Salvador Dali
Salvador Dalí (1904-1989) was a Spanish surrealistic painter, illustrator and sculptor, known for his eccentric behaviour and his large, long and pointy moustache. He is widely regarded as one of the most famous, important and influential painters of the 20th century.
Biography
As a student at the Academy of Fine Arts in Madrid, Dalí discovered Dadaism which remained an influence throughout his career. After moving to Paris in the 1920s, he joined the Surrealists, becoming one of the principal figures of the movement by the 1930s. Together with Spanish film director Luis Buñuel, he made the Surrealist film Un Chien Andalou (1929). In 1940, he settled in the USA, became a Catholic - which inspired his symbolic religious paintings.
One of his most famous paintings is The Persistence of Memory (1931).
References to Zappa
Dali is included in the inner sleeve of Freak Out!, under the heading: These People Have Contributed Materially In Many Ways To Make Our Music What It Is. Please Do Not Hold It Against Them.
On page 130 of Frank Zappa: A Biography by Barry Miles is claimed that Dali and Zappa once met each other. Journalist Eve Babitz had arranged a meeting between them in the King Cole Bar in the St. Regis, New York. Zappa wasn't allowed to enter without a tie, but Dali gave him one. During their meeting Zappa explained who the Mothers were and that they were about to rehearse in the studio. Dali wanted to witness their rehearsals and they decided to meet in the Ballon Farm. Unfortunately Zappa's manager Herb Cohen was unable to convince the manager of the club to let The Mothers in. Dali and his wife Gala took another taxi and left in disappointment back to the St. Regis. Zappa went back to Hotel Albert to have an angry discussion with the manager who destroyed this unique opportunity. [1]
One of the tracks on Trout Mask Replica is called "Dali's Car".
In the May 9, 1970 New Musical Express article Zappa – Outrageous Star Allan McDougall wrote: "... he [Zappa] spends most of his time in the basement, which is worth describing since there can be no other like it in the world. It is about the size of a tennis court. One wall is covered by a painting by Salvadore Dali, of a car on fire..."
The Christopher Mark Brennan painting used for the cover art of the Zappa album Wazoo, is based on Slave Market with the Disappearing Bust of Voltaire by Salvador Dali, 1940.[2]
Source
- ↑ Barry Miles, Frank Zappa: A Biography, 2004, Atlantic Books, page 130.
- ↑ http://artchive.com/artchive/D/dali/dali_voltaire.jpg.html
