled with the power of digital technology, writers easily publish their writings. Then they organize book launching with a loud reading of selected articles.

All those come from their unconscious minds, influenced by surrealists' great works.

The blood of surrealism passes through the veins of emotions. That is why most graphical contents used in advertising are inspired by it. In our daily lives, it is all psycho-war. Win the emotion, and you win the behavior.  Advertisers appeal to the emotions of their target viewers/readers so they can convert them to buyers.

Sometimes we copy and paste some lines written or graphical images designed by others, as they are the same thoughts and feelings that we have, yet only the more talented and brave ones can honestly express such from their unconscious minds better than we do. When we read or see their works, we feel that we created and/or own them. Similarly how their works liberate their unconscious minds, so do they do in ours.

Try it yourself to find and interpret a surrealist's artworks/writings. Then try doing something creative in line with surrealism, to liberate your unconscious mind.

Combine what is real, and what is imaginary or vision, beyond your deepest thoughts. Blend rationalism and subconscious thoughts.

Surrealism is the new classic. It reflects one's quiet intellect which can be fascinating and this brilliance must be respected.

It shows that gifted people can see reality in a very different way, that there is more to it than what can be perceived by the senses.

Passionately make use of your dream or your unconscious mind that opens the door to the mystery of life and its realities.

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Photo credits:  Pixabay