9781422285350

DALI

Teatro Museo, in Figueres. His literary works are noted and his graphic arts, in which he worked extensively, are highly revered. Politics played a prominent role in his life and his emergence as an artist. He had embraced both anarchism and Communism and had an allegiance to the Dada art movement. This changed in later life, and in 1970, he declared himself an anarchist and monarchist. He refused to become embroiled in politics surrounding the two World Wars, but in the late 1940s he showed some support for Francisco Franco. Some areas of Dali’s life were far too perverse and complex for some of his contemporaries, including George Orwell, who once described the artist as: “an admittedly good draughtsman…[but] a disgusting human being.” It is cited that Gala had numerous affairs throughout her marriage to Dali – often with his blessing – and was often cruel to him. However, whether Dali had a “warped” view of the world, and whether or not he was “disgusting,” he possessed an almost genius creative flair that was supported and nurtured by Gala – he was obsessed with chastity and virginity, and although there were reports of one illegitimate child in 2008, the fact that it is thought he only participated in full sex twice or three times in his life would make this unlikely. Dali was a highly revered and eccentric artist who opened the door to a level of creativity that the world had never seen before. His legacy will endure.

7

 ABOVE:  Dali pictured with his wife, Gala, 1955.  BELOW:  Dali’s house in Port Lligat was decorated with huge concrete eggs.

(Roland Holschneider/DPA/Press Association Images)

Made with FlippingBook HTML5