Description
Book Synopsis: Essential for ephemera aficionados, fans of Surrealism and proto-Surrealism and for anyone prone to spending more time in a museum's shop than in its galleries, The Stamp of Fantasy vindicates the postcard as a medium with a history as rich as the mediums it helped to foster, such as photomontage and mail art. In presenting the most fantastical postcard images from the early twentieth century, this book may be the opposite and complement to Martin Parr's famous Boring Postcards series, stuffed as it is with disembodied heads, hybrid humans, erotic imagery and drawn modification. If the great French filmmaker Georges Méliès had produced postcards (instead of films on a postcard scale), they might resemble these miniature works by diverse hands, selected from the esteemed collections of Peter Weiss and Gérard Lévy for the touring exhibition of the same name. The book tracks the overlap between so-called "fantasy" postcards and the avant-garde art of the 1920s and 1930s, principally Dadaism and Surrealism. Paul Eluard, André Breton and Salvador Dalí were enthusiastic collectors of fantasy postcards and Hannah Höch, Herbert Bayer, Man Ray and many others used them as material in their work. Marcel Duchamp's famed 1919 détournement of a "Mona Lisa" postcard, "L.H.O.O.Q," may be one of this book's guiding precedents, at least for drawing attention to the postcard per se--but plenty of anonymous artists contribute equally irreverent and inventive tweakings, as well as more hallucinatory amendments. The Stamp of Fantasy is a wonderful celebration of the small gesture, amateur inventiveness, folk Surrealism and art's most democratic form of reproduction.
Details
Discover the mesmerizing world of fantastical postcards with The Stamp of Fantasy: The Visual Inventiveness of Photographic Postcards. This captivating book is a must-have for ephemera aficionados, Surrealism and proto-Surrealism enthusiasts, and anyone who appreciates the power of artistic expression. Immerse yourself in the rich history of the postcard as a medium that has nurtured photomontage and mail art, shaping the course of modern art itself.
Unlike Martin Parr's famous Boring Postcards series, which showcases mundane imagery, The Stamp of Fantasy takes you on a whirlwind journey through the most fantastical postcard images of the early twentieth century. Prepare to be captivated by a world of disembodied heads, hybrid humans, erotic imagery, and mind-bending modifications that push the boundaries of imagination.
Imagine if the renowned French filmmaker Georges Méliès had channeled his creative genius into postcards instead of films. The result might resemble the miniature masterpieces curated in this book from the esteemed collections of Peter Weiss and Gérard Lévy. Marvel at the visionary works crafted by diverse hands, offering a tantalizing glimpse into an era of artistic experimentation.
Uncover the fascinating overlap between "fantasy" postcards and the innovative art movements of the 1920s and 1930s, like Dadaism and Surrealism. Journey alongside Paul Eluard, André Breton, Salvador Dalí, Hannah Höch, Herbert Bayer, Man Ray, and countless others as they avidly collect and incorporate these mesmerizing postcards into their groundbreaking creations.
From Marcel Duchamp's iconic détournement of a "Mona Lisa" postcard to the anonymous artists who boldly subvert and reimagine reality, The Stamp of Fantasy celebrates the power of the small gesture and the democratic nature of art reproduction. Don't miss out on this extraordinary celebration of amateur inventiveness, folk Surrealism, and a medium that transcends time and borders.
Experience the unparalleled creativity of fantastical postcards with The Stamp of Fantasy: The Visual Inventiveness of Photographic Postcards today and embark on a visual journey like no other!
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