European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 24, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday january 24, 1989 the stars and stripes Page 3 surrealism s divine Dali Dies Figueras Spain a surrealist Painter Sal Vador Dali whose fantastic and memorable dream scapes were As eccentric and flamboyant As his be Havior died monday in his Hometown his doctor said. He was 84. Dali died at 10 15 . At Figueras Hospital said or. Charles Posati. The cause of death was cardiac arrest brought on by his respiratory insufficiency an pneumonia he told reporters. The Painter had been in poor health and confined to a wheelchair since suffering severe Burns in a electrical fire in his Home in August 1984. He was rushed to the Hospital five Days ago from his Home. Suffering from a bad heart Dali had been hospitalized three times since late november. A founder of the surrealist movement Dali born on May 11, 1904, in this Small catalonian town was the last of an outstanding generation of Spanish painters that included Pablo Picasso and Joan Miro. His persistence of memory with its melting clocks and Barren landscape is perhaps the world s most celebrated surrealist painting a vivid image that became an indelible part of 20th Century culture. The divine Dali As he liked to Call himself also was instantly recognizable his pointed waxed mus tache Curling up like a Bull s horns his Long hair falling Over his neck and one of his More than 30 walking Sticks draped Over an . What Dali called his Sublime craziness began Early he was expelled from Art school in 1926 for arrogance and briefly jailed for catalonian separatist political activities. He said later the Only differ ence Between a crazy person and me is the fact that Iam not  few critics faulted Dali s technical virtuosity Al though his work was not held in the highest esteem. But he was overwhelmingly popular in 1979 and 1980, a major retrospective 168 paintings 219 drawings 38 objects and 2,000 documents Drew More than a million visitors in Paris. The exhibit later moved to London where it was seen by 250,000people. To most critics Dali was a flawed Talent some times managing to ably balance realistic technique and irrational Content but All too often caught up in his own role As a poseur Painter. He completed most of his critically successful works before he was 35. In addition to being a Painter Dali was a Decora Tor a fashion and jewelry designer and an author of poetry prose and essays. He designed the scenery and costumes for two ballets and collaborated on two surrealist films. After being kicked out of the school of Fine arts in Madrid Dali went to Paris and quickly became involved in the surrealist movement. Its founder French author Andre Breton said of him during three or four years Dali was the living example of the surrealist spirit and he made it Shine in All its  the surrealists strove to locate the real world in the realm of the unconscious and dreams removing it from its Shell of supposed  Salvador Dali appears proud of his celebrated Mustachio in this 1974 photo taken at a new York hotel. A file Dali made his Mark As co producer with fellow spaniard Luis Bunuel of the 1929 Short film in Chien Indalou an andalusian dog whose style and visual violence set a new Standard in Avant Gard Cinema. But Dali s exhibitionism and egocentrism provoked the Wrath of his Fellows when he claimed that surrealism is  at the end of the 1936-39 Span ish civil War he was drummed out of the movement As a phony and a pro Franco  Dali made no secret of his support for the 36-year regime of Francisco Franco. Franco awarded him Spain s highest civilian Honor the Cross of Isabel the Catholic. With a loan from Picasso Dali made his first trip to the United states in 1934 with gala the russian born woman who became his faithful companion Muse and the Touchstone of his personality and life. Gala Dimitrova Dia Haroff met Dali in 1929 when she and her husband French surrealist poet Paul Eluard visited the Painter at his Seaside Home in port Ligat near cad ques on Spain s northeastern Costa brava. At Dali s request she never left. They were married in 1958, six years after Eluard s death. They had no children Dali said geniuses always produced mediocre children. Dali said gala was the woman who always inspired me. I polished gala to make her Shine Mak ing her As Happy As possible and i care for her Ever better than for myself since without her everything would be  gala died june 10, 1982, and was buried on the grounds of Publ Castle in the Village of la Pera 40 Miles South of Figueras. After her death the Painter said he chose to remain inside the Castle. Two years later a mysterious electrical fire broke out while Dali slept sending the Painter to the Hospi Tal and bringing to Public attention what Many termed his near imprisonment by three close associates. A. Reynolds Morse founder of the Salvador Dali museum in St. Petersburg fla., and a longtime acquaintance of the Painter said at the time the three had refused him Entrance to the Castle. After recovering from his injuries Dali moved into the Galatea Tower attached to his theater museum in Figueras and remained there confined to a wheelchair and fed through a tube in his nose. The theater museum was founded in 1974 with works from his private collection. The museum holds some 100 pieces by the Painter. Files a Gus Schuettler the sacrament of the last supper a Large Dali paint ing is seen on display in 1956. At right the artist clowns it up while posing with his wife gala in 1962