Ghislaine Wood is curator of Surreal Things: Surrealism and Design. She curated the V&A's blockbuster exhibition, Art Deco 1910-1939 , and co-edited the accompanying book (V&A 2003). She was assistant curator of the V&A exhibition Art Nouveau 1890-1914 (V&A 2000). Her publications include Essential Art Deco (V&A 2003) and Art Nouveau and the Erotic (V&A 2000). She is a member of the V&A's Research Department.

Surrealism was one of the most influential movements of the twentieth century and had a profound impact on all forms of culture. It was a philosophy and a way of life for some of the most brilliant artists of the century. This is the first book to examine in depth its impact in the wider fields of design and the decorative arts and its sometimes uneasy relationship with the commercial world.