2.16.2012

exquiste corpse: surrealism and the black dahlia

I've been hesitant to do this post for months 
because of the
seriously gruesome nature of the material.
But, 
the combination of Surrealism, 
modernist architecture,
and Man Ray,
was too much to resist.
So, here we go, but 
SERIOUSLY,
if you are at all squeamish,
or have a problem with very, very graphic 
crime scene photographs,
please do not look at this post.
The photos are 
EXTREMELY
disturbing,
but crucial to the story....
I will be telling the story in pictures,
for more info,
I highly recommend the book
by 
Mark Nelson and Sarah Hudson Bayliss.
also
check out their 
of the same name.
Fascinating....

André Breton, Man Ray, Max Morise
and Yves Tanguy
"Cadavre Exquis"
(Exquisite Corpse)
1927

Salvador Dalí
"Art of Radio"
1944

René Magritte
"L'évidence éternelle"
(The Eternally Obvious)
1930

Man Ray
"La jumelle"
(The Twin)
1939

 Max Ernst
"Anatomie als Braut"
(Anatomy as a Bride)
1921

Man Ray
"Minotaure"
1933

Elizabeth Short Murder
Crime scene photograph
January 15, 1947

Hans Bellmer
"La poupee"
(The Doll)
1936

Salvador Dalí
Magazine cover for
"Minotaure"
Issue #8
June 15th 1936

Elizabeth Short murder
Coroner's office photograph
January 15, 1947

Man Ray
"White and Black"
1929

Marcel Duchamp
"Éant donnés: 1 la chute d'eau,
2 le gaz d'éclairage"
(Given: 1. The Waterfall,
2.The Illuminating Gas)
[Interior view, through the peephole door]
1946-66

Elizabeth Short Murder
Crime scene photograph
January 15, 1947

Elizabeth Short 
Los Angeles
October 22, 1946

Elizabeth Short 
Los Angeles
1946

Dr. George Hodel
Los Angeles
1950s

Dr. George Hodel
Study of his Lloyd Wright home.
Los Angeles
1950
John Snowden House
1926
Hodel lived here from 1945- 1951.
In his equally fascinating book,
George's son,
claims that the murder took place here.
Mark Nelson and Sarah Hudson Bayliss
infer that it wasn't just a murder,
but a literal reenactment
of an Exquisite Corpse....

Man Ray
"Portrait of George Hodel"
1946

Man Ray
Self-portrait with "dead nude 
from the series "La priére"
(The Prayer)
1930

Elizabeth Short Murder
Crime scene photograph
January 15, 1947

René Magritte
"Les reveries du promeneur solitaire"
(The Musings of a Solitary Walker)
1926

4 comments:

  1. Great post! I still haven't read the book. I'm guessing the book really fleshes out what you're showing with the series of pics...

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  2. Superpicker- It's so complicated and bizarre, truly twisted and amazing in a macabre way... you are welcome to borrow it anytime....

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  3. FREAKY!! Murder in pictures, thanks (I think), P!

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  4. I dont understand how anyone can look at these pictures and not come to the conclusion that that sick son of a bitch Hodel was indeed a seriel killer. I cant look at his photo without being physically ill.

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