The Warsaw exhibition presents surrealism as a political weapon against fascism

A new exhibition opening in Warsaw’s Museum of Modern Art presents surrealism not as a dreamlike fantasy but as a politically engaged movement born in direct opposition to fascism, nationalism, and colonialism. The exhibition, titled In the Very Belly of Change: Surrealism and Antifascism, will run from June 26 until January 10, 2027. It aims to redefine the perception of surrealism by emphasizing its role as a revolutionary force rather than merely an artistic style.

The exhibition deliberately excludes Salvador Dalí, whose open support for Francisco Franco’s regime makes him an unsuitable figure for this particular narrative. Instead, visitors can see works by artists such as Max Ernst, Joan Miró, Leonora Carrington, Dora Maar, René Magritte, Pablo Picasso, Czech artist Toyen, and many others. These pieces form a broad reinterpretation of one of the most famous art movements of the twentieth century.

Magda Lipská, the curator of the exhibition, stated that surrealism is often seen as an aesthetic-driven movement where art is created solely for art's sake. However, she emphasized that this view could not be further from the truth. Surrealism emerged as a response to social conditions, and it was, paradoxically, a movement composed of socially and politically committed artists. Co-curator Dorota Jarecká added that the exhibition shifts the central concept of surrealism from imagination to revolution. While imagination suggests creativity and imaginary worlds, surrealists aimed for something deeper—a method of creating art guided by Marxism and Freudian thought rather than rational thinking.

Surrealism originated in 1924 with André Breton’s foundational manifesto. Initially, it was more of a reaction to World War I than directly against fascism. As totalitarian movements gained strength in Europe, surrealists became increasingly vocal in their opposition to Hitlerism, the Nuremberg Laws, antisemitism, and war. The exhibition is divided into twelve chapters, each focusing on a different country or region where surrealism took root—Paris, Czechoslovakia, Spain during the Civil War, Egypt, Germany, Britain, and America, including the Caribbean, Mexico, and the United States.

The first chapter focuses on the clash between surrealists and fascist militias in the 1930s during the Paris screening of Luis Buñuel’s film The Golden Age, considered a full-length surrealist manifesto. The film was later banned in France. The exhibition also includes a specific section dedicated to Poland, challenging the notion that surrealism had no presence there. It highlights how surrealism was used to address wartime trauma, including the Holocaust.

Women artists play a significant role in the exhibition, though not necessarily through a feminist lens but as participants in the surrealist environment. Notable figures include wartime photojournalist Kati Horna, who documented the Spanish Civil War, along with Leonora Carrington, Remedios Varo, Claude Cahun, and others.

Curators Lipská and Jarecká noted that the exhibition resonates with today’s reality, which eerily mirrors the situation surrealists faced. They pointed out that history has a tendency to repeat itself, and the slogans surrealists carried on their banners—opposition to racism and authoritarian power—seem exceptionally relevant now. This connection underscores the ongoing relevance of surrealism as both an artistic movement and a political statement.