UWF in the Community

Pensacola Museum of Art to host Surrealist Masquerade during Foo Foo Fest

The Pensacola Museum of Art will host its first Surrealist Masquerade on Saturday, Nov. 5 from 7 to 11 p.m., during Pensacola’s Foo Foo Festival. The event is part of the museum’s new exhibition, “Controversial Lines: Late Prints by Salvador Dali,” which opened on Sept. 9 and will run through Jan. 7, 2017.

Guests are encouraged to wear surrealist costumes, such as melting clocks, dresses made of flowers, animal masks or other attire inspired by Dali paintings. A juried costume contest will be held at 9:30 p.m. The event will also feature Spanish wines and beers, as well as signature tapas to complete the theme. Tickets are $50 per person.

“Events similar to this have been held all around the world,” said Raven Holloway, executive director of the Pensacola Museum of Art. “We expect it will bring in hundreds of people to our community.”

Salvador Dali, a Spanish artist who lived from 1904 to 1989, was one of the most famous and controversial artists of the 20th century. Prolific for more than 60 years, Dali created countless oil paintings, drawings, sculptures, theatre and fashion designs, jewelry, book illustrations and prints. The exhibition focuses on multiple print suites and single prints by Dali during the 1940s to 1980s, following the artist’s formal affiliation with the Surrealist movement. This production phase, previously criticized by art historians as overly commercialized and reactionary, has since become celebrated for its forward-thinking design and influence on Pop Art, inspiring contemporary artists such as Jasper Johns, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and Willem de Kooning.

Foo Foo Fest is a 12-day celebration of culturally creative happenings, events and moments under one banner, all attracting visitors to Pensacola. For more information, visit foofoofest.com.

To learn more about the Surrealist Masquerade, visit pensacolamuseum.org. Tickets can be purchased online, in person at the Pensacola Museum of Art or by calling 850.432.6247.