Abstract
This dissertation explores the life and artistic career of Karin Jaroszynska (1934– 2014), an under-recognised yet prolific South African surrealist painter. It adopts a dual approach by combining biographical research with an iconographic analysis of her selected works. Jaroszynska's oeuvre is contextualised within psychoanalytic interpretations of surrealism, feminist theory, and the carnivalesque, drawing from concepts such as the abject and the grotesque. The research also aims to catalogue her artworks, laying the groundwork for further research and a more comprehensive catalogue raisonné. Additionally, the study delves into the personal and historical experiences that shaped Jaroszynska's themes, including her childhood during World War II, her relationship with animals, and her exploration of human alienation, performance, and identity.
Jaroszynska’s works are discussed through the lens of circularity, with motifs revisited and reinterpreted throughout her career. This analysis highlights her focus on dreamlike narratives, surrealist metaphysics, and her position as a female surrealist working within a male-dominated field. The dissertation fills a significant research gap by documenting and analysing Jaroszynska’s artistic contributions, offering new insights into her unique visual language and the socio-political contexts that influenced her art. This study is a vital step in recovering and re-evaluating the work of an artist whose contributions have been largely overlooked in art historical discourse, particularly in the South African and feminist surrealist contexts.