René Magritte was a master of the unexpected. With his surrealist vision, he took everyday objects—doors, windows, clouds—and made them portals to the extraordinary. His works invite us to question reality and see the world not as it is, but as it could be.
This fascination with the surreal is currently on full display at the Art Gallery of NSW’s Magritte exhibition, running until February 9, 2025. Featuring over 100 works, the exhibition is a chance to immerse yourself in Magritte’s world of contradictions, mysteries, and wonder.
One of Magritte’s recurring motifs, the door, is particularly compelling. In his hands, a door isn’t just a way in or out—it’s a mystery. What lies beyond it? Something ordinary, or something impossible?
This brings me to this month’s creative exercise: Imagine your own Magritte-inspired door.
The prompt
Picture a door—any door. It could be the creaky one at the end of your hallway, a grand entrance with gilded handles, or a simple wooden gate in a forgotten garden. Now, ask yourself:
What lies behind it?
Is it a place, a memory, or a feeling?
Does it open to a surreal landscape—floating mountains, endless skies, or a room filled with clocks that only tick backward?
Describe not just what you see, but how it feels to stand there. Is the door locked? Does opening it change something about you?
A twist of the surreal
To channel Magritte’s spirit, play with contradictions.
Is your door in the middle of a lake?
Does it lead to somewhere vast, but shrink you to the size of a pebble?
Is the door itself alive, breathing as you approach?
Reflect
Once you’ve written your piece, reflect on what your imagined door says about you. Is it a portal to escape, explore, or confront?
Magritte believed in blurring the line between the real and the unreal. With this prompt—and perhaps a visit to the Art Gallery of NSW if you’re close by—you have the chance to step into his world and create a new one of your own. So, what’s behind your door?
x Victoria
About Victoria Hall
Victoria Hall is an English-born, Australian-based writer, artist and illustrator. She is the creator of three picture books for children, Penny Prickles at Coogee Beach, Eggy Peggy Has Lost Her Leggy and The Fairy Beasts.
Victoria has studied Fine Art and Illustration at Curtin University and Sydney University, as well as Business at The University of West London.
For more updates on Victoria’s creative projects, follow her on Instagram or check out her bio here.
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