Le Déjeuner en fourrure

Le Dejeuner en fourure was a monumental step by the means of introducing surrealism into the sculpture realm. The sculpture portrays classic surrealism as it puts two unrelated materials together to form a depiction in which we as a viewer would not haver otherwise imagined. Le Dejeuner en fourure was constructed by Meret Oppenheim in 1936 as the result of a conversation in a cafe. 

The conversation she had was actually with Pablo Picasso in which they discussed the versatility of the use of fur. It is interpreted as an artistic pun that includes the domesticity of the tea cup and saucer as well as the "eroticism" of the fur.It also plays on the psychological battle of the pleasures of tea time and the repulses of having hair in one's mouth. However I like to think that the fur represents a contradictory of the tame life of "tea sipping" to the wilderness and ruggedness the fur references. My interpretation may be flawed due to the fine Chinese gazelle fur used, but my contradiction theory is what lead me to use this piece. This in a way exemplifies her and the surrealist's purpose, to challenge the viewer to interpret work that has no apparent set interpretation.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Déjeuner_en_fourrure

http://theenlightenedphilistine.tumblr.com/post/19313700285/meret-oppenheim-le-dejeuner-en-fourrure-fur

http://suite101.com/article/meret-oppenheim-and-breakfast-in-fur---surrealism-for-breakfast-a232057#.UWI9why5Z7Q