Odilon Redon, The Dream of Butterflies, 1910-1915. Oil on canvas, Framed: 24 in x 37.25 in. The New Orleans Museum of Art. The Muriel Bultman Francis Collection, 86.284 Credit: c/o The Dali
An upcoming Dali museum exhibit explores the idea of dreams and how they have been depicted throughout time.

“The Shape of Dreams” opens Nov. 25 and runs through April 30, 2022 inside the Dalí located at 1 Dalí Blvd. in St. Petersburg.

The exhibit explores 500 years of paintings from the 16th-20th century, with a selection by artists including Paul Delvaux, Pat Steir, Philip Guston, Max Beckmann, Odilon Redon and Lodovico Carracci.

Museum guests will see how artists through time have depicted the enigmatic state of awareness and unknown that comes with dreaming.

“The Shape of Dreams is a powerful exploration through painting of how we understand ourselves and the world,” said Dalí Museum Director Hank Hine. “Are dreams useful? Are they prophetic? Do they tell us things about ourselves that we did not know?”

The exhibit will be accompanied by a full-color catalog “The Shape of Dreams: Five Centuries of Painted Dreams from the Divine, Mythology & the Mind,” which features an expanded selection of dream-inspired pieces by renowned artists.

Also on view at The Dali this fall will be “Paul Éluard: Poetry, Politics, Love,” Sept. 3-Jan. 8, exploring the works of one of the most celebrated surrealist poets.

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This article appears in Sep 15-21, 2022.