Born in Poland, but having spent most of his life in Paris, he led a reclusive existence and passed away in solitude in 1975. Only after his demise did the world begin to appreciate his art. Published books, exhibitions, and numerous sales followed, spanning across the globe. However, during his lifetime, he remained relatively unknown and uncelebrated due to his choice of subject matter.
It wasn’t until the final decade of his life that he gained recognition as one of the foremost surrealist artists of his time, particularly for his series of photographs on the doll, “La poupée,” which garnered international acclaim. In practically every one of his creations, his main theme centered around an erotic approach to his subjects. Themes of fetishism, voyeurism, and sadomasochism were recurrent, but the overtly sexual elements were not always immediately apparent. Often, one must analyze the composition of his work to uncover the erotic undertones within.
In 1959 and 1964, Bellmer finally received some recognition when he was invited to participate in the Documenta exhibition in Kassel.
In 1953, Bellmer began living with the writer Unica Zürn. Their relationship was a somber one, marked by seclusion and devoid of any social activities. They resided in the Hotel de l’Esperance in Paris, where Unica tragically took her own life by jumping out of a window in 1970. Bellmer passed away five years later, a solitary man. A melancholic existence for a greatly gifted artist. If one is unfamiliar with Bellmer, a good place to start is with Wikipedia, learning about his life and exploring the surreal world he has created. Our collection at www.ftn-books.com features some excellent titles on this fascinating artist.
www.ftn-books.com has a great selection of titles on Bellmer available.
