57. Sex, Surrealism, Dali, and Me

Sex, Surrealism, Dali, & Me. Carlos Lozano. 2000.

Why yes, it is yet another memoir, but since I was headed to Figueres, Spain, to visit the Salvador Dali Theatre-Museum, I just couldn't turn away when I saw this book referenced in some material about Dali. It is the memoir of Dali's muse, Carlos Lozano, as told to the author, Cliff Thorlow. I actually loved the third-party author because it allowed for some reflection and detail that can only come from third-party story-telling. Dali was a strange, strange person and this memoir only added to the intrigue. I have so very many questions following the reading of this book, questions that will never be answered because Dali was born in such a different era and apparently the only ever sought psychoanalysis by Freud. I had no idea how many trans-women and gender non-conforming folks he consorted with, nor about the complexity of his marriage, nor the extremely odd sexual dalliances he engaged in. I was also fascinated to learn that he never drank or did drugs, was obsessed with vitamins, and needed a constant stream of new people to entertain him. There are dozens of other interesting quirks I had no idea about, despite his being my favorite artist my whole life for no apparent reason. I'll spare you all the details here, but I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this one and would love to talk to folks who have read it about their take on gender and sexuality in the book.

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