Photography and Surrealism: Sexuality, Colonialism and Social Dissent

Photography and Surrealism by David Bate examines the place of photography in surrealist practice during the 1920s and 1930s. This digital edition is supplied as a PDF and can be downloaded instantly after purchase.

The book frames its analysis around sexuality, colonialism and social dissent. It draws on photography theory and psychoanalysis to reconsider well-known surrealist images and debates.

Readers receive immediate access to the full 283-page text in PDF format.

Book Overview: Photography and Surrealism

Photography and Surrealism is a critical study by David Bate, published by I.B.Tauris in 2003. It re-examines surrealism through the framework of its uses of photography, rather than treating surrealism as a purely painterly movement.

The book addresses an academic and student audience interested in photography theory, avant-garde culture, psychoanalysis and social criticism.

What You’ll Discover Inside

• An introduction to the surrealist photograph and its defining features.
• A discussion of the automatic image within surrealist practice.
• Chapters on sadness and sanity, the Oriental signifier, and the Sadean eye.
• Analysis of Black object, white subject and the truth of the colonies.
• A closing chapter on fascism and exile in surrealism.

Why This Book Matters

Bate argues that surrealism was an interdisciplinary movement whose critical ambition linked desire with social criticism. The book restores the political and psychical dimensions of surrealist photography, including its engagement with colonialist politics and bourgeois sexual relations.

It offers an alternative to biographical or purely chronological accounts by testing photography theory on surrealist images.

Book Details

Device Compatibility

This is a digital download, so no physical item will be shipped. Access is available immediately after purchase.

The PDF can be read on compatible Kindle apps, tablets, desktop computers, mobile devices and standard reading applications.

FAQ

How do I get access after purchase?
The PDF is available for instant download once the order is complete.

Will a physical copy be shipped?
No. This listing is for a digital PDF only.

What devices are supported?
The file works with Kindle apps, tablets, desktop and mobile reading apps that support PDF.

This study offers a focused resource for readers examining photography and surrealism. Download the PDF to begin reading on your preferred device.

Verified Bibliographic Details