The Persistence of Memory Done by Salvador Dali - Essay Example

Name Tutor Course Date The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dali Introduction Paintings have been used for centuries by various artists for the purposes of conveying specific information to the people. Some of the paintings can easily be interpreted while others are difficult to interpret. The artists themselves may interpret their painting or at times may not and therefore leaving it to the experts to give their own opinions and interpretations. The persistence of memory is one such painting that was painted by Salvador Dali in the twentieth century (Dalí, 2). The painting is popular to date and it has been preserved in a museum. It is also important to note that various factors always inspire artists to make a certain painting. This may include the prevailing situation at the time or the beliefs of the painter. It is for this reason that most of the paintings are popular during given periods of time. On the other hand, it is important to note that some artists use paintings as a means of conveying information to the authorities. The paper discusses the painting of Salvador Dali which was painted in 1931 and why it is referred to as the persistence of memory. Thesis Paintings have been used for centuries for the purpose of conveying fundamental information. The painting by Salvador Dali has however led to different interpretations due to the lack of personal interpretation of the painter. The painting is regarded as one of the most controversial painting in the twentieth century. Analysis Salvador’s painting is composed of several objects that have different meanings. This has led to the different interpretation of the art by different experts. It is composed of a pocket clock which has been detached from its chains and it appears to be melting. It is on top of a rock which is considered a hard object as compared to the clock. A tree with a single branch is also part of the painting which was done carefully. On the other hand it appears that there is an ocean which acts as a backdrop of the painting. The painting also has an orange watch which appears to be covered with ants. Other rocks are also visible in the painting (Hawley, 8). The painting also gives an impression of sunrise as the ocean appears to be bright. A strange human figure is also visible at in the painting. It is thus evident that al the objects in the painting have different meanings. It is through the critical analysis of the objects that the painting can be interpreted. Various artists have tried to make their own interpretations of the painting based on the objects. However, it has led to different opinions about the message that was being conveyed by the painter. On the other hand, it has also proved difficult to determine the real interpretation of the painting. This is because the artist never gave his own interpretation of the painting and hence leadi8ng to speculations about the intentions of the artist. On the other hand, the painting doe not have any political or historical interpretation which is common in most of the paintings. The painting also has no reflection of the situation that was prevailing at the time. Salvador’s painting has therefore been interpreted based on the objects and the views of the artist. The artist was a surrealist and hence influencing the painting. Surrealism is mainly associated with elements of surprise, unforeseen comparison and irrelevant humor. These concepts played an important role in influencing the artist in the painting. The elements of surprise are for the purpose of creating different interpretations about the painting. This is because it does not give the audience a direct interpretation. On the other hand, it is also important to note that unforeseen comparison is also found in the painting. It is difficult to compare the relationship between the pocket watch and the rocks under ordinary circumstances. On the other hand, the melting of the watch is a rare event and hence leading to interpretations in terms of surrealism. On the other hand, it is also difficult to interpret the relationship between the strange human figure and the other objects in the painting. The painting therefore leads to a different interpretation which is based on the concepts of hard and soft objects. These concepts are common in the analysis of painting done by artists who embrace surrealism. It is for this purpose that most of the interpretations have been made with emphasis on Surrealism. It is thus important to note that the beliefs and culture of the artist plays an important role in influencing the outcome of the painting. The persistence of memory is thus linked to the human imagination according to surrealism (Lee, 1050) According to the theories of surrealism, ants represent death. The appearance of ants in the painting therefore indicates death and decay. Since the watch s covered with the ants, it is an indication of the decay of time which is real. On the other hand, the strange human figure in the painting is an indication of dreams. This is usually in the memory of most people while dreaming. It is common for people to dream about strange images which in the end become persistent in their minds. The watch is an important t object that indicates the measurement of time. However, the melting of the watch is an indication that time is flowing and hence the eternity of time. According to most of the theories of surrealism, time is eternal and hence the influence on the painting. It is also important to note that the human figure appearing in the object is also an indication of how vast the human imaginations are. It is common for people to imagine strange things which are usually reflected in their dreams. The rocks on the other hand indicate the difficulties of life and the challenges that are faced by people in life. It therefore worth noting that the concept of ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ have been used in the painting which is also an important concept of surrealism. The ocean which appears as the backdrop of the painting also plays an important role in showing the vastness of the earth (Mostafa, 15). The painting has different meaning in terms of its interpretations. However, the failure of the artist to give his own interpretation led to various speculations. Some of the people at the time linked his painting to the theory of relativity and time which was brought forward by Einstein. However, denied his association with the theory and hence leaving behind more speculations. The association of the painting with the theory was due to the aspects of time and relativity which is portrayed in the painting. The Freudian phase is also associated with the painting by some of the experts. This is because the scientific concepts are not found in the painting. However, it is important to note that the artist was impacted by the Nagasaki bombings which led to scientific revolutions in terms of his reasoning and work. It is also important to note that the artist never gave his own interpretation of the painting. This led to diverse views of the people in terms of the interpretations. It is also important to note that painting has continued to attract discussions in terms of its interpretation in terms of interpretation. The painting also attracted criticism and praise due to its diverse interpretations. Most of the people praised the painting due to it’s and the message that it was trying to convey. However it is also important to note that some critics were against the painting and regarded it as irrelevant due to the lack of the clear interpretation. Conclusion In conclusion, it is evident that the painted led to diverse views. This is due to the objects that were used in the painting. On the other hand, it is also evident that the failure of interpretation by the artist contributed to the diverse discussions. The painting is however, about life and its eternity. This is due to the objects that indicate how life is affected by various forces which include time. Salvador’s painting plays a greater role in provoking the imagination of individuals and also acts as an inspiration to the upcoming artists. Works Cited Dalí, Salvador. The persistence of memory, 1931. Shorewood Reproductions, 2006. Hawley, Jessica R. Religious Symbolism in Salvador Dali's Art: A Study of the Influences on His Late Work. Diss. etsu, 2012. Lee, Boram, "The persistence of memory of Marilyn: the diversification potential of individual artists." Applied Economics Letters 18.11 (2011): 1049-1052. Mostafa, Mohamed M. "The persistence of memory: an fMRI investigation of the brain processing of Surrealistic imagery in advertising." 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