Analysis Of The Disintegration Of The Persistence Of Memory By Salvador Dali
The artwork that I found the most interesting is The Disintegration of the Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dali. I found this work at the Salvador Dali museum over at St. Petersburg, Florida. This is an oil on canvas painting with dimensions of 10 in x 13 in and it was created between the years of 1952 and 1954 (Salvador Dali Museum). The subject matter in this work is a little complicated to see but from my perspective I believe is time being destroyed by humanity. The painting depicts a panoramic view with a few details disintegrating at the bottom. There are several square shapes repeating, creating an effect of rapid movement. Closer to the center the square shapes transform into cylindrical shapes, resembling bullets being shot at the
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This painting has the same scene as in the earlier version, but just that is submerged under water. The water is so clear and still that it reflects the mountain in the distance and divides the little rock in the center. The bottom of the painting is completely overtaken by square shapes arranged in exact rows and has the effect of forming a wall on the left side. This wall also begins to disintegrate as it moves towards the right and farther away from the bottom. Some of the square shapes begin to transform into bullet-like shapes that seem to afflict the melting clock under water and also the one that is resting in the tree branch. The stem seems to be floating over the water, but it might be a reflection effect from the clear water. Under water, another clock seems to be floating over the face that also appears in The Persistence of Memory. Under a layer of squares, there is a broken clock with its own pieces floating on top. All of these details makes me think that Dali closely calculated each of the location where he was going to place these objects. This painting is definitely a replica to the earlier painting Persistence of Memory, but with its main purpose to disintegrate the original one. My personal reaction to this work is still the same as the beginning. I think that Dali was trying to reflect on the negative effects of the use of weapons on society. This work leaves me with a question, and that is the purpose of the fish. I have noticed this exact fish in another of Dali’s work, but I wonder if he spontaneously placed it on this painting or had a deeper purpose to
This painting has the same scene as in the earlier version, but just that is submerged under water. The water is so clear and still that it reflects the mountain in the distance and divides the little rock in the center. The bottom of the painting is completely overtaken by square shapes arranged in exact rows and has the effect of forming a wall on the left side. This wall also begins to disintegrate as it moves towards the right and farther away from the bottom. Some of the square shapes begin to transform into bullet-like shapes that seem to afflict the melting clock under water and also the one that is resting in the tree branch. The stem seems to be floating over the water, but it might be a reflection effect from the clear water. Under water, another clock seems to be floating over the face that also appears in The Persistence of Memory. Under a layer of squares, there is a broken clock with its own pieces floating on top. All of these details makes me think that Dali closely calculated each of the location where he was going to place these objects. This painting is definitely a replica to the earlier painting Persistence of Memory, but with its main purpose to disintegrate the original one. My personal reaction to this work is still the same as the beginning. I think that Dali was trying to reflect on the negative effects of the use of weapons on society. This work leaves me with a question, and that is the purpose of the fish. I have noticed this exact fish in another of Dali’s work, but I wonder if he spontaneously placed it on this painting or had a deeper purpose to