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Marcel Duchamp, Surrealist Exhibitions and the Restless Place

The distinctive feature of the exhibition, to the catalogue of which this chapter contributes, was to explore the intersections between Surrealism and architecture for the first time on this scale (where previous publications such as Anthony Vidler, 'The Architectural Uncanny' (1994) or Tomas Mical, ed. 'Surrealism and Architecture' (2005) had only dealt with select aspects of the topic, or exhibitions like V&A ‘Surreal Things’ (2007) had subsumed architecture within design – Fijalkowski had contributed to these last two outcomes). The project also argued for links between historical and contemporary practice in a show that was widely reviewed and well received by audiences.

The essay formed part of the major Barbican Gallery exhibition ‘Surreal House’ (2010), for which Fijalkowski was credited as exhibition advisor. Fijalkowski also contributed 6 shorter (200-500 word) catalogue entries, text panels and booklet texts relating to specific works in the show. A further contribution was a paper delivered during the Barbican’s exhibition study day extending aspects of the exhibition’s focus. Fijalkowski was invited at an early stage to offer advice to the curator Jane Alison on the selection and location of works.