[[Post Modernism]] [[Surrealist automatism]] [[Georges Bataille]] André Breton (1896–1966) was a French writer, poet, and the founder of [[surrealism]], a major artistic and intellectual movement in the 20th century. He is best known for his manifestos, which laid out the principles of Surrealism and for his promotion of the movement’s embrace of the [[Unconscious]], dreams, and irrationality in [[Art]] and literature. Key Points: • Early Life and Influences: Breton was initially influenced by the Dada movement, Freudian psychoanalysis, and his experiences as a medical student in psychiatric hospitals. These elements shaped his interest in the unconscious mind and irrational thought. • Surrealism: In 1924, he wrote the first Surrealist Manifesto, positioning Surrealism as a revolutionary cultural movement that aimed to unleash the power of the unconscious mind. Breton believed in freeing thought from the constraints of reason, [[Morality]], and societal norms, viewing this as a path to true [[Creativity]] and expression. ^ff6fe7 • Automatic Writing: Breton advocated techniques like automatic writing, where thoughts are written down without conscious [[Control]], to access hidden parts of the mind and evoke unexpected imagery. • Political Commitment: He was politically engaged, aligning with Marxism and briefly joining the French Communist Party. He believed Surrealism could inspire broader social and political revolution. • Influence: Breton’s work influenced not only visual arts (with figures like Salvador Dalí and Max Ernst) but also literature, [[Psychology]], and broader avant-garde movements. His ideas have had lasting effects on how creativity and the unconscious are perceived in art. ^c513f9 Overall, Breton stood for the liberation of the human mind through art and sought to overturn conventional norms, leaving a lasting imprint on modernist and postmodernist thought. `Concepts:` `Knowledge Base:`