Alejandro Jodorowsky reflects on the evolution of surrealism as an artistic movement from its inception through the mid-twentieth century. He begins by acknowledging the necessity and importance of surrealism during the 1920s, when it served to bridge the gap between rational thought and the deeper realms of human consciousness. In doing so, he underscores how this creative approach brought about significant changes in art and culture at that time.
However, Jodorowsky then critiques the trajectory of surrealism by the early 1960s, suggesting that the movement had become stagnant and overly intellectualized. He notes that it had lost its revolutionary edge, becoming instead a refined and bourgeois pursuit. By describing surrealism as "petit-bourgeois," he implies that it no longer challenged societal norms but rather conformed to them, thereby losing its original spirit of rebellion.
Alejandro Jodorowsky is a Chilean-French filmmaker, writer, and spiritual guru known for his experimental approach to cinema and literature. His work often explores themes of surrealism, mysticism, and the human condition, reflecting a lifelong engagement with these ideas as both an artist and a thinker. Through this quote, he offers a critical perspective on how artistic movements evolve over time, emphasizing that while they start out groundbreaking and revolutionary, they can eventually become institutionalized and lose their initial impact.
