Surreal century

Groom says that thanks to the acquisition of part of the Roland Penrose collection and archive, and the Gabrielle Keiller bequest of 1995, the Scottish galleries not only accumulated a fine collection of iconic surrealist artworks but also collections of rare illustrated books, catalogs, manuscripts and journals by these artists.

One of the first important surrealist's works to join the collection since the founding of the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art in 1960 was Swiss artist Alberto Giacometti's bronze statue, A Woman With Her Throat Cut, purchased in 1970. The piece shows a dying creature whose shape resembles a mantrap or a praying mantis.

"We hope you enjoy this surrealist journey that transcends time and space, exploring the whimsical ideas of the surrealist masters and generating resonance with Fantastic Visions," says Li, chairperson of the Pudong museum.