Ghosts of the Black ChamberPhotography is most often thought of as a way to document reality--to capture true-life experiences as they occur. But for the artists of the Dadaist and Surrealist movements, who placed the very question of reality and its perception at the center of their works, the camera's lens functioned as a creative extension of the imagination--a third eye attuned to unconscious meaning--and the photograph was an index of signs that could be modified, simultaneously recording the everyday and exposing new meanings beneath its surface. Ghosts of the Black Chamber presents numerous examples of this fantastic vision in an illustrated directory of experimental photography from 1918 to1948. This comprehensive and stunning collection is both a wonderful introduction to the midcentury, experimental art and a must-have for fans of the Surrealists and Dadaists. |