“On Time Off Time,” created in 1948 by the renowned artist Dorothea Tanning, is a symbolic painting executed in oil. This artwork, synonymous with the Surrealist movement, is housed in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City, NY, US. The painting encapsulates the essence of Surrealism, presenting a dream-like scene imbued with symbolic elements and a keen attention to the subconscious.
The artwork features a flat, muted palette that contributes to a surreal atmosphere. At the center, a wooden structure resembling a partial house frames the composition. Amid the framework, a billowing cloud of smoke emerges, with subtle, spiral patterns drawing the viewer’s eye. Adjacent, a deer-like figure appears to be partially engulfed in flames. Above the structure, a sunflower is prominently displayed, acting as a focal point. On the right side, within the confines of the wooden frame, there is an opening that looks into a separate, almost fantastical world where a figure is observed with bubbles floating upwards, paired with the text “on time” and “off time” inscribed below them. To the far right, a gnarled and twisted tree adds to the enigmatic nature of the scene. The overall composition invokes a sense of transient reality, exploring themes of time, nature, and existence in a compelling, abstract manner.
