Critical Studies Essay: Taste and Transgression

February 06, 2024

Critical Studies Essay: Taste and Transgression

Transgression and Taste

‘Transgression does not deny the taboo but it transcends and completes it.’

Georges Bataille – Eroticism, 1986

I am interested in considering if being transgressive adds value to a piece of art, because this is something I find myself being drawn to exploring in my own work. Transgression requires the consideration of a cultural social line in the sand about taste and what is and isn’t acceptable. But this line is relative and constantly in flux; it is dependent on context influences like time, location and the social group(s) being included in the discussion.

The ancient Greeks had a strong focus on homoeroticism and their whole society was very male centric. Women were considered equivalent to slaves and men were considered equal and compatible sexually because they had a biological and cultural understanding of one another. These attitudes were challenged by the onset of Christianity, which morally condemned and repressed homosexuality. It is only recently, and only in certain parts of the world, that we see open queerness being normalized and celebrated once more. This is a historic example of how ideas of transgression are fluid. That something can be acceptable or unacceptable, depending on the social constructs of the time.

A quality of this fluidity is that there is a subtle language and visual script around what is considered transgressive. And it is the duty of the rebellious artist, the artist who wants to engage in currently relevant conversation and achieve impact by being transgressive, to interpret this language, to find these lines in the sand, explore and then exceed them where necessary.

‘Artist’s Shit’, Piero Manzoni, 1961

This kind of art usually focuses on sensitive themes such as violence, sex and religion. These themes aren’t normally depicted in a literal way. It is arguable that there are two clear artistic approaches to taste and transgression. Either the visual evidence presented is offensive or challenging in some way, for example ‘Artist’s Shit’ by Piero Manzoni where the medium is literally cans of the artist’s feces. Or, the art actively seeks to push buttons in an attempt to illuminate and or shift public opinion, for example ‘Olympia’ by Édouard Manet which played with societal boundaries by representing a woman masturbating as an empowered sex worker. So much so that it required a police guard to prevent vandalism when it was first exhibited.

‘Olympia’, Édouard Manet, 1856

When looking at this kind of art, we can reflect on whether the artist is being transgressive in their materials choice, through what they are representing, or both.

It is often employed as a creative choice by artists who want to affect positive shifts in individual and collective attitudes. A contemporary example of this is Grayson Perry, who explores his childhood trauma and scripts around male behavior through artwork and public performance including cross dressing. His public embracing of transvestitism has been hugely powerful and he is celebrated as such because he has fuelled debate and helped public attitudes be less harming and more inclusive in this area. In this way, I believe that transgression can be merit worthy.

'Rosetta Vase’, Grayson Perry, 2011

However, transgressive art can be a creative cul de sac, because what shocked your audience the first time won’t shock the second because they have been desensitized. Some artists survive this by becoming more imaginative in carrying their ideas forward. But you can end up being pigeon holed as a sensational artist; and this can foster cynicism around your work.

Contemporary artists consistently flip the high art narrative intentionally to be transgressive; by playing with what is and isn’t classically considered noteworthy. And there is value attached to this endeavour as well as the scandal it often generates. Artists frequently use sensationalism to promote their work and escalate their price. A good example of this is Maurizio Cattelan, who’s work skyrocketed in value after ‘La Nona Oram’; an installation piece that irreverently plays with the impotence and hypocrisy of the Catholic church with the visual reference of the Pope being struck down by a meteorite as an act of God.

‘La Nona Oram’, Maurizio Cattelan, 2016

Transgressive artists often embody their work themselves and we see this most commonly in body art, a movement that started in the 1960s and still persists today. It includes a huge variety of approaches but most often, performance art or actionism. It has a focus on the relationship of body and mind.

My preferred example of this is body and endurance artist Marina Abramović who’s Rhythm series defined the genre and it’s participatory quality; with an open invitation being extended for her audience to relate, or not, to her body using a catalogue of objects including weapons.

‘Rhythm 0’, Marina Abramović, 1974

To further explore taste and transgression, I will look at some more artists and their relevant works now.

Best known for his ‘Great Wave’, Katsushika Hokusai and his Shunga paintings are an excellent example of early transgressive art. It is erotic and humorous and intends to explicitly depict sexual acts, including female gratification, which was as rare at the time as it is today. The government attempted to ban his works repeatedly but this verboten quality only added to their popularity and they were allegedly secretly cherished and shared by families and lovers because of their humor but also because they facilitated healthy conversations about sexual intimacy.

‘The Dream Of The Fisherman’s Wife’, Katsushika Hokusai, 1814

Picasso’s ‘La Reve’ subtly portrays his mistress masturbating while dreaming of his penis. Not so subtly hiding an abstraction of his penis in his lovers face was extremely risqué for the time and still feels like a pretty dick move.

‘La Reve’, Pablo Picasso, 1932

Marcel Duchamp is best known for his urinal piece, but I wanted to look at his assemblage ‘Étant Donnés’, which requires his audience to look at a disconcerting painting through a pair of peepholes in a door, creating a sense of being a disempowered voyeur to an ambiguous scene that has undertones of a crime scene. It is transgressive in physical construct because it is forcing challenge around the traditional relationship that audience has with paintings and viewing them. And it was the absolute opposite of what a lot of his contemporaries were doing at the time which again makes it sensational.

‘Étant Donnés’, Marcel Duchamp, 1966

War art is endemically transgressive because of its subject. A clear example of this is Francisco de Goya’s ‘Los Desastres de la Guerra’ which took around 50 years to be printed, so sensational and horrific was it considered. In it’s attempts to lay bare the grisly truth of war.

Damien Hirst rebels and does not emulate the art world’s requirements, rather choosing to present as an everyman. In this way he is good at self-branding as the transgressor and this choice has gained him even more notoriety. One of his most famous pieces ‘The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living’ explores exactly what the title suggests; the challenge of being human and grappling with existential crisis like death.

‘The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living', Damien Hirst, 1991

Looking at our limited ability to conceive of death and the fears we hold around it culturally as a concept is a really relatable topic; it is one of the great unifiers because it happens to us all. He created this installation, which displays an iconic apex predator that still looks alive and as if it is swimming towards you. A thing that brings death, that is in fact already dead itself even though it has been manipulated and displayed to look alive.

What he is talking about is really important thematically and his transgressive approach gives the conversation buckets of impact and depth.

While on the subject of things suspended in formaldehyde, it feels pertinent to mention the Chinese conceptual artist Xiao Yu whose piece ‘Ruan’ raises a discussion about science, genetic modification and how dangerous and complicated that area is using really graphic medium. Reading his statements about what he makes yields the truth that it is because of his care and respect for the sanctity of life that he feels so compelled to create visually abhorrent version's of it in reference to his concerns about medical ethical abuse.

‘Ruan’, Xiao Yu, 2005

Street artists are transgressive because their work is illegal by definition and often involves sensational political commentary; hence the need to often protect their identity in order to avoid prosecution and other negative repercussions for their work.

‘No Future’, Banksy, Unknown date

We have seen a rise in the popularity and commodification of street art in recent years with artist like Banksy exhibiting in gallery spaces and selling prints of their work; quite a feat to have bridged the gap between alleged criminal to globally successful artist.

The artist collective Led by Donkeys create politically motivated art in public spaces. Their most recent installation on Bournemouth beach which included a line of children’s clothing laid on the sand in reference to the atrocities and death currently happening in Gaza was their effort in appeal to cease fire and has caused as much support as it has kick back.

Gaza installation on Bournemouth beach, Led by Donkeys, 2024

Cultural attitude and taste evolve over time and what was once perceived as sensational and radical, for example Impressionist painting, can overtime loose that quality of impact. An interesting question is, is there something that is ultimately always going to be transgressive, regardless of the society. The public’s visceral and negative reaction to ‘Myra’ by Marcus Harvey, a portrait of the infamous child serial killer Myra Hindley made up children’s handprints, indicate that abuse and harm of children is fundamentally unacceptable and makes us deeply uncomfortable to witness or be made aware of. However, this is not absolute, because if it were then the aforementioned Led by Donkeys piece would not have cause to exist. What kind of transgressive art would it take to shake us out of this collective contradiction?

‘Myra’, Marcus Harvey, 1995

In summary, I think it is clear that transgression does have its place in the art world as a tool for engagement and impact. Although what will impact any given culture varies hugely over time and place, artists clearly feel compelled to connect with this means of eliciting response for their work and the themes and topics they are trying to create dialogue about.

Ultimately I believe that it is you as the artist, your supporters and the creative community you are a part of who decide whether your transgressive art has purpose and achieves the intended impact.

In my opinion, an artist trying to make sincere comment about something is valid; however offensive or challenging it might be in medium or theme.

Bibliography

https://journal.media-culture.org.au/index.php/mcjournal/article/view/781

https://www.britannica.com/topic/aesthetics/Taste-criticism-and-judgment

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-30343083

https://www.thecollector.com/georges-batailles-erotism-religion-death/

https://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/2008/2008.07.20

https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/manzoni-artists-shit-t07667

https://www.artribune.com/television/2018/03/video-7-artisti-commentano-piero-manzoni/

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