In 1924 the French writer Andre Breton published the “Surrealist Manifesto” which laid out the definition of Surrealism as:

“Psychic automatism" in its pure state, by which one proposes to express -- verbally, by means of the written word, or in any other manner -- the actual functioning of thought. Dictated by the thought, in the absence of any control exercised by reason, exempt from any aesthetic or moral concern.”

Some artists of the recient past have identified this “pure state” of psychic automatism as the source of pure creativity opposing the rationalism of classical painting and sculpture, thereby providing a whimsical path which challenges aesthetic fundamentalism. It is possible for one to begin a visual journey with Salvador Dali and travel towards Jackson Pollack achieving an ever higher state of non-conformity. Finally when all rational formality is abandoned and the artist is left with nothing but a tired body flinging paint, ocassionaly the eye catchs a glimps of what is being created on the canvas. Recognizable images can be seen within the abstraction in the same way the child sees fantastic forms within clouds, or the stargazer observes the man in the moon. Do these images exist out there, or do they exist within the viewer?

Involvement in this activity can lead the painter to an awareness of a type of internal Holy Trinity, consisting of a laboring body, a surealist heart, and a rational mind, each part with it’s own nature. Is it possible to allow this inner conversation between these three to play out on the canvas equally? What images will the artist see? What images will the passive viewer see?

My images are created as a result of this inner conversation.

- Richard L. Goettling

© 2007 Richard L. Goettling all rights reserved