The artwork titled “The Persistence of Memory” was created by Salvador Dali around 1980. This sculpture is rendered in bronze, embodying the Surrealist art movement. The work falls within the genre of sculpture and serves as a three-dimensional representation of themes consistent with Surrealism.
This particular sculpture by Dali appears to capture the fluidity and malleability of time, a theme common in his body of work. The centerpiece is an amorphous, softened clock draped over a barren, branch-like structure. The clock itself is detailed with Roman numerals on its face, suggesting a conventional means of measuring time which is subverted by the form’s deflated, languid physical state. The bronze has taken on a patina that gives it the appearance of age and wear, further emphasizing the concept of time’s passage. The artwork rests on a simple, rectangular base, which grounds the composition and provides stability to the otherwise surreal and dreamlike subject matter. The interplay between the surreal, almost living form of the clock and the dead tree it hangs upon creates a stark juxtaposition, enhancing the dreamlike quality that Dali’s work is known for.
