Editing Transgressive art

{{short description|Art that intends to outrage or violate basic morals and sensibilities}}
{{Update|date=October 2024}}

'''Transgressive art''' is art that aims to outrage or cause a reaction from the observer. The term ''transgressive'' was first used in this sense by American filmmaker [[Nick Zedd]] and his [[Cinema of Transgression]] in 1985.<ref>[https://dangerousminds.net/comments/shock_value_new_yorks_underground_cinema Shock Value: New York’s underground ‘Cinema of Transgression’-Dangerous Minds]</ref> Zedd used it to describe his legacy with underground film-makers like [[Paul Morrissey]], [[John Waters (filmmaker)|John Waters]], and [[Kenneth Anger]], and the relationship they shared with Zedd and his New York City peers in the early 1980s.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://feastofhateandfear.com/archives/zedd.html |title=The Cinema of Transgression Manifesto |last1=Zedd |first1=Nick |date=1985 |access-date=7 June 2014}}</ref>

==Definition==
From an academic perspective, many traces of transgression can be found in any art which is considered offensive because of its [[shock value]]; from the French [[Salon des Refusés]] artists to [[Dada]] and [[Surrealism]]. Philosophers [[Mikhail Bakhtin]] and [[Georges Bataille]] have published works on the nature of transgression.
Transgressional works share some themes with art that deals with [[psychology|psychological]] dislocation and [[mental illness]]. Examples of this relationship, between social transgression and the exploration of mental states relating to illness, include many of the activities and works of the [[Dadaists]], [[Surrealists]], and [[Fluxus]]-related artists, such as [[Carolee Schneemann]] – and, in literature, [[Albert Camus]]'s ''[[The Stranger (Camus novel)|L'Etranger]]'' or [[J.D. Salinger]]'s ''[[The Catcher in the Rye]]''.

==Examples==

=== In visual art ===
Transgressive artist [[Richard Kern]] began making films in New York City with actors [[Nick Zedd]] and [[Lung Leg]] in the early 1980s. Some were videos for musical artists, including the [[Butthole Surfers]] and [[Sonic Youth]].<ref>[https://www.moma.org/calendar/events/3767 Films by Richard Kern: Program 2 {{!}} MoMA]</ref>

During the 1980s, artists such as [[Dread Scott]] created art that was so controversial that it ended up in the supreme court. In the case of Scott, [[United States v. Eichman]], the Supreme Court ruled that it was unconstitutional for the government to prohibit an artwork that desecrates the American Flag.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Cohen|first=Alina|date=2018-07-25|title=It's Legal to Burn the American Flag. This Artist Helped Make It A Form of Free Speech.|url=https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-1989-artwork-asked-viewers-step-flag-ignited-firestorm-raging|access-date=2021-05-04|website=Artsy|language=en}}</ref> Another artist, [[Robert Mapplethorpe]], caused the Director of the [[Contemporary Arts Center]] in Cincinnati to be put on trial for obscenity in 1990.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Palmer|first=Alex|title=When Art Fought the Law and the Art Won|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/when-art-fought-law-and-art-won-180956810/|access-date=2021-05-04|website=Smithsonian Magazine|language=en}}</ref> Both cases were ruled in favor of the artists.

Among the most notorious works of transgressive art among the general public have been sculpture, collages, and installation art which offended Christian religious sensibilities.  These include [[Andres Serrano]]'s ''[[Piss Christ]]'',<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20140728060356/http://www.artnewsnviews.com/view-article.php?article=transgressive-art-as-a-form-of-protest&iid=32&articleid=938 Transgressive Art as a Form of Protest-Art News & Views]}}</ref> featuring a crucifix in a beaker of urine, and [[Chris Ofili]]'s ''[[The Holy Virgin Mary]]'', a multi-media painting which is partially made of elephant dung.

Jeffrey Weiss of [[Artforum]] considers some of the work of [[Cy Twombly]] to be transgressive, citing "drawing as a form of scrawl".<ref>[https://www.artforum.com/print/reviews/200808/cy-twombly-21145 By Jeffrey Weiss], [[Artforum]]</ref>

=== In literature ===
The term can also be applied to [[transgressional fiction|transgressive literature]] as well. Examples include ''[[Trainspotting (novel)|Trainspotting]]'' by [[Irvine Welsh]], ''[[Blood and Guts in High School]]'' by [[Kathy Acker]], ''[[American Psycho]]'' by [[Bret Easton Ellis]], ''[[Fight Club (novel)|Fight Club]]'' by [[Chuck Palahniuk]], ''Behead All Satans'' by MNM-DR, and [[J. G. Ballard]]'s short story "The Enormous Space". These works deal with issues that were considered to be outside the social norms. Their characters abuse drugs, engage in violent behaviour, and could be considered sexual deviants.<ref name="atlmonth">[https://www.theatlantic.com/issues/96dec/wrdwatch/wrdwatch.htm Word Watch &mdash; December 1996] from ''[[The Atlantic Monthly]]''</ref>

Transgressive writing can also be reflected in non-fiction, such as in the writing style of [[Jim Goad]].<ref name="PXLife">{{cite web |url=http://www.portlandtribune.com/features/story.php?story_id=12327 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081221192342/http://www.portlandtribune.com/features/story.php?story_id=12327 |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 21, 2008 |title=Citizen Goad |author=Joseph Gallivan |date=30 Oct 2009 |work=Entertainment |publisher=Portland Life |access-date=3 October 2011}}</ref>

=== In music ===
Subsequent transgressive artists of the 1990s overlapped the boundaries of literature, art, and music, including [[GG Allin]], [[Lisa Crystal Carver]], [[Shane Bugbee]], and [[Jean-Louis Costes|Costes]]. With these artists came a greater emphasis on life itself (or death) as art, rather than simply depicting a certain mindset in film or music. They were instrumental in creating a new type of visionary art and music, and influenced artists including [[Alec Empire]], [[Cock E.S.P.]], [[Crash Worship]], [[Usama Alshaibi]], [[Liz Armstrong]], [[Lennie Lee]], [[Weasel Walter]], [[Nihilist Records|Andy Ortmann]], and the later work featured in [[Peter Bagge]]'s comic [[Hate (comics)|''Hate'']].

[[Rock and roll]] music has inspired controversy and been transgressive from its inception. As certain other musical genres grew in popularity, some transgressive artists used controversy to make a statement, gain attention, or make a profit (or a combination of these).<ref>{{cite web |title=How to Effectively Use Controversy in Your Music Marketing Strategy |url=https://becksmarketer.co.uk/controversy/ |website=Becks Marketer |date=9 March 2023 |access-date=21 June 2024}}</ref> Among certain musical genres and movements, offending modern sensibilities was an integral part of the music. Musical genres that utilize transgressive themes or music include genres such as [[shock rock]], [[punk rock]], [[Trap music|trap]], [[grindcore]], [[black metal]] and [[death metal]], and various bands within the [[avant-garde rock]] or [[experimental rock]] genre.{{Citation needed|date=February 2023}} Since the late twentieth century, the term has been most frequently applied to artists of musical genres such as [[hardcore hip hop]], [[gangsta rap]], and [[horrorcore]]. [[Eminem]] was a major subject of such controversy; his early works, most notably ''[[The Slim Shady LP]]'' (1999) and ''[[The Marshall Mathers LP]]'' (2000), were subjects of backlash surrounding their violent lyricism.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harvilla |first=Rob |date=2019-02-20 |title=Eminem Has Been America's Nightmare for 20 Years |url=https://www.theringer.com/music/2019/2/20/18232748/eminem-slim-shady-lp-20th-anniversary |access-date=2024-01-25 |website=The Ringer |language=en}}</ref><ref name="hearing">{{cite web |last=Mancini |first=Robert |date=September 13, 2000 |title=Eminem Targeted At Senate Hearing |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1428579/eminem-targeted-at-senate-hearing.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222053618/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1428579/eminem-targeted-at-senate-hearing.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 22, 2014 |access-date=February 9, 2014 |work=MTV News |publisher=Viacom}}</ref> Another major figure of criticism was rapper [[Tyler, the Creator]], whose horrorcore-influenced debut studio album, ''[[Goblin (album)|Goblin]]'', described graphic violence, which subsequently got his concerts banned from countries such as [[New Zealand]][https://www.nme.com/news/music/tyler-creator-finally-allowed-new-zealand-2535907/] and the [[United Kingdom]][https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/why-tyler-the-creator-got-banned-from-the-uk/]. Though his former negative reputation softened to the masses[https://www.grammy.com/news/tyler-creator-wins-best-rap-album-igor-2020-grammys], Tyler, the Creator and his former hip-hop group, [[Odd Future]]'s music still faced major criticism for graphic lyrics present in their songs in the early 2010s.

Some musical artists use the controversy that surrounds transgressive art as a form of publicity.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://christandpopculture.com/capc-mag-volume-2-issue-13-popular-music/transcendence-transgression-rock-roll-music-luxury/|title=Transcendence, Transgression, and Rock & Roll: The Music of Luxury - Christ and Pop Culture|work=Christ and Pop Culture|access-date=2017-09-09|language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Recent examples ===

Since the late 1990s, a new group of transgressive artists has emerged, such as the Canadian artist [[Rick Gibson]] who made a pair of earrings out of human fetuses and ate a piece of human testicle. In China, several artists have produced transgressive art; these include [[Zhu Yu (artist)|Zhu Yu]] (who published images of himself eating what appeared to be a human [[fetus]]) and [[Yang Zhichao]] (who is known for extreme [[body art]]).

==See also==
*[[Anti-art]]
*[[Artistic scandal]]
*[[Black comedy]]
*[[Cinema of Transgression]]
*[[New French Extremity]]
*[[New Gothic Art]]
*''[[Pink Flamingos]]'' (1972 film)
*[[Shock art]]
*[[Subvertising]]
*[[Torture porn]]
*[[Transgressive fiction]]
*[[Extreme cinema]]
*[[Exploitation film]]

==Further reading==
*''Transgressions: The Offences of Art'' (2003) – [[Anthony Julius]] {{ISBN|0-500-23799-9}}
*''Deathtripping: The Cinema of Transgression'' (1995) – [[Jack Sargeant (writer)|Jack Sargeant]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Film genres}}

[[Category:Visual arts genres]]
[[Category:Film genres]]