by Craig Browning » Nov 13th, '06, 19:23
It is said that "Art" reflects the tone and emotions of society and when things become more and more morose within society so it will be through the artists be it thespian, painter, or poet that we will see an outward manifestation of such. Especially when we consider the fact that the artist tends to be the more sensitive and romantic type character within the general scope of humanity e.g. they will be the most prone to act out either in a course of rebellion or in hopes of numbing themselves to it. A small element within artisian society will likewise embrace "ugliness" as it were, for the sake of learning from it and helping others to likewise learn and potentially overcome their fear of it.
Thirty some odd years ago the trend was to perform without clothing, it was a statement towards and about society and the supposed morality that had been invented and imposed upon us by a segment of the populace that feared pleasure and even appreciation not only of other people's nudity but their own. What we see today is the same thing but coming from a bit more morbid sense of foundation; our fear of death and our disgust when it comes to general cruelty and inhumanity. Yet, when we look at the motion picture industry, comic books, video games, etc. all of these aspects of "Art" promote and exploit said element of fear.
In the 1970s when South American Illusion Master Richiardi brought his gruesome Buzz Saw to Madison Square Garden it became one of the most controversial demonstrations ever witnessed in a "magic show" -- the man seemingly murdered his daughter on stage, leaving her entrails strewn about for all to see, blood sprayed perfectly about the set. A simple classic of magic that planted the seeds of inspiration into the minds of several young aspirants of the day, myself included.
The brutality and gore found in today's magic world is only more prevailent, not 'new'. In fact, it is more akin to being a reprise of how magic was originally presented a few short centuries ago, or have we forgotten about that young lady that got chopped to pieces in climax to the famed Rope Trick of India?
In the 80s we had young lady's getting Impaled on the tip of a single sword as well as cremated in ways that went far beyond the Abbott classic. There were even those (yours truely) that would cut open their wrists to reveal a chosen playing card (very bloody) or blow their brains out as part of a regular night club performance at the world famous Whiskey in Beverly Hills (as part of a most interesting routine employing QUEEN's "Bohemian Rhapsody" as the underscore).
Yes, we are seeing a revival of some of the older and more gruesome as well as grotesque stuff including young flies bursting out from a person's mouth or an ingested magot working its way out via the eyeball, etc. We even have various forms of resurrection -- flies being brought back as well as perfectly dead and crunchy beetles. What we have to keep in mind is the fact that we are seeing the younger artists express sentiment about our culture as it affects them and how they see it. We are likewise looking at the swing of the great pendulum; manifestation of cyclic law as it lends reprise to that which once was vs. the cleanliness and polite ideas Mr. Disney would prefer to co-sign... (bear in mind that 25 years ago just doing Mouth Coils was considered "tasteless" by the more dogmatic of our kind.)
BTW... if you want gross and disgusting I believe Mark Kornhauser is still doing his tribute to the great le petomaine... his act involved controlled release of air via the anal orafice. It is said that he could "sing" the national anthem in this manner and blow out a candle at 20 paces but most critics agreed that the act stank...
Last edited by
Craig Browning on Nov 14th, '06, 13:53, edited 1 time in total.