Surrealism, a major movement in literature and art, began in Paris after the First World War and generated major artists and artworks for over fifty years. Though it originated in France, the Surrealist movement fostered strong international membership; from the 1930s and on, Surrealist groups began appearing in Europe as well as in Japan, Morocco, Egypt, Mexico, Chile, Haiti, Cuba, and the United States. Today the movement’s influence permeates contemporary poetry, art, and philosophy, as well as the history of leftist and anti-colonial politics. The scholarly field of Surrealism studies is vibrant and there is a major need for sustained interdisciplinary exchange that will redefine the field and streamline discussions on the continued relevance of Surrealism as an experimental avant-garde movement in literature, art, and thought. The International Conference “Surrealism: From France to the World” aims to be a first step at unifying the field of Surrealism studies in the arts and humanities by bringing together scholars and curators from both sides of the Atlantic in a two-day event.
