Norton Museum of Art to exhibit surrealist artwork by students

High school students will be featured in a new exhibition on surrealism at the Norton Museum of Art early next year.

The Norton celebrates 100 years of surrealism with the student art exhibition “DREAMLAND: The Intriguing World of the Subconscious.” Palm Beach County art teachers can submit their students’ artwork for inclusion in the exhibit, which runs from January 17 to May 17, 2025 at the Chris and Bernard Marden Community Gallery.

Teachers can submit up to five student artworks for consideration. Fifty pieces will be selected by Norton staff for display at the Marden Community Gallery. All media, including video, are accepted.

Surrealism is an art and literary movement from the 20th century^e Century exploring dreams and the subconscious. It emphasizes the unconventional and imaginary, often portraying dreamlike environments and impossible juxtapositions.

Norton School and Teacher Programs Coordinator Valia Manolis stated, “Surrealism’s commitment to the liberation of the mind and the liberation of artistic impression makes it a perfect theme for a student exhibition.”

With Surrealism as its theme, Manolis hopes “this exhibition will enable students to express themselves through artistic paths and remind them that the Norton offers a carefully curated gallery dedicated to welcoming and highlighting their creativity, dreams and ambitions …”

Director of School and Teacher Programs Meredith Gregory emphasized the importance of participating in the exhibition, describing it as “a big step for your art career and your resume.”

A Jupiter Community High School senior felt the impact of the exhibit opportunities for Norton students.

“It made me feel more comfortable and confident in sharing my artwork,” said Eric Ubarana. He described the experience of exhibiting in the 2023-2024 Norton student exhibition, “Nature Unseen,” as “surreal” and “fulfilling.”

Students selected for the exhibition will receive hands-on experience with the exhibition process. Gregory stated, “Students are required to write artist statements, work with the curator to provide installation specifications for their artwork, and speak to the public at the exhibition’s opening reception.”

Just as submitting art is important to students, receiving and exhibiting student art is also important to the Norton. Manolis described it as “an exciting moment for the Norton staff as it translates into the recognition that our programs are engaging the minds and hearts of students….”

The Norton judges submitted artworks based on four main categories: beauty in art, technical skill, concept and impact, and presentation and theme. The rubric is provided to teachers to help them select the best work from their students.

To help students with their submissions, the Norton has provided a list of ideas and techniques that students can use to create surreal art. This included assemblage, decalcomania, bulletism, éclaboussure, collage and the exquisite corpse technique.

Norton Chief Officer of Learning and Community Engagement Glenn Tomlinson outlined definitions of surrealism, background information on the movement and prominent surrealist artists and mediums in a PowerPoint presentation.

Manolis advised student artists to “stay loyal to their truth, embrace their past experiences and let them guide their inspiration and shape their identity.”

There are several surrealist works of art at the Norton, including ‘Small Sculpture of a Dream’ by Jean Arp, ‘Chess Set’ by Man Ray, ‘Le Dejeuner sur l’herbe’ by Pablo Picasso and ‘New York Mural’ by Stuart Davis. Gregory wants students to know they have a place among these remarkable artists, saying, “Students have value and are just as important as any other artist featured at the Norton.”

“DREAMLAND: The Intriguing World of the Subconscious” offers students the opportunity to express themselves and their creativity. Summarizing why student expression is important, Ubarana said, “Student artists are the future artists of the world.”

The story was originally published by Caplin News, a publication of FIU’s Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media, as part of an editorial content partnership with the WLRN newsroom.