Biography

Instantly recognizable due to his waxed, upturned mustache, Salvador Dali is one of the absolute legends of modern art. He is one of the 20th-century avant-garde Surrealist movement icons, whose dreamlike images, birthed from the depths of his unconscious, were deployed in paintings, sculptures, prints, fashion, and film. 

Dali was born in Figueres, Catalonia, and from a young age had displayed sensitivity and a sharp perception and vivid imagination that would be apparent within his artworks. He conjured childhood memories and employed religious symbols and Freudian imagery, such as unconventional staircases, keys, and dripping candles, to create unexpected art pieces.

His hyperrealism is characterized by Surrealist symbols and concepts that are far from what's seen in reality. His most recognizable painting, The Persistence of Memory (1931), depicts the fluidity of time through melting clocks, inspired by melting Camembert cheese in the sun. Dali's artistic genius, eccentric personality, and the eternal quest for fame made him a global celebrity. In his own words: "Each morning when I awake, I experience again a supreme pleasure," he once said. "That of being Salvador Dalí."

Things Dali Said:

"A true artist is not one who is inspired, but one who inspires others."

"Intelligence without ambition is a bird without wings."

"I do not take drugs. I am drugs."

"At the age of six, I wanted to be a cook. At seven, I wanted to be Napoleon. And my ambition has been growing steadily ever since."