What did the art mean to Salvador Dali?

Answer 1

Dali used events in his childhood and throughout his young life in his symbolism. The Majority of his symbolism is based on his fears and phobias, for example the aggressive and dominating figure of his father is often painted by Dali in the form of a Lion, and a chest of drawers slightly open suggests the supressed sexuality of females and sexual discovery.

Each symbol has its own meaning, but most of them depict a certain fear of his using an image related to his fear extracted from an event in his life.

Answer 2

i am not a art critic but soft clocks has fascinated since I first seen it - and i didn't even know who Dali was! to me it clearly demonstrates Dali's ability to understand/switch reality and perception and captures the beautiful concept of warm impermance - i also understand Dali was influenced by Friedrich Nietzsche and it shows.

The switch of hard to soft (his lobster stuff) - structure to free form demonstrates his funny thinking about how time is supposed to be constant but when you are happy it goes quickly and when you are sad it drags. I think it also questions the concept of time and whether it exists at all ... i asked someone about the crown and tear that appears on some pictures but didnt like the answer my view is that the crown respesents thinking that man can not control time ie the crown of time conquereing time and the tear respresenting a sadness that this will be the one thing that will always be beyond grasp or a sadness that the concept doesnt exist at all and we are all being deluded.

bit deep i know.... but the soft clocks painting evoke creative thinking they are a great catalyst or maybe i just missed the point.... happyto have the debate

Answer 3

Salvador Dali was a surrealist painter, depicting images and symbols found in the landscape of his dreams. What art "meant to" him was, in my opinion, an opportunity to become a celebrity. He revelled in a Warhol/Capote-like fame, gracing the covers of magazines, etc...

Answer 4

"According to Dalí, the act of sleeping was a sort of monster sustained by the crutches of reality."

Answer 5

All his paintings after 1925 are surrealistic.

Answer 6

He was very inspired by his wife and muse Gala. He acted like a child and she was like a mother for him (his own mother died when he was 17).