The Salvador Dalí exhibition entrance by the Philadelphia Museum of Art (Photo by Max Buten) If you dream of melting clocks and hallucinogenic dreamscapes, you can thank Salvador Dalí. Born on this day in 1904, this Spanish star of the art world rose to the top of the Surrealist movement by extracting inspiration from his subconcious mind. Dalí embodied surrealism through strange artwork full of connotations and symbols. And his originality wasn't limited to his art; he also possessed distinctive showmanship. From lecturing in a deep-sea diving suit to speaking about himself in the third person, Dalí was big on bizarre. He declared allegiance to an odd political ideology called Anarcho-Monarchism. He begged for attention with his handle-bar mustache and bug-eyed gaze. And he didn't shy away from self-aggrandizing statements, to the dismay of many fans and critics. Despite criticisms of his press-hungry theatrics, we think Dalí deserves a commemoration for dazzling us with his unparalleled imagination and creative output. Creating 1,500 works would be any artist's dream come true. Suggested Sites... Dalí's Disney Film - see clips of "Destino," a 2003 animation based on Dalí's cartoon project with Walt Disney in 1945. "The Death of Salvador Dalí" - a 2006 comedic short inspired by Dalí's friendship with Sigmund Freud. Dalí's Alka Seltzer Commercial - Dalí doing his thing before the "plop, plop, fizz, fizz" phenomenon. Dalí's Lanvin Chocolate Commercial - 1968 French advertising at its best. Salvador Dalí Timeline - highlights of his lavish life.

Directory categories: Salvador Dalí, Painting Masters, Dadaists and Surrealists, Dada and Surrealism, Spanish Masters

Archived under: Artists, Arts, Birthdays, Directors, Spain

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