Surrealist Women

Surrealist Women: An International Anthology was an anthology edited by Penelope Rosemont. It was published by University of Texas Press in 1998.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

This article is about a book. For an article about Surrealist women artists, see Women Surrealists.

The anthology is a chronological presentation of surrealist writing by women, including poetry, tales, theory, responses to inquiries, critiques, declarations, etc.[1][2][6] 97 women are represented,[3][6] from 30 countries[6] in Western and Eastern Europe, including Sweden, Moravia, and Corsica; North and South America, including Argentina; the Caribbean; the Middle East (e.g. Iraq); and Australia.[3][5] The editor provides an introductory essay to each of the six chronological periods into which the anthology is organised (1924-1929; 1930-1939; 1940-1945; 1946-1959; the years surrounding May '1968'; and the present),[3] and short biographies/bibliographies about each woman.[3][5] Two thirds of the works had not previously been included in an anthology, and many had not been republished since their first appearance.[5]

Reviewers considered that the anthology "has the characteristics of a classic. .. it is a book that will be definitive and delightful for many years to come";[5] it "not only adds to our knowledge of specific writers, but changes our understanding of surrealist art."[2] In her introduction, Rosemont disputes some commonly held misconceptions about surrealism, including that it was sexist and did not encourage women's participation.[3] Instead, she presents a case that "surrealism was both accepting of and tremendously influenced by women members",[2] and their obscurity was due to critics, not male members of the surrealist movement.[2]

One reviewer observed that "By the penultimate chapter a lot of the names of the women are familiar; we have read their work and delighted in their growth since their first appearance in this anthology. ... As each section examines a period separately .. the same names re-occur in different groupings, different guises. ... as the names shuffle about, the events, countries, times and mediums alter; then there is achieved this dream-like quality within the infrastructure of the book. Surrealism emerges unbidden!"[5]

References
  1. Miller, Rebecca (15 September 1998). "Book reviews: Arts & humanities. Surrealist Women: An International Anthology". Library Journal. 123 (15): 80. ISSN 0363-0277.
  2. Hinrichs, Danielle (March 1999). "In brief. Surrealist Women: An International Anthology". Women's Studies. 28 (2): 242. ISSN 0049-7878.
  3. Cottenet-Hage, Madeleine (November 1999). "Book Reviews. Surrealist Women: an international anthology". Journal of Gender Studies. 8 (3): 363. doi:10.1080/095892399102625. ISSN 0958-9236.
  4. Lowy, Michael (July–August 1999). "Surrealism's feminine side". New Left Review (236): 128. ISSN 0028-6060.
  5. Beer, Vanilla (March 2000). "Books in Brief. Surrealist Women: An International Anthology". The Art Book. 7 (2): 60. ISSN 1368-6267.
  6. "Dada & Surrealism. Reviewed Work: Surrealist Women: An International Anthology by Penelope Rosemont". Woman's Art Journal. 22 (2): 60. Autumn 2001 – Winter 2002. doi:10.2307/1358944. JSTOR 1358944.
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