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As a classically trained musician it was constantly a point of emphasis during the 8 or so history classes (as well as theory, aesthetics, and so on) I took that there has always been a correlation between artistic, musical, and literary movements; at different periods one or another would take a more pioneering role (music most often trailed art and literature as it is generally more difficult to translate an easily comprehensible idea from a medium such as language or visual art into the more abstract realm of music [without lyrics, actors, or some sort of explanation from the composer it is virtually impossible to say that sound/melody/chord X has Y meaning]). This being the case I became fairly well schooled in art and literature as a result of my musical training.
Personally I've always been a fan of surrealism (in the loosest sense of the word). It can be argued that surrealism (not as a movement, but as an aesthetic) can be traced as far back as illustrations by medieval monks in the boarders of transcriptions of ancient texts, but more obviously emerged during the renaissance in the works of Hieronymus Bosch, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, and Giuseppe Arcimboldo. While never really labeled "surrealist," I think the actual visual effect of many of those guys' works fit quite well into the results of the 20th century movement. Another that likely falls outside of surrealism but produced works that I find to be stimulating in the same sort of way would be Gustav Moreau (I'm entertained by his treatment of biblical and mythological subject matters in provocative fashion). Of course the most well known "true surrealists" (namely Salvador Dali and - more recently - H.R. Giger) are kind of ubiquitous so didn't really need to be mentioned. But, another modern guy I stumbled upon a while ago and am really impressed with is Kris Kuksi who, again, may not fit into the strict definition of a "surrealist" but yet has the sort of grotesquely beautiful and out of place type of imagery/subject matter that fits within the general concept of surrealism. His sculptures are especially impressive.
So anyone else out there a fan of specific artists or genres?
Personally I've always been a fan of surrealism (in the loosest sense of the word). It can be argued that surrealism (not as a movement, but as an aesthetic) can be traced as far back as illustrations by medieval monks in the boarders of transcriptions of ancient texts, but more obviously emerged during the renaissance in the works of Hieronymus Bosch, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, and Giuseppe Arcimboldo. While never really labeled "surrealist," I think the actual visual effect of many of those guys' works fit quite well into the results of the 20th century movement. Another that likely falls outside of surrealism but produced works that I find to be stimulating in the same sort of way would be Gustav Moreau (I'm entertained by his treatment of biblical and mythological subject matters in provocative fashion). Of course the most well known "true surrealists" (namely Salvador Dali and - more recently - H.R. Giger) are kind of ubiquitous so didn't really need to be mentioned. But, another modern guy I stumbled upon a while ago and am really impressed with is Kris Kuksi who, again, may not fit into the strict definition of a "surrealist" but yet has the sort of grotesquely beautiful and out of place type of imagery/subject matter that fits within the general concept of surrealism. His sculptures are especially impressive.
So anyone else out there a fan of specific artists or genres?
