Surrealism and Anti-fascism: Anthology

A detailed and intellectually invigorating collection that places Surrealism in the thick of the battle for political emancipation

The Surrealist movement famously initiated a revolution in visual and written art, but its political engagement is sometimes overlooked. With more than 600 illustrations and contributions from some of the greatest thinkers of the last 100 years, Surrealism and Anti-fascism provides a panoramic view of Surrealism’s opposition to fascism. Surrealists denounced European colonial policies, organized resistance to fascist governments and movements, fought for the Spanish Republic, were persecuted, escaped into exile and died in the war against the Nazis. Today, as fascist-adjacent regimes again begin to proliferate internationally, this volume, bringing together central texts of political Surrealism from the first manifestos to the present day, could not be more timely.
Contributors include: Theodor W. Adorno, Georges Bataille, Walter Benjamin, André Breton, Claude Cahun, Leonora Carrington, Aimé Césaire, Suzanne Césaire, Robert Desnos, China Miéville, Lee Miller, Karel Teige, Leo Trotzki, Paul Westheim.

by Matthias Muhling (Editor), Karin Althaus (Editor), Adrian Djukic (Editor), Ara H. Merjian (Editor), Stephanie Weber (Editor)

Paperback, 680 Pages, Published 2025