Surrealism vs. the Philosophical Realism of Jan G. Marque.

The Surrealists believed in what they called an “absolute reality,” a sub-conscious place where dream and reality melt together. For them the dream is the expression of reality, with all their visions and symbols hidden inside.

Take for example their psychic “automatism,” through which written, orally, or plastics, the working of the mind is expressed, that what is dictated through the spirit, without control of the mind, and outside aesthetics or moral. Not to mention Sigmund Freud and his psychoanalysis, which forms also a strong base for the surrealists vision.

In short you can say, that the surrealists receive their art through their sub-conscious mind, without controlled thinking.

The philosophical Realism has almost nothing to do with the sub-conscious mind. In fact, it’s quit the opposite. It uses classical means to present a modern art form. The Philosophical Realism searches for a balance between mind and feelings, between reasoning and aesthetics, with the main goal to stimulate people into philosophising about subjects from this reality.

You can describe the Philosophical Realism as an art form where word and image are combined, and where the meaning of the subject is as important as the image. The interaction between the combination of word and image is a mean to get to the subject. This means that the subject itself is not depicted or described.

I can, for example, paint a landscape, where I put in a few symbols. You can enjoy the image and let it be. Just see it as a landscape, and enjoy it. But if you would read the words that are written under the image, you will notice that these words are no title, or give no explanation or an answer whatsoever. Normally a title does explain the painting.

The words that are passed on to you are part of the complete artwork. It’s a stimulation to search for the subject, and the meaning of it.

So to make a piece of art within my art form I have to use my mind well. I must conduct a lot of research; transform this information into writing and symbols, without mentioning the subject, and then most of the time I design everything you see in my paintings. At last I must put aside my reasoning, and paint with all empathic fibres I have in me, to satisfy the aesthetic nature of my art form.

 In conclusion, Surrealism and the Philosophical Realism seek into different worlds, with different means, which results in a far different outcome.

Jan G. Marque © 2008   Website: www.jan-marque.com