The Dalí Museum already houses one of the world’s most extensive collections of Salvador Dalí’s works, and now 100 more of his pieces are out of the vault. “Where Ideas Come From: Dalí’s Drawings” is now open at The Dalí Museum, showcasing incredible hand drawn works by the celebrated artist.

When & Where: May 27 – Oct 22 at One Dali Blvd. St. Petersburg, FL 33701

The exhibition chronicles the movement of the renowned Surrealist’s imagination through more than 100 pencil, pen, charcoal, watercolor, and gouache works. Many of these creations have been in the museum’s vault for upwards of three decades, and it will likely be years before they are seen again, making this a rare opportunity to see Dalí’s fragile works on paper, highlighting the artist’s creative process throughout the many phases of his career.

As if that wasn’t enough, “Where Ideas Come From” also marks the debut of two recent Surrealist acquisitions by The Dalí: “Drawing for ‘Bacchanale,’ Ludwig II of Bavaria” (1939), a ballet-inspired portrait of King Ludwig II of Bavaria, and “Untitled (Paranoiac Face)” (c. 1935), a frontispiece dedicated to Paul Éluard from Dalí’s book “Conquest of the Irrational.”

“Where Ideas Come From” can be experienced chronologically, presenting works that date from 1916 to 1974. Four sections — Early Period; Surrealism; Nuclear Mysticism, Classicism and Religion; and Late Period — feature studies for major oil paintings, portraits, experimental drawing techniques and commercial projects, including film.

“It is a privilege to share these works from the Museum’s permanent collection and we welcome visitors to take a closer look at how Dalí brought his ideas to the world, which we hope offers a spark of creativity and inspiration for our guests,” said Hank Hine, the Museum’s executive director.

After viewing Dalí’s sketches, experiments and finished drawings, visitors to The Dalí will also have a chance to try their hand at drawing like the Surrealist icon. A series of instructional videos, sketchpads and pencils are available for visitors to create symbolic Dalinian imagery or other ideas inspired by the exhibit.

There is also an exhibition catalog featuring all 166 of the works on paper available at the Museum Store, which serves as a companion to The Dalí Museum’s oil paintings catalog published in 2021. Learn more at thedali.org.