André Breton, the renowned French writer and poet, is considered one of the key figures in the Surrealist movement. His innovative ideas and unique perspective on life continue to inspire artists, writers, and thinkers around the world. Breton’s quotes, filled with wit, wisdom, and a touch of surrealism, offer a glimpse into his philosophical musings and his unwavering belief in the power of imagination.
Born in 1896 in Tinchebray, France, André Breton was deeply influenced by the horrors of World War I, which led him to question conventional norms and seek alternative ways of understanding the world. In 1924, he published the Surrealist Manifesto, which defined Surrealism as a means of unleashing the true potential of the human mind and exploring the realms of the unconscious. Breton’s quotes reflect his unwavering commitment to the principles of Surrealism and his belief in the transformative power of art.
Now, let’s delve into the surreal world of André Breton and explore some of his most profound and thought-provoking quotes.
Read these André Breton Quotes:
“Beauty will be convulsive or will not be at all.”
“Surrealism, n. Pure psychic automatism, by which one proposes to express, either verbally, in writing, or by any other manner, the real functioning of thought. Dictation of thought in the absence of all control exercised by reason, outside of all aesthetic and moral preoccupation.”
“The simplest act of surrealism is to walk out into the street, pistol in hand, and shoot at random.”
“Words make love with one another.”
“Surrealism will usher you into death, which is a secret society.”
“I believe in the future resolution of these two states, dream, and reality, which are seemingly so contradictory, into a kind of absolute reality, a surreality, so to speak.”
“The man who can’t visualize a horse galloping on a tomato is an idiot.”
“The imaginary is what tends to become real.”
“There is nothing with which it is so dangerous to take liberties as liberty itself.”
“Beauty is the sole absolute expression of meaning.”
“The marvelous is always beautiful, anything marvelous is beautiful. In fact, only the marvelous is beautiful.”
“The mind loves the unknown. It loves images whose meaning is unknown since the meaning of the mind itself is unknown.”
“Surrealism is the ‘invisible ray’ which will one day enable us to win out over our opponents. ‘You are no longer trembling, carcass.'”
“Everything tends to make us believe that there exists a certain point of the mind at which life and death, the real and the imagined, past and future, the communicable and the incommunicable, high and low, cease to be perceived as contradictions.”
“The imaginary is what tends to become real.”
“Astonishment is the only source of knowledge.”
“The simplest Surrealist act consists of dashing down the street, pistol in hand, and firing blindly, as fast as you can pull the trigger, into the crowd.”
“The marvelous is always beautiful, anything marvelous is beautiful. In fact, only the marvelous is beautiful.”
“The imaginary is what tends to become real.”
“Astonishment is the only source of knowledge.”
“The simplest Surrealist act consists of dashing down the street, pistol in hand, and firing blindly, as fast as you can pull the trigger, into the crowd.”
These André Breton quotes offer a glimpse into the mind of a surrealist visionary. His words continue to resonate, reminding us of the boundless power of the human imagination and the importance of embracing the unknown. Whether you are an artist, a dreamer, or simply someone seeking inspiration, André Breton’s quotes are sure to ignite your creativity and expand your horizons.
