Unica Zürn

Orakel Und Spektakel

(1960 unpublished illustrated manuscript)

Unica Zürn (1916–1970) was a German author and painter as well as the partner and model of the surrealist, Hans Bellmer. She is remembered for her works of anagram poetry and exhibitions of automatic drawing. Automatic drawing (distinguished from drawn expression of mediums) was developed by the surrealists as a means of expressing the subconscious. In automatic drawing, the hand is allowed to move randomly across the paper. In applying chance and accident to mark-making, drawing is to a large extent freed of rational control. Therefore, the drawing produced may be attributed in part to the subconscious and may reveal something of the psyche which would otherwise be repressed. Examples of automatic drawing were produced by mediums and practitioners of the psychic arts. It was thought by some spiritualists to be a spirit control that was producing the drawing while physically taking control of the medium's body.