What is surrealism?

Surrealism was a movement in the 1920s that focused on the minds natural ability to skew and warp reality in unlikely ways. the surrealist works often focused on dreams and fantasy worrlds where things weren't necessarily normal.
a famous story of Salvador Al Dali is how he got the ideas for his works. when he was running low on ideas he would try to take a nap, but in his hand he would hold a key above a metal dish. this way so when he was just about to fall asleep he would drop the key and the sound would wake him up.

Frida Kahlo -- Without Hope, 1945

Salvador Dali -- The Temptation of Saint Anthony, 1946

Although surrealism is often paintings as i show above, it can also be used in photography with the use of tools such as photoshop, we can create similar surreal scenes that might convey similar emotions.

David Lachapelle -- Rape of Africa

Man Ray -- glass tears,1932