Bezoekers van opening surrealisme-tentoonstelling in Galerie Robert Amsterdam 1938 1938

Curator: Oh, the anticipation captured in this photograph! It's titled "Visitors of Surrealism Exhibition Opening in Galerie Robert Amsterdam 1938," a gelatin silver print. Don't you just love that feeling of walking into a new show? Editor: Immediately, the monochrome palette casts this image into a space outside of time. But more than that, observe the demographics. Who was invited, who was deemed fit to witness Surrealism's dawn? The clothes mark this photograph, but so does the near absence of men or the gaze that meets the camera so self-consciously. Curator: It is quite a poised assembly. They're dressed impeccably for the occasion, all dark dresses and patterned jackets. It almost feels staged, like a very fashionable lineup rather than a candid shot from an opening night. Although there are glimpses of portraits in the background… Editor: Indeed. This work allows us to explore the power dynamics inherent in the art world—who holds the gaze, who is being gazed upon, and what narratives are being legitimized through this photographic representation. We must always reflect upon the gatekeepers and those at the gates when regarding art. Curator: That's true, and what I also see is the influence that surrealism exerted over other areas of life in the 30's, which seeps into even what the public wore: those large circular patterns would'nt look so out of place on a canvas by Miro! There's a dream-like feel, wouldn't you agree? Editor: I concede on its captivating surrealism, but I am also drawn to the tensions. This photo serves as a microcosm of the social hierarchies permeating the art world. These "visitors" seem like participants in a theatrical performance. What expectations do these women embody, what role does beauty or adornment play, and why does their presence reify certain class-based codes? Curator: But even these women were defying convention by attending an exhibition of what would have been radical new works! Their clothes might have had the cut of classic elegance, but the image as a whole embodies something other, wouldn't you say? Editor: Definitely. Despite, or because of, its focus, the work also shows the world that existed for those that remained beyond its glare. Curator: Beautifully put.