What role do dreams play in Surrealism?

Dreams are central to Surrealism, providing both subject matter and theoretical foundation. Sigmund Freud’s ‘Interpretation of Dreams’ proposed that dreams express unconscious desires in symbolic, disguised form-a concept Surrealists embraced enthusiastically. Andre Breton advocated recording dreams immediately upon waking to capture imagery before conscious censorship intervened. Salvador Dali developed techniques for inducing hypnagogic states (between sleeping and waking) to access dreamlike visions while maintaining enough awareness to record them. Dreams provided Surrealists with imagery unconstrained by logic: impossible juxtapositions, metamorphosis, distorted scale, and fluid identity. Dream journals remain valuable tools for contemporary artists seeking to access unconscious imagery for painting, digital art, and other creative work.