Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
-extremely bad, unpleasant, and degrading -completely without pride or dignity -uses the power of horror in art forms
I decided to look at the theme of abjection in more detail, the use of extreme imagery, which is not normally seen in a socially normal context, I nd striking, and a powerful emotive and thought provoking tool.
By using graphic scenes, it can evoke an intense response from the viewer, however, what are the limits to this, and can it ever go too far?
Ron Athey, like Franko B, uses self mutilation in his work. However, unlike Franko B, only making cuts for blood, Ron Athey goes further, damaging and degrading his own body. Here, Athey us mimicking the traditional renaissance paintings of St Sebastian. St Sebastian was a martyr, so in a sense, this is shown as a good deed, but Franko B twists this meaning of pleasure, and shows it in a more S&M way, with darker undertones. Is this still an artistic performance, using abjection for meaning, or is it too far and just considered grotesque, a performer taking sexual gratication from mutilation and exhibitionism?