T he Spanish artist Rossy de Palma is the quintessential embodiment of Surrealism. Flamboyant, audacious, unconventional and humorous, her performances are imbued with a poetic sense of the absurd that extends across her multidisciplinary practice. This season, she is the guest curator of Sotheby’s Surrealism and Its Legacy auction in Paris on October 24, 2025.
De Palma, 61, also channeled ideas from Surrealism when she graced the cover of Harper’s Bazaar España. She was photographed with a white dove masking half her face – a nod to René Magritte’s La magie noire. This iconic painting features in the upcoming Sotheby’s sale, an auction that inspired a poem from de Palma:
She was naked and blue half in heaven half on earth stone wood and venus nest
She had no eyes to see but the white dove whispered in her ear that behind her was the sea
Rossy de Palma
What do you find fascinating about Surrealism?
I guess my fascination with Surrealism likely stems from its ability to challenge reality, explore the subconscious and create unconventional narratives. As an artist who values creativity and self-expression, I may be drawn to Surrealism's innovative fantasy and somewhat absurd sense of humor.
How do you connect with some of its ideas on a personal level?
I don’t even try – that’s the point! You have to let surreal ideas come to you in an accidental way. For me, this is the purest surreal mode, just being permeable. A very nondescript or domestic object can become a surreal piece if you look at the object and are ready for it to surprise you by asking it to reveal itself from a surreal angle.
“A very nondescript or domestic object can become a surreal piece if you look at the object and are ready for it to surprise you.”
Rossy de Palma
How has Surrealism inspired you?
First, I fell in love with the drawings and poetry of Dadaism that I found full of freedom, playful and funny. Then the connection to Surrealism became multifaceted and obvious, reflecting in my artistic collaborations, my personal style and my creative expression.
How do you feel looking at La magie noire by Magritte? What does it make you think about?
My interpretation of this wonderful painting is very existentialist because the black magic in this case is more blue magic (the color of sadness). We see that on the horizon the sea and sky merge, and that the woman is half earthly and half heavenly or ethereal – heaven and earth, body and soul. She’s accompanied by a white dove, which is her spirit.
Which other Surrealist artworks in Sotheby’s upcoming sale do you find inspiring?
All of them, without exception, seem inspiring to me. But if I had to bid for my favorites, they would be these, in order of preference: Amour et désamour by Wifredo Lam, La lecture by Man Ray, Les démons de la nuit by Paul Delvaux, La magie noire by René Magritte, Swirling Sea Necklace by Salvador Dalí and La rose (Femme à la rose) by Delvaux.