Part One: The Surrealists Were Even Cooler Than You Thought

Surrealists and Camouflage in World War I

During World War I, the use of camouflage in warfare was influenced by the surrealists. They introduced bold lines that disrupted the eye and experimented with different ways of seeing the world. One notable example is dazzle camouflage, which used bright, bold lines to confuse enemy perception of the ship's size, speed, and direction. Surrealists like Roland Penrose, a Quaker, played a significant role in camouflage during World War II. Penrose, who established the English surrealist movement, ran a civilian camouflage unit in 1939 and later became a captain in the Royal Engineers. He taught camouflage techniques and emphasized the need to hide and deceive the enemy, rather than relying on intimidation. Penrose's partner, Lee Miller, a photographer and war correspondent, documented important events such as the liberation of Paris and the horrors of concentration camps. The contribution of these surrealists in the field of camouflage reflects their ability to disrupt perception and challenge conventional norms.