William Bennett Gallery - Dennis Sheehan

Join us for the Opening Reception
of our newest exhibition featuring
more than 100 rare surreal works
spanning the prolific career of
Salvador Dalí.

Thursday, June 26th
6PM - 9PM
RSVP to Julia Massaro via email at
jmassaro@williambennettgallery.com
or via telephone at 212-965-8707

We are honored to announce that Mr. Frank Hunter, Director of the Salvador Dali Archives, will be giving a 15-20 minute personal tour of the William Bennett Gallery collection during the Salvador Dali 100 Rare Works opening reception. Mr. Hunter is a world renowned scholar of Salvador Dali artwork and assumed the role of Director of the Salvador Dali Archives upon the untimely passing of its founder and longtime Dali archivist, Mr. Albert Field.

Mr. Hunter’s 35 years of expertise has made him the preeminent authority on Salvador Dali artwork, frequently working with the Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres, Spain, as well as with the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Fl.

The opening reception begins Thursday, June 26th at 6 pm. Mr. Hunter will be speaking from approximately 6:30 – 6:45. If you would like to hear his talk please plan on arriving by then. Mr. Hunter will also be available for questions and interviews following his tour and throughout the evening.

Sable Mouvant (1966)
Published by Louis Broder, Picasso illustrated these etching and aquatints as homage to the fascinating poem by Pierre Reverdy. Sable Mouvant (quicksand) is set in the desert and relates to a number of psychological struggles and hallucinations. The works by Picasso elegantly depict Reverdy’s intentions and remove the viewer from reality to expose the inner turmoil of a helpless man and his surroundings. Examples of this suite can be found in the Picasso Museum, Barcelona.

Le Cocu Magnifique (1966)
Le Cocu Magnifique (The Splendid Cuckold) is an illustration of the 1921 play by Belgian playwright and friend of Picasso, Fernand Crommelynck. The title refers to the cuckoo bird female who commonly lays her eggs in other nests and the play revolves around the tribulations of love and adultery. These works divulge in Picasso’s use of erotic sequences; making use of his dramatic line and mastery of aquatint. Consistent with many works in his later years, we often see reflections of an autobiographical quality within the suite.