The artwork “Gangsterism and Goofy Vision of New York” by Salvador Dali, created in 1935, is a genre painting that employs mediums of pencil, ink, and paper. This piece, situated within the Surrealism movement, measures 54.6 by 40 cm and currently resides in a private collection. The artwork is characteristic of Dali’s iconic style, which often blurs the boundaries between dream and reality.
The artwork consists of a variety of scenes that are densely packed and rich in detail. The upper portion of the composition appears to depict a chaotic street scenario with exaggerated characters that embody the themes of gangsterism and absurdity associated with New York during the era. One can observe figures engaged in activities that may be interpreted as violent or comically absurd, reflecting a nightmarishly distorted vision of urban life.
Beneath the main tableau, there are four separate panels, each portraying a distinct, smaller scene. These vignettes seem to present their own surreal narratives, composed of isolated figures and unsettling landscapes that evoke a sense of dislocation and surreal encounters. The handling of perspective, scale, and spatial relations is purposely skewed, enhancing the surreal quality of these incidents.
In the lower part of the artwork, two standalone scenes are depicted. On the left, a figure stands next to a melting or morphing structure — a recurring motif in Dali’s work, often symbolizing the fluidity of time and perception. To the right, a bizarre figure seemingly engages in an act of archery, aiming at an unidentifiable target, accompanied by an enigmatic arrangement of objects that include an olive, a pair of scissors, and what might be interpreted as a distorted musical instrument or a mechanical device.
The signatures and dates included in the artwork affirm its authenticity and position it within Dali’s oeuvre of the 1930s. Overall, the artwork invites a detailed examination and imaginative interpretation, characteristic of Dali’s body of work that challenges viewers to question the nature of reality and delve into the subconscious mind.
