“Surrealism is not a school of painting, but a voyage into the unknown.”
(Óscar Domínguez)
Óscar Domínguez was a Spanish surrealist painter and graphic artist whose work bridges the realms of the fantastical, the erotic, and the metaphysical. Born in Tenerife (Canary Islands) in 1906, Domínguez moved to Paris in the early 1930s, where he became an active member of the Surrealist group led by André Breton.
His art is known for its dreamlike intensity, use of symbolic forms, and a fascination with time, transformation, and the body. Domínguez was a pioneer of the “decalcomania” technique — a method of creating textures by pressing paint between surfaces — which he used to generate haunting, organic imagery that seemed to emerge from the unconscious.
Over the course of his career, Domínguez developed a highly personal visual language that combined elements of science fiction, mythology, and psychological exploration. Despite suffering from chronic illness and personal struggles, his work radiates both cosmic grandeur and intimate fragility.
Domínguez died in Paris in 1957, but his legacy lives on in major museums and private collections worldwide. His lithographs and drawings remain highly sought-after for their raw energy and poetic force.