Silvano Levy – författare

Dal. Picasso. Ernst. Magritte. Maddox. Breton. Artaud, Fondane, Masson--all are to be found in this gallery of surrealist artists. Focussing on surrealist visuality--defined as the visual expression of internal perception or, in Andr Breton's words, internal representation--the contributors to this handsomely illustrated volume shed new light on one of the twentieth century's most exciting cultural movements.

Dal. Picasso. Ernst. Magritte. Maddox. Breton. Artaud, Fondane, Masson--all are to be found in this gallery of surrealist artists. Focussing on surrealist visuality--defined as the visual expression of internal perception or, in Andr Breton's words, internal representation--the contributors to this handsomely illustrated volume shed new light on one of the twentieth century's most exciting cultural movements.

Original and idealistic, Mary Wykeham (1909-1996), to date neglected in the histories of surrealism, is brought centre stage in this first study of her remarkable pursuit of art – a creative impulse that witnessed her crossing Europe and finding success as a painter before embarking on a long struggle to reconcile her commitment to art with a religious calling.Detailing Mary Wykeham’s biography, analysing her work, and sketching the development of her political and religious thought, Silvano Levy’s meticulous research reveals a surrealist oeuvre that is both innovative and poignant. A period of interest in Taoist spirituality resulted in mesmerising and unfathomable works. In a sudden move that shocked the artist’s avant-garde circle, Mary became a nun and was forced by her superiors to give up her art. Wrestling with her creative instincts, she eventually defied the prohibitions placed on her and resumed painting until her death. Fixing a fascinating artist firmly within the story of modern art, this ground-breaking publication brings to light the work of a little-known figure who demands to be brought out of the shadows.

This third volume of work by Desmond Morris (b. 1928) covers his late years, work produced between 2012 and 2020. It is unusual for artists of an advanced age to be as productive as they were when they were young but with Morris the opposite has been the case; between the ages of 84 and 92 he has produced over 1000 works.He is quoted as saying that, if he ever found the precision of his work was waning, he would give up, but he has managed to maintain the same technical level as he did in earlier days. And he still works late into the night, as he has always done, developing endless imaginative variations of the strange biomorphic world that he first entered in 1946.

The first monograph devoted to British Surrealist Emmy Bridgwater Surrealism of Angst explores the extraordinary work of Emmy Bridgwater (1906–1999), the British Surrealist artist who has long been unjustly overlooked. Born in Birmingham, Bridgwater became associated with the Birmingham Surrealists in 1937 and joined the London Surrealist Group three years later. Her haunting imagery—sinister birds, savage cats, scenes of mutilation and violation—forms a visual language of disquiet and emotional intensity. This book reclaims Bridgwater’s place in the Surrealist canon, revealing a profound and often unsettling vision that is as innovative as it is affecting. In this groundbreaking study, Silvano Levy draws on extensive research to reframe Bridgwater’s role within Surrealism. Through detailed analysis of her visual and poetic work, he uncovers a depth of thought and feeling that challenges conventional narratives of Surrealism. Unflinching in its exploration of psychic trauma and inner unrest, Bridgwater’s art emerges here as both visionary and unsettling. This publication not only reclaims a compelling artist from obscurity but also expands the scope of current scholarship on women in modern art.Exhibition Schedule:Midlands Art Centre 24 Oct 2026 – 10 Jan 2027Published by Paul Holberton Publishing/Distributed by Yale University Press