Óscar Domínguez

A Spanish-French artist prominent in the Surrealist milieu of the early twentieth century, Óscar Domínguez created uncanny, dream-like distortions of reality with precise technique across his body of work. His audacious images imbue everyday objects with symbolic power—pianos, can openers, typewriters, butterflies—to evoke both the supernatural and Surrealist theories about unconscious desire.

Born on the island of Tenerife, Spain in 1906, Domínguez moved to Paris in 1927 where he quickly became a compatriot of André Breton, the founder of Surrealism, as well as other members of the Paris avant-garde including Joan Miró, Salvador Dalí, Yves Tanguy, and Pablo Picasso. Within these circles, he integrated his imagery based on his roots in Tenerife’s rugged landscapes, bringing a new dimension to the Surrealists’ work. He also revolutionized the decalcomania technique—involving the transfer of paint from one surface to another to construct an image by chance—greatly influencing the works of Max Ernst and Remedios Varo.

An indisputable leader of Surrealism, Domínguez’s work was largely overlooked in the years since his death and in recent years has witnessed a resurgence in recognition. His work is housed in collections around the world including The Museum of Modern Art, New York, Museo Reina Sofía, Madrid and the Centre Pompidou, Paris.