Who were the women Surrealists?

Women played crucial roles in Surrealism, though historically overshadowed by male counterparts. Key figures include Leonora Carrington (mythological narratives and feminine archetypes), Remedios Varo (alchemical mysticism), Dorothea Tanning (psychological domestic spaces), Frida Kahlo (autobiographical symbolism), Meret Oppenheim (creator of the iconic fur teacup), Kay Sage (architectural dreamscapes), Toyen (Czech Surrealist pioneer), Hannah Hoch (photomontage innovator), Claude Cahun (gender-questioning self-portraits), and Dora Maar (photography and painting). These artists often subverted Surrealism’s male gaze, exploring female subjectivity, desire, and transformation on their own terms. Many formed creative partnerships-Carrington and Varo in Mexico City created a distinctly feminine Surrealist vision. Contemporary scholarship increasingly recognizes women’s essential contributions to Surrealism. Their influence extends through Visionary Art, feminist art, and Pop Surrealism.