irrealistici

Irrealistici is an Italian critical term used to describe artistic practices that foreground unreality or irrationality in contrast to conventional realism. The word, derived from irrealismo, translates roughly as “unrealist” or “irrational.” It is not the name of a single, codified movement but a label applied across media to indicate a shared approach: works in which perception of reality is destabilized, often by dreamlike or uncanny elements.

In literature, irrealistici works may employ dream logic, non-linear narratives, abrupt shifts in perspective, and surreal imagery that resists stable interpretation. The aim is not to imitate dreams as content but to reveal underlying tensions between perception, memory, language, and desire.

In the visual arts and cinema, the term covers scenes or sequences characterized by illogical juxtapositions, altered spaces, or fantastical motifs set in otherwise ordinary contexts. The effect is to provoke surprise, ambiguity, or disorientation, prompting readers or viewers to question the criteria by which reality is judged.

Relation to other movements: While related to Surrealism, Magical Realism, or Fantastical literature, irrealistici is typically less a manifesto than a descriptive label. Critics may use it to discuss works that share a common interest in destabilizing realism without subscribing to a single orthodoxy. The usage varies across scholars and periods, and there is no universally accepted canon.

See also: Surrealism, Magical Realism, Fantastic literature.