Gualtiero Passani’s surrealism cannot be collocated in a particular period of his life. Already towards the end of the 1950’s we see signs of this sensibility, expressed in different forms, that later became a constant feature of his painting. As an artist who typically depicted his world with an inward eye, the imagery of dreams has always been an integral element of his work, in which his subjects appear not as generally recognizable to the outside world but as transmogrified by his imagination. The worker becomes fused with the elements and tools needed to carry out his work. Every manufactured item is given its own autonomy, its own raison d’etre. At the same time, every activity, however implausible, is imbued with a role and purpose.

Pointless dream-generated actions become meaningful. Dreams disregard time and hierarchy. A scarecrow becomes a machine. A machine lifts a hat; another creates happiness. Things that are apparently useless acquire depth and credibility in the dream world. The violinist in love recreates himself in his instrument; the model becomes one with the fabric of her dress; the photographer’s head encases and merges with the camera. The prostitute attracts clients with a teasing pose; the madman screams his distress to the moon, while the secret desires of priests and nuns are laid bare. Every scenario is reinvented, reworked, and reinterpreted without preconception or censorship; with complete imaginative freedom, contextualized in its entirety: past, present, and future.

This ironic vision suggests that nothing should be taken seriously or considered immutable.  Who, in real life, would take seriously a large woman walking a tightrope; or an animal trainer claiming to give commands with a wand? Only the dream allows for this kind of evocation; allowing one to take flight, to conquer dragons and, why not, to win over women who might otherwise be unattainable. In his studio where he cut himself off from the rest of the world, Gualtiero Passani was able to take flight, even if the windows to his studio were closed – obstructed by canvases, board and paper. His boundless imagination, nourished by a cultivated mind, was able to roam the universe, in search of whatever might stimulate his sophisticated, curious imagination. He was able to mock everything, even the tragedies of life and death.