Currently exhibiting at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London is a collection that explores twisted art stemming from a world gripped by the First World War. It wasn’t until the 1930’s that surrealism began to seep into the commercial world; this era is celebrated in Surreal Things: Surrealism and Design.

This was more than art; it was a community of people stepping outside of the constraints of accepted normality. This is never more obvious than in the work of Salvador Dali. His work with Edward James includes a curious lobster telephone. Dali purposefully aligned the genitals of the lobster with the mouthpiece of the telephone. This works as a sarcastic two fingers in the direction of those conforming to the system. This piece is displayed among other objects designed by the duo. However, being behind glass you will not be expected to entertain the lobster’s genitals in your mouth.

Herbert Bayer’s self portrait of 1932 uses trickery to make the viewer believe they are witnessing a rather gory and frankly impossible sight. As art director of Berlin’s Vogue, these were the first steps to linking these twisted images to the printed magazine. In the days before Photoshop, not to mention in a right wing, very conservative environment, a picture such as this would be as controversial as it was innovative.

In a similar vein, but taking the idea of human mutilation and deformity a step further, Hans Bellmer’s photographic work with dolls is very disturbing. In opposition of the Nazi ideal of perfect human form, Bellmer used dolls with interchangeable parts to create mutated female forms that spawned legs and genitals in all directions. His photography of such dolls in various odd and provocative positions encourages those viewing them to stare in disgusted ore.

For a lesson in suspense, one of the films on offer is Alfred Hitchcock’s Spellbound. The combination of Hitchcock’s skilled and measured pacing from behind the camera and a dream sequence designed by none other than Dali, (yet another collaboration) culminate in an unforgettable experience. This also serves as an obvious reminder of surrealisms move out of the avant-garde and into the mainstream when compared to Dali’s earlier film, Un Chien Andalou (a must see for any surrealist enthusiasts).

For a more interactive venture into the surreal, Frederick Kiesler’s tunnel of art is extraordinary to look at. As lights periodically illuminate the space, it comes as a shock when the viewer is suddenly plunged into darkness and given a fright as the sound of a train booms suddenly from behind. The sight of various people clutching their chests showed that this attack on the senses has lost none of its potency sixty-five years since it was created.

If you admire the world of the weird, this exhibition will show you the roots of its place in modern culture. You have until 22nd July to take advantage of Surreal Things: Surrealism and Design.