HAIKU DIALOGUE – Surrealistic Art – “Harlequin’s Carnival”

Surrealistic Art with Guest Editor Lafcadio

For the next few weeks I would like to be your docent in The Haiku Foundation museum. We will only have time to visit the surrealism gallery, which I’m sure will have enough inspiration for getting in touch with our subconscious mind and release its creative potential through the power of the irrational juxtaposition in these drawings and paintings.

First, we can discuss surrealism some to make sure we are all on the same page, or in the same room. Surrealism is an artistic movement that began in the early 20th century. Surrealistic painters created dreamlike and often inexplicable images. One of the major characteristics of this kind of painting is the comparison of unrelated entities and components. This creates a surprise for the viewer and hopefully carries them into a world of fantasy and symbolism. This technique of painting not only challenged traditional painting but was also a representation of the social and political upheavals of society after the trauma and disillusionment of World War I. Still, surrealistic painting is used today to transcend the boundaries of the ordinary and deliver us in the realm of extraordinary.

I can’t remember which came first for me…surrealistic poetry or surrealistic paintings. Either way I am firmly entrenched in surrealism and would love to see your responses to some of the surrealistic artwork. There is so much abstraction and symbolism in the drawings and paintings, I think there will be ample material to use in writing haiku and senryu.

prompt: “Harlequin’s Carnival”

I would like to show you this painting…Oh wait, such a crowd – let’s go over here to look at “Harlequin’s Carnival” instead. Click here for a closer look at the painting which is located at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum in Buffalo, New York.

It was painted by the Spanish artist, Joan Miró, in 1924. Miró displays in this painting his unique and imaginative style. He was known for being playful in his use of color, arrangement, and symbolism. Miró includes a variety of mysterious characters as well as the iconic figure of Harlequin. His depiction of Harlequin is not conventional but surreal – the traditional Harlequin costume and mask has been changed into abstract shapes and vibrant colors.

Joan Miró was also a sculptor and ceramicist. His three-dimensional forms showed the same playful shapes and vibrant colors found in his paintings. Born in Barcelona in 1893, he showed an early interest in art and attended art school. Later, in Paris, he became associated with the Surrealist movement. He was an inspiration to generations of artists encouraging creativity, spontaneity and joy in art.

Look closely and you will see “Harlequin’s Carnival” is a celebration, with its swirling forms and dynamic composition evoking a sense of movement and energy. Miró’s use of bold, primary colors adds to the painting’s lively and joyful atmosphere, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in its vibrant world.

The painting is also filled with a sense of mystery and intrigue, with each element inviting interpretation and exploration. Miró’s playful and inventive approach to art is evident in every brushstroke, as he combines elements of fantasy, humor, and whimsy to create a rich and multi-layered composition.

As you write your poems this week, I hope you can embrace the magic and wonder of this painting.

The deadline is midnight Eastern Daylight Time, Saturday October 26, 2024.

Please use the Haiku Dialogue submission form below to enter one or two original unpublished haiku inspired by the week’s theme, and then press Submit to send your entry. (The Submit button will not be available until the Name, Email, and Place of Residence fields are filled in.) With your poem, please include any special formatting requirements & your name & residence as you would like it to appear in the column. Please note that by submitting, you agree that your work may appear in the column – neither acknowledgment nor acceptance emails will be sent. All communication about the poems that are posted in the column will be added as blog comments.

Join us next week for Lafcadio’s selection of poems on the topic of “Harlequin’s Carnival”…

Guest Editor Lafcadio, a former teacher, now works from home writing, editing and proofreading study guides for nursing textbooks. She lives in Tennessee. She has written poetry for a long time but a couple of years ago fell in love with Japanese micropoetry and hasn’t looked back. Lafcadio has been published in a number of journals and anthologies. She writes under the nom de plume of Lafcadio because nom de plume is so fun to say. You can read her poems on Twitter (X) @lafcadiopoetry or Threads @lafcadio2.0

Lori Zajkowski is the Post Manager for Haiku Dialogue. A novice haiku poet, she lives in New York City.

Managing Editor Katherine Munro lives in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, and publishes under the name kjmunro. She is Membership Secretary for Haiku Canada, and her debut poetry collection is contractions (Red Moon Press, 2019). Find her at: kjmunro1560.wordpress.com.

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Photo Credits:

Banner photo credit: Lafcadio

Haiku Dialogue offers a triweekly prompt for practicing your haiku. Posts appear each Wednesday with a prompt or a selection of poems from a previous week.