Bob Mankoff pays tribute to surrealists René Magritte and Salvador Dali -- "New Yorker"-cartoon-style

Magrittte's "Son of Man"

by Ken

In his e-newsletter/blogpost this week, "Ce n'est pas un newsletter," New Yorker cartoon editor pays tribute to the surrealists on the occasion of an exhibition of the work of René Magritte at the Museum of Modern Art.

There’s a René Magritte retrospective at MOMA called "The Mystery of the Ordinary," which covers the artist’'s work from 1926 to 1938, the golden era of surrealism, during which Magritte and Salvador Dalí helped establish that art form in the public mind. And, in the public's mind, at least as reflected in the mind of New Yorker cartoonists, that art form was anything but ordinary, and begged to be spoofed.

Not surprisingly, the work of both Magritte and Dali inspired New Yorker cartoonists, so naturally that's the form Bob's tribute takes. First he offers some eerie, or perhaps un-eerified, takes on Dali; then he turns to Magritte, starting with his famous "Son of Man" (see above).

Magritte’s work provides excellent grist for the cartoon mill because it's weird, and the weirdness is usually limited to just one incongruous element that can be manipulated, like the apple in front of the guy's face. The difference between the two art forms is how Magritte's work does not attempt to resolve the incongruities it creates but rather revels in them, while cartooning creates revelry by making sense of the incongruous.

Though he later offers pairings of Magritte paintings and New Yorker cartoons, which you'll have to check out for yourself, he starts by presenting a series of cartoons that play on "Son of Man."

"Same time tomorrow."

[Click to enlarge.]

"Sure I can't pop that in a bag for you, sir?"

#