The Treachery of Images: Surrealist Photography Techniques

1928, the fslse mirror eye in clouds by Rene Magritte

1. Mirror images, seeing in double

Sergio Larrain. CHILE. Valparaiso. 1963.

Magritte

1937, Not to be reproduced, by Rene Magritte

2. Curtains over the face

Man with curtain on face. Istanbul, 2013

The lovers, 1928, Rene Magritte

The lovers, 1928, Rene Magritte

3. Light bulb head

1937, the pleasure principle. By Rene Magritte

Suit and yellow flowers. Hong Kong, 2014

4. Cut off face via reflections in mirror

Suit in the bathroom washing his hands at whole foods. NYC, 2017. Pentax 645Z — Man washing hands in bathroom. Yellow background, and face obstructed.

5. The treachery of images

Come in, we’re open!

Love our high class customers.

Words and images that don’t align.

Out of order.

Good things happen

Diversion ends.

Examples from Rene Magritte:

1948, treachery of images. This is not a pipe. Magritte

6. Extreme close up of eye

1928, the false mirror eye in clouds by Rene Magritte — 1928, the fslse mirror eye in clouds by Rene Magritte

Eyes are the windows to the soul — or something else?

Ridley Scott, closeup of eye, beginning of blade runner movie

7. Surrealist architecture

Urban landscape still from Blade Runner

Inspiration from Antonio Sant Elia who wrote, “The manifesto for futurist architecture”:

For surrealist inspiration, also study Giorgio de Chirico:

Learn more about surrealism