Walking through the subway, everyone seems to stare. The endless catacombs contain eerily similar faces in the same monotonous brown coats. With distorted vision, the ceilings appear to lower and an uneasiness settles in. The once ordinary, white ceramic-tiled walls now feel like an unnatural captivity. This anxiety-filled scene, from George Tooker’s The Subway, is one of many pieces on display at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art’s (MMoCA)exhibition Real/Surreal.

When one of the most renowned art museums in the United States, such as the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City, decides to relocate, it’s conventional to send pieces as traveling exhibits rather than be put in storage. Through a series of personal connections between MMoCA curator Richard Axsom and Whitney Museum Director Adam Weinberg, Real/Surreal traveled to Madison, making it one of the most important exhibitions in the Midwest this year. From Jan. 25 to April 27, the exhibit will be available to see, free of charge, in MMoCA’s second floor gallery.

Richard Axsom said that “Real/Surreal focuses on the tension and connections between two powerful currents in 20th Century art: Realism and Surrealism.”  Often seen as contrasting forms of art, Realism refers to the attempt to depict accurately what is seen, while Surrealism gives the liberty of altering paintings through the subconscious and imagination. When combined, each piece seems odd yet believable in its own way.

Following the psychological trends of Sigmund Freud in the early 1920s, Surrealism originated in Paris and quickly jumped the Atlantic. Freud’s theories were paramount in the development of Surrealism, visualizing the subconscious, ego, and aggressive nature of humans. Incongruous events, multiple perspectives or an absence of human presence all work to create, as Axsom calls them, “postcards of our dreams.” Edward Hopper and Andrew Wyeth – prominent American artists of the 20th century – feature multiple pieces, demonstrating the magnitude of this opportunity. The gallery itself is designed uniquely with sporadic partitions, creating a non-directional flow and a surreal dimension to the room.

In addition to Real/Surreal, MMoCA will be presenting The Mystery Beneath on the first floor gallery, featuring the expressive style of Magic Realism.  Rising during the same time in Europe, Magic Realism presents the outer world with strangeness. Drawn from MMoCA’s permanent collection, the exhibition includes art from Aaron Bohrod, John Wilde and others, showing the development of Surrealism and Magic Realism in Wisconsin throughout the 20th century.

To offer further information about the exhibitions, MMoCA will be holding numerous events. On Feb. 20 from 12:30-1:15 p.m. Curator Richard Axsom will discuss two pieces, Edward Hopper’s Cape Cod Sunset and Andrew Wyeth’s Winter Fields, in depth. To pay tribute to Surrealism, March 7, 6-9 p.m., a MMoCA Nights event will involve a gallery talk at 6:30 by Michael Jay McCLure and a poetry reading by the Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets from 7:30-8:15 p.m.

Real/Surreal is a significant opportunity for any art-lover. The expansive collection draws one into a deeper level of consciousness, questioning what the paintings say about society and ourselves. Seeing the meticulous detail and creativity, in person, feels surreal itself. Visit Real/Surreal and The Mystery Beneath to distort your reality and realize – life isn’t as normal as you think.

Madison Museum of Contemporary Art

227 State St.

Real/Surreal paired with The Mystery Beneath

Gallery open Tuesday-Thursday (noon-5 pm); Friday (Noon-8 p.m.); Saturday (10 a.m.-8 p.m.); and Sunday (noon-5 p.m.)