2024 marks the 100th anniversary of the publication of the Surrealist Manifesto, written by poet André Breton. Fantastic Visions: 100 Years of Surrealism from the National Galleries of Scotland, organized by Museum of Art Pudong (MAP) with the National Galleries of Scotland, will open to the public on February 2, 2024. 

This exhibition, drawn entirely from the collection of the National Galleries of Scotland, contains over 100 major works by over 50 artists, including some of the world's most important surrealists like Salvador Dalí, René Magritte, Max Ernst, Joan Miró, Leonora Carrington, and Dorothea Tanning. All the artworks on display, ranging from painting, sculpture, frottage, collage, photography, manuscripts, and books, are presented in China for the first time.

Taking a journey through the history of the Surrealist movement, the exhibition guides the audience from its early origins to the centennial celebration. Divided into three sections, Fantastic Visions presents vivid pictures of the development of Surrealism throughout the 20th century. Moreover, on the 4th floor of the museum, there's a specially designed area for visitors to further interact with Surrealism and take fun pictures.

Surrealism, one of the most influential art movements of the 20th century, is known for unleashing imagination and unconventional means of expression. The fantastic visions it presented have had a profound and far-reaching impact on later generations of artists and cultures worldwide. The rise in Surrealism was a response to the horrors of war, and the ongoing threats presented by the modern world. Artists resorted to psychic automatism, emphasizing the importance of the subconscious mind in artistic creation. Inspired by the psychoanalytic writings of Sigmund Freud, Surrealist artists gave up conventional techniques and explored the subconscious. More than a resistance to conformity in the field of art, it also evoked revolutionary resonance in the wider cultural scenes. Dada and Surrealism laid a foundation for later emerging movements such as Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art. The developments of Surrealism expanded the boundaries for artistic creation, as its anti-rational attitude not only formed a profound metaphor of reality, but also enabled interpenetration between illusion and reality.

The exhibition is produced by Shanghai Lujiazui Development (Group) Co., Ltd., and co-organized by the Museum of Art Pudong and the National Galleries of Scotland.

【About the National Galleries of Scotland】

We are the National Galleries of Scotland and our three Edinburgh galleries are the National, Modern and Portrait. We house and look after Scotland's amazing world-class art collection. Step inside and explore treasures from Botticelli and Titian to the very best modern art to contemporary portraits of pop culture icons. And, as you'd expect, the world's greatest collection of Scottish art.

We're a space for thinking, dreaming, doing and playing. Soak up the art. Meet friends in the cafés. Have a family picnic surrounded by the sculptures in the Modern grounds. Be inspired by our amazing art films. Choose your own experience. There is no one way to enjoy Scotland's national collection. We are yours to discover.