Salvador Dali has inspired hundreds of artists and art lovers. He was an icon of innovation and creativity. He was a pioneer in surrealism and the reality he created through unique symbols spoke of human condition in many subtle ways. Salvador Dali had an interesting life and knowing more about it will make you a better acquaintance with him.

Dali in Art School:

Dali learned his major skills from local art school in Spain and when it came to his final exam he refused to be assessed by all of his professors. He did that because he believed they were not competent enough for his assessment. However arrogant this might seem, the real objective behind his behavior was to get expulsion so that his further art studies were funded by his father. Once his art school terminated him and he could get through exams he traveled to Paris to study art and his education was eventually financed by his father. Interesting that he could think of such a thing as means to an end.

Dali’s fascination with cauliflower

He thought independently and Salvador Dali paintings indicate that. The conventional objects and symbols held little interest for him. He was a very different person as once he was so fascinated with cauliflower that he stuffed his Rolls Royce Phantom II with 500 kg of cauliflower and drove with that from Spain to Paris. The vegetable became an object of his interest for quite some time and he believed that cauliflower held philosophy of life.

Travel habits

Dali’s travel habits were different. He never travelled light. He would carry unusual objects of interest with him. He often carried his works with him. Once in 1934 he carried twelve art pieces with him while he travelled to New York. He would do odd things as well, for example, he came for paparazzi with a two meter long loaf of bread at which none of the journalists were impressed. He perceived the world in his own and acted differently always.

His Secretaries made good money

In the beginning of his career he was not paying enough to his agents but as his works gained fame, the commissions paid to agents made them millionaires. He could not hire them on fixed salary in the beginning probably because he wasn’t earning enough through his art.

He was not good at client relations

Yes, surprising as it may seem, Dali was not great at building client relations. For example, he was commissioned to paint a portrait of Laurence Oliver. In the portrait Laurence was in the role of the director of Alexander Korda. Dali did not complete the painting in England as he believe the country was not the right place to finish it. He went pack to Spain to complete it and when he was sending it to Laurence, the airport authorities did not let the painting travel saying it wasn’t worth it. Eventually Dali kept it as his own possession. The art was never delivered to Laurence Oliver.

Dali was different from everybody. As an artist he had his own conditions of working. He was extremely creative and his actions were impulsive. He did not care for social and cultural conventions. He believed in himself and worked according to his own rules.

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