Dalí: Poetics of the Small, 1929–1936
Research undertaken upon the Meadows’ 2014 acquisition of Salvador Dalí’s painting The Fish Man (L’homme poisson, 1930) opened doors to areas within Dalí’s 1930s oeuvre worthy of further study; foremost among them, Dalí’s propensity for painting on a small scale. Dalí: Poetics of the Small, 1929–1936, is the first exhibition on the artist to focus solely on his small-format works. While examples of small-format paintings are present throughout Dalí’s career, the eight years under examination—1929 to 1936, arguably the apex of Dalí’s artistic career—witnessed sustained attention to this format; nearly half of the approximately 200 known paintings completed by the artist during this time measure 13 inches or smaller. This exhibition, which brings together a representative selection of small-format paintings from this period, considers the potential sources of inspiration for these minute masterpieces. Of particular interest is Dalí’s early, and lasting, admiration for the work of Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer (1632–1675). Photography, as well as photomontage and collage, are also considered as influences. The project also includes a technical study of a selection of these paintings by Claire Barry, director of conservation at the Kimbell Art Museum, which continues the work she first performed on The Fish Man three years ago. This research aims to provide a better understanding of Dalí’s artistic technique and working process during the 1930s, which is considered in correlation to the artist’s small-format paintings.
This exhibition has been organized by the Meadows Museum and funded by a generous gift from The Meadows Foundation. Promotional support provided by VisitDallas and The Dallas Morning News.
Reproduction, including downloading of Salvador Dalí works is prohibited by copyright laws and international conventions without the express written permission of Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.
15 second exhibition video clip:
30- second exhibition video clip:
Long-form video – 4:00m:
OCTOBER
Thursday, October 4, 6:00 p.m.
LECTURE
Salvador Dalí’s Surrealism of the Tiny
Roger Rothman, Samuel H. Kress Professor of Art History, Bucknell University
Roger Rothman’s lecture will explore Dalí’s fascination with all things tiny—both the literally tiny (ants, sewing needles, breadcrumbs, blackheads) as well as the metaphorically tiny (the trivial, the weak, the superficial, the anachronistic). Dalí has long been a controversial figure among scholars of modern art and Rothman’s lecture will examine the ways in which Dalí’s “tininess” courted such controversy.
Free; reservations required at 214.768.8587
Bob and Jean Smith Auditorium
Thursday, October 11, 5:00 p.m.
SMU COMINI LECTURE SERIES
Dalí’s Persistence of Memory: From the Universal to the Ultra-local
Elliott King, Associate Professor of Art History, Washington and Lee University
With its swarming ants and soft watches, no artwork has been so singularly responsible for disseminating a particular understanding of Surrealism as Salvador Dalí’s The Persistence of Memory (1931). Surprisingly, however, this “10 x 14 inches of Dalí dynamite” has been analyzed only meagerly beyond Dalí’s own post-facto description that the painting alluded to Einstein’s theory of relativity combined with an overripe cheese. This paper introduces new research into this familiar painting—its origins, personal symbolism, and trajectory to become one of the most recognizable images of modern art.
Free.
Greer Garson Screening Room, Owens Fine Arts Center
Thursday, October 18, 6:00–7:30 p.m.
MEMBER PROGRAM
Member Meetup: Petite Eats & Treats
Join us for a special night exploring a world of tiny treats to coincide with the exhibition Dalí: Poetics of the Small, 1929–1936. After sampling a variety of small bites, members will make their own miniature masterpieces as we construct layered dessert shots together step by step. Take your culinary creation home to show off your work or enjoy it on the spot! Space is limited.
$60 non-refundable admission for Meadows Museum members only; reservations required at 214.768.2765
Gene and Jerry Jones Great Hall
Friday, October 26, 12:15 p.m.
GALLERY TALK
Dalí, Surrealism, and Psychoanalysis
Anna Lovatt, assistant professor of art history, SMU
Free with regular museum admission
Virginia Meadows Galleries
NOVEMBER
Thursday, November 8, 5:00–5:50 p.m.
MEMBER PROGRAM
Member Meetup: Dalí and the Surrealist Moment
Join William Jeffett, chief curator of exhibitions at The Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida, for cava prior to his evening lecture, which will give an overview of Salvador Dalí’s work and the artist’s role within the Surrealist movement in Paris. Space is limited.
$15 non-refundable admission for Meadows Museum members only; reservations required at 214.768.2765
Gene and Jerry Jones Great Hall
Thursday, November 8, 6:00 p.m.
LECTURE
Dalí and the Surrealist Moment
William Jeffett, chief curator of exhibitions, The Dalí Museum, St. Petersburg, Florida
The period covered in this exhibition, 1929 through 1936, is considered a time when Salvador Dalí painted his finest works. Through an examination of the early exhibitions of Surrealist art that the Catalan painter participated in during these eight years, this lecture will provide an overview of Dalí’s work and his role within the Surrealist movement in Paris. Dalí would remain a member of the Surrealist group until 1939 when he had a final rupture with its leader, André Breton.
Free; reservations required at 214.768.8587
Bob and Jean Smith Auditorium
Saturday, November 17, 6:00 p.m.
DOUBLE LECTURE: DALÍ’S CRAFTSMANSHIP: A CLOSER LOOK
Salvador Dalí’s Techniques and Studio Practice in Panel Painting
Irene Civil, head of conservation and restoration, Fundació Gala-Salvador Dalí, Figueres
Dalí through the Magnifying Glass
Claire Barry, director of conservation, Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth
Join us for a special double lecture examining Dalí’s paintings and the processes he used in his early small-format works. Irene Civil from the Fundació Gala-Salvador Dalí will discuss the artist’s techniques in oil on panel through the examination of two small portraits of Dalí’s wife and muse, Gala. Claire Barry from the Kimbell Art Museum will discuss the technical analysis she carried out on a group of nine paintings as part of the exhibition Dalí: Poetics of the Small, 1929–1936.
Free; reservations required at 214.768.8587
Bob and Jean Smith Auditorium
Thursday, November 29, 6:00–7:30 p.m.
MEMBER PROGRAM
Member Meetup: Trivia & Tour with Curatorial Assistant Shelley DeMaria
Test your knowledge or learn something new with trivia night at the museum, followed by a tour of the exhibition Dalí: Poetics of the Small, 1929–1936 with the exhibition’s co-curator Shelley DeMaria. Join us in teams or take on the challenge solo for a chance to win Dalí-themed prizes and to learn more about art history, the Meadows Museum, and our exciting new exhibition! Space is limited.
$20 non-refundable admission for Meadows Museum members only; reservations required at 214.768.2765
Gene and Jerry Jones Great Hall
DECEMBER
Saturday, December 1, 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; performance at 2:00 p.m.
MUSIC AT THE MEADOWS
Dalí Interactive
Students and faculty in SMU’s Meadows School of the Arts from the Divisions of Music, Creative Computation, and Dance will present a series of audio installations and performative works in collaboration with the Meadows Museum for its exhibition Dalí: Poetics of the Small, 1929–1936. Each musical composition will be paired with a specific painting in the exhibition, and the interactive works will be installed in the last gallery of the exhibition throughout the day, while the performance will be held in Smith Auditorium at 2 p.m.
Interactive display is free with regular museum admission; reservations required for the performance only at 214.768.8587
Virginia Meadows Galleries and Bob and Jean Smith Auditorium
Friday, December 7, 12:15 p.m.
GALLERY TALK
Small Charms: Dalí and Poetry
Anne Keefe, editor, Meadows Museum
Free with regular museum admission
Virginia Meadows Galleries
Carrie Sanger
Marketing & PR Manager
csanger@smu.edu
214.768.1584
