HAIKU DIALOGUE – Surrealistic Art – “I and the Village”

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: “I and the Village”

Hey, I’m told the museum is closing soon but we have time to look at one more painting. Everyone follow me to see “I and the Village” here (click the image to enlarge it). The painting is located at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

“I and the Village” is a significant painting created by the prominent artist Marc Chagall in 1911. A prolific and imaginative artist, Chagall mesmerizes audiences with his imaginary and poetic creations that blend elements of fantasy, folklore, and personal symbolism. Born in Vitebsk, Belarus in 1887, Chagall’s artistic journey took him from his Jewish roots to Paris and beyond, leaving a permanent mark on the world of modern art. In Paris he became associated with the Surrealist artists but eventually rejected their conceptual art for his more narrative and symbolic art.

Chagall’s artistic style is characterized by vibrant colors, floating figures, and other scenes that challenge conventional boundaries. His paintings often feature whimsical scenes populated by lovers, animals, and mystical beings, creating a sense of magic and enchantment. One of Chagall’s most iconic themes is his exploration of love and longing, as seen in his recurring depictions of couples floating in the sky or embracing amidst a phantastic landscape. These images convey a profound sense of connection and spirituality, reflecting Chagall’s belief in the transcendent power of love.

Chagall’s work is also deeply rooted in his Jewish heritage, with subjects such as fiddlers on rooftops, village life, and biblical narratives recurring throughout his compositions. Throughout his career, Chagall experimented with a variety of media, including painting, stained glass, tapestries, and ceramics. He had the ability to combine traditional techniques with modern awareness.

“I and the Village” depicts a vibrant village landscape with houses, trees, and animals, all presented in a playful and surreal manner. Chagall’s use of bright colors and bold shapes adds to the enchanting mood of the artwork. The image of a green face, under the upside-down figure of a woman, appearing on the right side of the canvas, is believed to represent Chagall’s self-portrait merged with the image of his grandfather. The village symbolizes the mutual awareness and shared experiences of a community, while the figure of Chagall represents the individual’s unique perspective and interpretation of these experiences. “I and the Village” is an invitation for viewers to explore their own personal connections to their heritage and the places they call home. It serves as a testimony to the power of art to transcend time and space, and to evoke emotions and memories that resonate deeply within us.

Marc Chagall invites us to dream, to believe, and to see the world through the eyes of a true visionary. This week as you write your poems try to think about your upbringing, your home, or your community and how those relate to your life. They are flashing the lights to let us know it’s time to leave. I’m looking forward to reading your submissions and hope you have enjoyed the tour.

The deadline is midnight Eastern Standard Time, Saturday November 16, 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 “I and the Village”…

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.