As if seeing Salvador Dalí’s dreamy paintings weren’t enough, St. Pete’s Dalí Museum is now truly taking guests into the world of the fantastical with their newest exhibit. The Shape of Dreams, on view now through April 30, explores 500 years of paintings from the 16th to 20th century, “demonstrating how artists throughout time have depicted the enigmatic state of awareness that often leaves dreamers searching for meaning.”
The Dalí explained that the exhibit draws on the irony that dreams are an intense visual sensation most often taking place when the eyes are closed. The exhibition, curators promise, inspires questions about the very nature of reality and encourages viewers to examine dreams through different lenses — psychological, religious and metaphysical.
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Featured in the exhibition is The Dalí’s latest innovation, Dream Tapestry, which offers visitors the opportunity to see their own dreams transformed into works of art. The experience was developed by The Dalí in collaboration with Goodby Silverstein & Partners, together with Minds Over Matter and OpenAI – the creator of the image AI system DALL·E.
The Shape of Dreams features incredible works by Paul Delvaux, Pat Steir, Philip Guston, Max Beckmann, Lodovico Carracci and Odilon Redon, many of which are monumental canvases. These works consider how the waking world influences the dream world and seeks to understand how these artistic expressions shape our imaginations.
“The Shape of Dreams is a powerful exploration through painting of how we understand ourselves and the world,” said Dalí Museum Director Hank Hine. “Are dreams useful? Are they prophetic? Do they tell us things about ourselves that we did not know? The Dalí invites visitors to heighten their awareness and attention to the world of dream — an intense element of the human experience so central to our personal lives.”
In addition to The Shape of Dreams, The Dalí is also currently hosting an exhibition with unique ties Salvador Dalí. Paul Eluard is one of the most celebrated and idealistic surrealist poets, and he also happens to have been the ex-husband of Dalí’s wife Gala. Paul Éluard: Poetry, Politics, Love explores Eluard’s world of French art, dreams, love, and freedom.
And if you’re looking for something during the holidays, The Dalí has conveniently extended its hours for the occasion. From Monday, December 26 through Friday, December 30, the museum will be open from 10 am – 8 pm. Learn more and get tickets at thedali.org.
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