Salvador Dali: The Making of an Artist

In Salvador Dali: The Invention of Self, Catherine Grenier examines the manifold factors that converged to make Salvador Dali one of the most significant contributors to twentieth century art. Grenier's astute analysis of Dali's work is supplemented by reflections on how the artist's fervent desire to become a legend fused with the events of a century to facilitate his rise to the top. Although recognized first and foremost as a painter, Dali's projects were by no means confined to canvas, and he experimented with a wide range of media. Grenier draws extensively throughout this volume on the literature, photography, film, and sculpture that influenced and was created by Dali throughout his career, providing a comprehensive picture of his varied artistic endeavors. From instantly recognizable paintings such as "The Persistence of Memory and Dream Caused by the Flight of a Bee around a Pomegranate a Second before Awakening", to the icons of the surrealist movement such as the "Mae West Lips Sofa" and the "Lobster Telephone", drawing also on screenshots from short films made in collaboration with close friend Luis Buñuel, Grenier leaves no stone unturned in her analysis of Dali's creative output. Divided into chapters charting Dali's progression as an artist and as a controversial public figure, Grenier offers intriguing and captivating insight into one of the twentieth century undisputed geniuses. The vast artistic and technical talent that Dali possessed was evident from a young age and is documented in a chapter copiously illustrated with early self-portraits and depictions of his family and surroundings from his adolescence in northeastern Spain. Another, devoted to Dali's influence on contemporary artists such as Andy Warhol and Jeff Koons, is testament to the enduring longevity and relevance of his work. Throughout, Grenier's attention to detail and refined analysis uncover a plethora of details surrounding Dali's professional and private life, offering fresh insight into the master artist, his inspirations, and his motivations.

Catherine Grenier, chief curator of the Centre Pompidou, has published monographs on Christian Boltanski and Annette Messager.