Figueres, Spain-The home of Dali

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Yesterday we took a day trip up to Figueres to the place where Salvador Dali was born, where he died in 1989, and also where his museum was built in 1974. He was quite an intelligent, eccentric, and egotistical man(slash)aristic genious. He was quite proud and a bit arrogant about his accomplishments. I love this quote,by Salvador Dali himself...
"Each morning when I awake, I experience again a supreme pleasure - that of being Salvador Dali." or another one..."I don't do drugs - I am drugs." Well looking at some of his art you would think he did take drugs though. But, he allowed much of the subconcious thoughts come through in his art.

His biggest inspiration was Gala, his lover and later wife. She is in many of his paintings and he was quite obsessed with her. But, he was also friends with Freud, Joan Miro, and Picasso who have also influenced him.

His art ranges so much it is difficult to place him in a category. Most people are familiar with his paintings that would define him as a surrealist, but he is much more complex than that. Some of his later work had a focus on his new found Christian faith and his early work included many portraits of himself and Gala. Actually in 1938, the Surrealists offically dropped him due to his fascination with power, his radical political beliefs and even his admiration for Adolf Hitler. He was a bit of a political fence-sitter and that did not fair well with the times. Of course, his paintings still continued throughout the decades.

The whole idea of surrealism is the subconcious mind, similar to dreams. Many of his paintings have sexual inferences. Dali explored his own fears and sexual inadequacies in a lot of his paintings. There are many ideas, symbols, and thoughts portrayed in his art. However, there are some commonalities in his work. Some of the common themes include animals with a hard shell on the outside and soft inside, like snails, lobsters, and of course the egg. The egg is seen is a lot of his work and there are also many portrayed on the roof of his museum and throughout the town.

Some other interesting recurring symbols are seen in Dali's art... melting clocks represent the mastery of time and its omnipresence over humans and how it devours itself and everything around it. Grasshoppers are insects that caused fear and contempt for Dali. Elephants with skinny legs represent the future, strength, and the burdens we carry.

Anyhow, I was quite impressed with his art, as I was with Picasso's when I visited his museum a couple weeks ago.

After, the museum we took a ride up to Cadaqués, where his family vacationed. By the time we got there, it was 5 pm, so honestly we didn't do much, just sat at one of the only cafes open and had some coffee or beers. It was a bit cold and we had to get back to Barcelona. So we started the long journey-by-bus back to Barcelona about 7pm. With all the stops, potty breaks, etc., we didn't arrive back in barcelona until 930, just in time to start off the evening. Of course in Barcelona, things don't really get happening until about 11 or 12 o'clock and clubs are busiest starting at 0200 until about 6 or 7 am ATLEAST. However, I went home at about 0300 am.

Well, down to one week left in my trip and then I will then head back to the United States, where I will have to get back to working and "real life". I have to say I am not overly excited about coming home. I would love to continue exploring and living in Europe a bit longer. I miss people, of course, and I need to get some things together. But, I have a feeling I will be back sooner than I think.

Adios!

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