en ▁to ▁write ▁plays ▁for ▁the ▁Group . ▁Through ▁Aud en , ▁Med ley ▁met ▁Stephen ▁Sp ender , ▁Louis ▁Mac Ne ice ▁and ▁others ▁who ▁became ▁associated ▁with ▁the ▁Group ▁Theatre . ▁Med ley ▁had ▁a ▁painting ▁in ▁the ▁International ▁Sur real ist ▁Ex hib ition ▁in ▁London ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 6 ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 7 ▁Med ley ▁founded ▁the ▁Art ists ' ▁International ▁Association , ▁A IA , ▁which ▁promoted ▁social ist ▁and ▁avant - gar de ▁art . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 8 ▁he ▁cha ired ▁a ▁widely ▁reported ▁debate ▁between ▁Real ists ▁and ▁Sur real ists ▁organized ▁by ▁the ▁A IA . ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁Two ▁At ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War ▁Med ley ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁Air ▁Ra id ▁Pre ca utions ▁w arden ▁until ▁he ▁was ▁offered ▁a ▁three - month ▁commission ▁by ▁the ▁War ▁Art ists ' ▁Ad vis ory ▁Committee , ▁W A AC , ▁to ▁go ▁to ▁France ▁to ▁record ▁tro op ▁land ings ▁for ▁the ▁British ▁Ex ped ition ary ▁Force . ▁Med ley ' s ▁appointment ▁was ▁blocked ▁by ▁M I 5 ▁who ▁considered ▁him ▁to ▁be ▁" clos ely ▁associated ▁with ▁sub vers ive ▁Commun ist ▁doctrine ". ▁Instead ▁W A AC ▁offered ▁Med ley ▁a ▁contract ▁to ▁record ▁air ▁ra id ▁pre ca utions ▁in ▁the ▁north - east ▁of ▁England ▁and ▁he ▁spent ▁an ▁enjoy able ▁two ▁months ▁based ▁in ▁New castle ▁upon ▁Ty ne ▁doing ▁just ▁that . ▁Ear lier