Exquisite Corpse: Surrealism and the Black Dahlia Murder

by Mark Nelson, Sarah Hudson Bayliss

Presenting the most compelling explanation yet for the bizarre nature of the Black Dahlia murder, this volume includes never-before published crime-scene photographs and links the alleged killer to a vast array of influential people.

Genres: True Crime, Art, Nonfiction, History, Crime, Death, Art History

192 pages, Hardcover

First published September 18, 2006

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[?0?0?0 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was interested in "Exquisite Corpse" because of my love for Ernst and Duchamp and a passing interest in Man Ray and the whole surrealist circle of friends who also made, mostly, fascinating art. However, in this book, we are focused on the surrealists move to L.A. (New York for Duchamp) and a friendship with one George Hodel who, judging by the circumstantial evidence presented here, committed the infamous Black Dahlia murder. And while some of the connections our authors present us may either be laughable or reaching, a good portion of the theories presented here seem likely. And anyone who shares a love for Duchamp's Etant donne will get a kick out of the connections between it and the crime scene. Throughout this book we are shown enough gorgeous art to give this slim book more value, for once it ends it feels as if the writer just decided, we've got most of it covered so let's end here--however, where this book ends, there are still numerous questions swirling through the reader's head and other avenues that could have been traversed and others that could've been seen with more insights, but for the most part this is a pleasing read save the crime itself and the photographs of the corpse. A must read for anyone interested in the surrealist movement, the Black Dahlia murders, the corrupt law enforcement in California around the 1940's - 50's, or for those interested in narratives that present the "perfect crime".

[Doug · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a piece of research, this book is very good. It has completely convinced me, through some of the most disturbing photographs I have ever seen, that the Black Dahlia murder was almost certainly some twisted surrealistic artistic expression, of a kind not normally associated with modern psychopathology. There are rich connections and inferences to be made here, in terms of how responsible an art movement is/should be for the corruption and encouragement of sick minds, who, absent from artistic influences, would seem simply pathological and need of medical help.

As non-fiction, I think this book works less well. The writing is a little dry, and the relatively few actual tentpole points that the authors wish to make are needless reiterated from multiple confusing angles. There is also very little sense of 'thrust' of the book overall; the sections and chapters do not appear to be organized in any particular way, and the thing sort of ends out of nowhere. Perhaps the book should be thought of as a work of art itself, a collage of 'research expressions' intended to evoke in the reader a sense of logical conclusion, somehow.

[Thomas Hardy · Rating 2 out of 5]

My girlfriend’s dad recommended this to me and I wish he hadn’t

[Meg · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I usually DETEST the inclusion of the crime scene and autopsy photographs of Elizabeth Short in books, the reason they are included in this book is necessary. Exquisite Corpse builds from the belief that Dr. George Hodel was the man who murdered Beth, and compares Beth's death with a lot of famous surrealist art of the time, an art form which Mr. Hodel was obsessed with, and which often focused on the broken bodies of women. The comparisons in this book are astounding. I would recommend this for all those interested in Beth's death, and all those interested in surrealist art. But take Hodel and his claim with a grain of salt. The comparisons are fascinating, but Hodel's claim about his father doesn't hold water.

[Andy Paciorek · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an intriguing book. I was drawn to it both by recent reading of topics relating to dark Los Angeles and also by my vocational interest in art. The Black Dahlia murder remains a beguiling and disturbing enigma and come the end of this book I still don't know whether George Hodel is the most likely suspect. He's certainly a contender and seemingly was a very disturbing man. The premise of the book though is the possible association of works from the surrealist art movement and the vicious slaying of Elizabeth Short. Though some proposed links in the book may possibly be a reach it does highlight the rather disturbing recurring motif by various artists of the movement in depicting dissected women's bodies. The positioning of Elizabeth Short's body (which is shown in the book in some rather grisly photographs) does indeed seem like it was intended as 'art'. The apt juxtaposition with certain surrealist artworks does provide food for thought.The association drawn especially to Duchamp's 'Etant Donnes' is quite chilling as I already found that work rather unsettling - all the more so now.
I was aware previously of Hodel's friendship with Man Ray and of Ray's fascination with the Marquis de Sade - it makes you wonder. 🤔
This isn't a first-stop book for someone unfamiliar with the Black Dahlia case and wanting to know more specifically about it and the victim as very little here is revealed about Elizabeth Short and she remains a tragic mystery; but for anyone seeking to explore further speculation on the case or are interested in a very offbeat art book I recommend this and I think it will remain in my headspace and under my skin for a while after closing the final pages.

[Francesco Tenaglia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and curious at times, the arguments lose strength when they don't tie the murder to recurrent subjects in surrealism "formally", but look for a direct connection to Holden instead: there are sharp drops in cohesion and lacks stringent arguments. Still an interesting read.

[lisa_emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly, I never really knew much about the Black Dahlia murder until I read the review of this book in late Sept. I became fascinated by the book, since I had studied Surrealism, with many different angles, as an art history student. This connection of surrealism to a murder was a radically strange approach for me.

It is irrelevant whether or not they solve the murder by the end of this book.
I appreciated the analysis connecting the Short's sadly fragmented body with the often grotesque female body depicted by surrealist artists. Nelson & Bayliss do a pretty good job of discussing this horrific crime without dipping into crass sensationalism (which would have been easy to do with all the Black Dahlia interest now- with the movie et all.). The writers stay focused in presenting coherent and cogent art evidence to back up their claim. They discussed art works that are not very known, showing the depth of their research. The chapter on the art world connections with Hollywood insiders could be a book in of itself.

[Eva Celeste · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read and an impulse sale purchase. "Exquisite Corpse" refers to a game played by artists involved in the Surrealist movement of the early 20th century. This book is primarily an exploration of several of the major players in that movement and the themes of sadism and violence against women that were pervasive in work by many artists and in fact seem to have been a uniting theme across the decades. The theory presented within the book is that a physician, George Hodel, who was a close acquaintance of many of the surrealists living in LA in the 1940's (as well as being a fan of the Marquis de Sade and a sex offender), is the actual perpetrator of the infamous Black Dahlia murder. He was considered a suspect by LAPD at the time, and his son, Steve Hodel, has written a book in which he purports to reveal his father as the murderer. The authors take pains to distance themselves from all of the accusations in the son's book while still using him and his family as a source of material.

The examination of the work of the surrealists was fascinating and disturbing and posed many philosophical questions about the nture of art that were beyond the scope of this book, although I still wish the authors had made them more explicit. The reproduction of seminal pieces by Man Ray and Marcel Duchamp made this worth having in hard cover. However, there are graphic crime scene and autopsy photos included (for the purposes of comparison to the artwork discussed), and many may find those grisly and disturbing. However, the book is more about the art than it is about the murder, and while their suggestion that Hodel may have been the murderer is intriguing, it certainly comes nowhere near presenting proof of that assertion.

An interesting if macabre intellectual experience. Not your typical true crime ook, to say the least.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book from my boyfriends mom for christmas. She kind of apologized when she handed it to me and then referred to all of the 30s and 40s crime photo books on my Amazon wish list. hmm awkward. Then I couldnt really read it there because it is full of naked corpse photos and it was you know....christmas. But I REALLY REALLY wanted to.

I thought it was pretty rad. She gave me a half dozen books for christmas and this was definatley the one that I had the most curiosity about. At my first chance I sad down and devoured it.

It touches on how the surrealists were personally connected and how one of the prime black dahlia murder supspects is linked to them. An art history lesson from the perspective of an unsolved murder.

It is a pretty grueling crime. She was BISECTED drained of blood and then her corpse was posed. Pearhaps to look like a surrealist piece of art. The photos are compelling evidence, and the author says they use the least disturbing crime photos.

The connection to the surrealists both as an inspriation for the murder and then an inspiration to later surrealist pieces is interesting.

I read it through in a day and I really enjoyed it.

Also it reminded me of Hans Bellmer and his creepy dolls that I saw at a Surrealist exhibit at the met. That is a good thing.

[CD · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was truly an impulse purchase. I've re-read the book since my first run through and still found it a worthy endeavor.

Putting it down until it was finished the first time didn’t seem like much of an option. Crime story meets lurid noir journalism meets esoteric art history of a period that combines to a guilty pleasure worth more than most attempts at this genre.

Having read also Steve Hodel’s “Black Dahlia Avenger” prior to this book this was the next chapter.

Exquisite Corpse provides the bookend at the other end of the literary/visual spectrum being richly illustrated with a surfeit of gruesomely surreal photographs. All the biggies in Surrealism make this book. I was surprised at how much about Duchamp I had forgotten or didn’t know.

If you are a "True Crime" fan, an art and or Surrealism aficionado, or are looking for a compelling well crafted read, this is it!

[Iris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I admit it. I haven't read all of this book. . But I plan to. I also admit, I should stop feeding my darker impulses, and the darker impulses of society, particularly those that glamorize violence against women.

This book draws a parallel that law enforcement tried and failed to: the Black Dahlia killer could have, and likely was, making an "artistic" statement, drawing on surrealist and modernist works that came before. Complete with full-color photos of paintings and film stills, parallel with matching angles of the crime scene, the book makes a convincing case. Good for anyone with an interest in art, death, crime, or other such nonsense.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really only makes sense if you've read Hodel's Black Dahlia Avenger. It is NOT a detailed exposition of Hodel's evidence, but rather a focus on the surrealist connections on which Hodel focuses in his own book. I wouldn't start with this book, but would definitely recommend it if you were intrigued by Hodel's book.

[Betsy Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow shows the photos of Miss Short's murdered and butchered body ! But I can see how her body placement is like those of the Avante garde surrealism . Especially those of Man Ray's and Duchamp art work until William Copley who artwork is dead on like how her body was posed - makes you wonder . So its a good quick read but if weak in the stomach don't .

[Nick Mather]

Interesting book. The authors make the case that the Black Dahlia murder was actually someting like surrealist performance art. The argument seems strong, though in a few instances it felt like they were reaching too far to make a connection. Nevertheless, a fascinating, albeit disturbing read.

[fletcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of a book on surrealist art (in particular the L.A. scene in the late 1940's) that also mentions the black dahlia. Pointed out some very striking shared motifs between major Man Ray Duchamp Dali et al. pieces and the crime scene

[Lance Grabmiller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Primarily, this book is a true crime work about the Black Dahlia murder. On that point, it is pretty much a failure, chalking up endless pages of circumstantial evidence, poorly organized and almost entirely dependent on someone else's books (Steve Hodel's "Black Dahlia Avenger"). On the other hand, the art history/criticism side, it's pretty damn fascinating. Focusing the themes, ideas and history of Surrealism through the the odd and singular prism of Elizabeth Short's murder and dismemberment makes for a fascinating cultural commentary.

[PlebbyMcPleb]

Marking as read but actually put it down at about a hundred pages in. My skepticism began with the author calling Dadaism a “reactionary” movement in a way I assume he meant “revolutionary” or “incendiary,” but whatever, ig being anti-war can be reactionary if you want to go back past the age of empire to the void before creation. Only after a hundred or so pages of artworks being compared to the Black Dahlia crime scene mostly because of the former’s distorted female forms did it occur to me to look up the Hodel book this one is responding to and realize that both are sus.

[Colin · Rating 3 out of 5]

An intriguing blend of art history and true crime that hinges on the idea that the Black Dahlia murder and Elizabeth Short’s body was positioned deliberately as a sort of macabre art piece in the surrealist movement. Provocative images not only of the crime scene, but of the art work that, frankly, does have some dreadful similarities to the Dahlia. It misses the mark at the end when it just…ends. The ideas and connections are fantastic, it just reads like they published it before the last twenty pages were finished. Still a worthwhile read, even though nothing is still solved.

[Linnea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting take on a well-known murder. While the authors' backs might be sore from reaching so far at times, it was an enjoyable read and I learned more about the Surrealism movement.

[Ms. Koirala · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this alongside Camille Paglia's Sexual Personae and its added an extra layer of horror to this book. If you know, you know.

[Candace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely goofy as a crime investigation but fascinating discussion of surrealism, misogyny, and the collective consciousness

[Suzanna]

At an intersection of two of my recent fixations, this was super interesting but the only thing it proved to me is a working theory I already had that male surrealists were basically edgelords.

[Cadaverine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting correlations made in this book. I found it at my library unintentionally while seeking a book of the same title, but I'm glad I ended up finding this one. I think Nelson made a lot of great points. I also figured out I like surrealist art a lot through this book, haha.

[LibraryCin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Exquisite Corpse: Surrealism and the Black Dahlia Murder / Mark Nelson and Sarah Hudson Bayliss
3 stars

The “Black Dahlia” murder was the murder of 22-year old Elizabeth Short in LA in 1947. She was found with her body cut in half. The murder has never been solved, but George Hodel was one of the suspects at the time. This book illustrates the similarities between Elizabeth Short’s murdered body and surrealist art. Hodel was apparently connected to the art scene in LA around the time, as well as being a doctor.

I am more interested in the crime itself and not surrealist (weird!!!) art. There were plenty of photos in the book, of both surrealist art and the crime scene. The crime scene photos are pretty graphic, but the authors assure the reader that these are the least bad of the crime scene photos. The photos do show how closely her body does resemble plenty of surrealist art. There was a LOT more information than I ever wanted to know about surrealism and the artists themselves. The bulk of the book was really about the art and the artists and less about the crime. Despite me not really being interested in art history, the book mostly did hold my attention, so it’s an “ok” for me, but I’d really like to find more information on the murder itself where the book actually focuses on that.

[Ashlea · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Exquisite Corpse' reads as much as an art history book as it does a whodunit, which is fitting coming from authors who hail from fine art backgrounds. Hence, it also makes for a great lesson for us Surrealism fans who thought they knew about the writers, painters, and sculptors they admired. Although careful not to point fingers towards any one artist, Nelson and Bayliss weave a convincing story that interconnects murder suspect George Hodel to some of the most respected names of the time, most especially Man Ray.

Regardless of Hodel's ultimate guilt in the slaying of Elizabeth Short, there is still an disturbing underworld of misogyny and twistedness that can't be argued against, a misogyny- or at least an unrealistic interpretation of women- that many of the Surrealists of the time are implicated in. Nelson and Bayliss do as well, if not better, at indicting Surrealism's sexist pitfalls as they do suggesting Hodel's guilt. After reading this book, I am still not 100% convinced that the Black Dahlia murder was a nod toward the Surrealist movement, but I do have a cleared understanding as to why the suggestion is a completely viable one.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting concept for a true-crime / art history book. The author uses another author's premise (Steve Hodel) that his own father (George Hodel) was the murderer of Elizabeth Smart and Nelson takes the ball and runs with it. What results is equal parts true crime and art history. Nelson examines the surrealist art movement in America in the 1940's-1950's and how the artists and their art might have inspired the murderer to do what he did. Though the Black Dahlia case is still unsolved and will probably never be resolved, Nelson makes a very compelling argument that Hodel was indeed the murderer and why he may have done it. I read a lot of true-crime books, but this one kept me up at night and actually gave me the heebie-jeebies. The book is full of pictures of Elizabeth Smart, both alive and dead, and various artists and their pieces. People with weak stomachs are advised that there are plenty of graphic pictures.

[Ckbiffster · Rating 3 out of 5]

since both surrealism & bizarre, gruesome crimes are things i find fascinating, this was a perfect read for me. while the premise is entirely speculative and the evidence circumstantial, the authors do make a pretty convincing case. i always enjoy reading about the surrelist artists of the mid-20th centuruy, & this book added a new & different twist to their adventures and connections. lots of great illustrations, tho some may find the extensive crime scene photos hard to take(but they're not gratutious, as comparing them to reproductions of the surrealists' art is central to the authors' premise).

[Ruby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been fascinated by the Elizabeth Short/Black Dahlia case for years after seeing it on an episode of Unsolved Mysteries. So, of course, when I saw this book, I couldn't pass it up. I'm glad I didn't! While I didn't agree with all the connections being offered, I could honestly see where many of the connections were being made between the murder and surrealism. While the reading got stale here and there, I think anyone interested in this case would find the correlations and theories highly interesting.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nelson's addendum to "Black Dahlia Avenger" is part-true crime, part-art historical tour of surrealist iconography, and part expose on an epic crime that has left deep marks in Angeleno popular culture. The author unearths the surrealist tropes the killer(s) etched into the body of Elizabeth Short as signatures, and reveals them as likely clues to the identity of the still-undiscovered murderer in a tale that touches on, possibly implicates, LA's artistic vanguard -- including Man Ray and potentially Duchamp. Brilliant.

[A · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book relates the murder of Elizabeth Short, The Black Dahlia, to George Hodel, a physician and self-styled artist, who knew many of the surrealists who came through Los Angeles. It compares crime scene photographs of the murder to work that the surrealists were doing around the time. Artists like Man Ray, William Copley and Marcel Duchamp are examined at length, and particularly Duchamp's work, Étant Donnés and the placement of the figure in the work.

Sex and death have always been a part of art. Surrealism took it to a new level. This brings it all together in an over-the-top way.