Cadavre exquis (with Yves Tanguy and André Breton) 1938

This is a collaborative surrealist drawing entitled "Cadavre exquis," created by Jacqueline Lamba with Yves Tanguy and André Breton. The "exquisite corpse," as it translates from French, was a game popular among the Parisian surrealists, but also a method for creating collective, dreamlike compositions. Lamba, Tanguy and Breton’s artistic practices all emerged within a historical context marked by significant social upheaval. These artists sought to challenge conventional modes of perception and representation, as well as explore the depths of the unconscious mind. In this collaborative piece, note how each artist contributed to the composition without knowledge of the others' additions. The resulting figure is a hybrid of organic and architectural forms. The juxtaposition of a beehive head, a staircase, and a fish creates a being that defies logical interpretation. This collage disrupts traditional notions of identity, suggesting the self is fluid, constructed from disparate elements. By embracing chance and automatism, the surrealists like Lamba invited viewers to question the boundaries of identity and experience the liberation of the unconscious.