ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – A new exhibition at the Dali Museum examines a profound yet common human experience — the dream. The Shape of Dreams, on view from Nov. 25 through April 30, 2023, explores 500 years of paintings from the 16th to the 20th century, demonstrating how artists throughout time have depicted the enigmatic state of awareness that often leaves dreamers searching for meaning.
The Shape of Dreams features a selection of art on loan from American institutions including the National Gallery of Art, Detroit Institute of Arts, The New Orleans Museum of Art, Saint Louis Art Museum, Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden, Chicago Art Institute and Metropolitan Museum of Art. Several works from the Dali’s permanent collection are placed in dialog with these works to examine how Western artists have conveyed dreams, exploring the continuity and disconnections between the past and present.
“The Shape of Dreams is a powerful exploration through painting of how we understand ourselves and the world,” said Dali Museum Director Hank Hine. “Are dreams useful? Are they prophetic? Do they tell us things about ourselves that we did not know? The Dali invites visitors to heighten their awareness and attention to the world of dreams — an intense element of the human experience so central to our personal lives.”
Domenico Feti, ‘Jacob’s Dream,’ circa 1613-1614. Oil on wood panel. 23.8 by 17.1in. Detroit Institute of Arts, Founders Society Purchase, General Membership Fund, 39.669. USA Photo: © Detroit Institute of Arts, USA / Bridgeman Images
Drawing on the irony that dreams are an intense visual sensation most often taking place when the eyes are closed, the exhibition inspires questions about the very nature of reality and encourages viewers to examine dreams through different lenses — psychological, religious and metaphysical. Works by Paul Delvaux, Pat Steir, Philip Guston, Max Beckmann, Lodovico Carracci and Odilon Redon, many of which are monumental canvases, address manners of representation and consider how the waking world influences the dream. The exhibition seeks to understand how these artistic expressions shape our imaginations.
For information on upcoming exhibition-related programs and events, and to reserve advance timed admission tickets, visit TheDali.org.
About The Dali Museum
The Dali Museum, located in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, is home to one of the most acclaimed collections of a single modern artist in the world, with more than 2,000 works representing every moment and medium of Salvador Dali’s creative life. The museum is a not-for-profit organization following its mission to preserve Dali’s legacy for generations to come and serve as an active resource in the cultural life of the community and the world at large. The Dali is open daily, located at One Dali Boulevard, St. Petersburg, Florida 33701. For more information visit TheDali.org or download the free Dali Museum App.