Composition (Cadavre exquis with Yves Tanguy and André Breton) 1938

This intriguing collaborative drawing, *Composition (Cadavre exquis with Yves Tanguy and André Breton)* by Jacqueline Lamba, Yves Tanguy and André Breton feels like a Surrealist game of consequences. I imagine them passing the drawing around, each adding their bit, folding the paper over to conceal their contribution, and then revealing the mad concoction at the end. What were they thinking? Maybe trying to tap into the subconscious, to see what strange forms could emerge? The drawing is made up of architectural and figurative elements, all rendered in careful detail, yet assembled in a way that defies logic. The meeting of mechanical and organic is bizarre, and the different styles of drawing add to the disjointed, dreamlike quality. It reminds me of the exquisite corpse poems I used to play at school. It’s a reminder that art can be a playful exploration and exchange of ideas, where the unexpected can lead to new ways of seeing.