Art will always be tied to humanity. Since the dawn of time, humans have had the urge to create–leaving a mark that proves to those who occupy the same earth centuries in the future to remember us as existing there too. Take, for instance, what is considered the first art piece: the Three Wild Pigs painting, which is 45 thousand years old in Indonesia. Art has evolved within millenniums of our existence, from music to film to games to photography. Creating something makes us human. Some art inevitably reflects our darker thoughts/urges and it’s all a part of truly representing humanity. We must showcase this aspect of ourselves if we desire to make art that captures the human experience.

Comforting The Disturbed & Disturbing the Comfortable

There’s a common saying among artists, “Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable”. The quote came from author and poet Cesar A. Cruz, who would sow the seeds planted in the minds of other creatives to harvest down the line. Many titles across all forms of entertainment could fit that quote, specifically two genres: horror and documentary. Often, both genres are indistinguishable from one another as both showcase the wrongs of our people.

Blood, gore, monsters, and death frequently comprise most horror and documentary titles. Although one may be documenting actual events, horror is very anecdotal. For example, director David Robert of It Follows fame told IndieWire’s Eric Eidelstein that the film was inspired “…from a recurring nightmare that I had when I was a kid in which I was followed by a monster that looked like different people. And only I could see it”. Robert’s testament reflects how life impacts the creator to create, yet a question still lingers in the minds of many. When is it too much?

Crossing The Line

When is this discomfort caused by art (specifically horror) deemed to be too much? It’d be simple to answer if it weren’t for the subjectivity the human mind. What one person finds disturbing for the average viewer doesn’t define the whole population. Take, for example, myself. I can take the train scene in the Invincible show with all its detailed gore and death. But I’ll crumble beneath my feet if you put any bloody scene from the Final Destination series. Nevertheless, there is one series that many, primarily those in power, consider too violent.

The Grand Theft Auto (GTA) series has long been a punching bag for news outlets, political figures, and overly protective parents. Some complaints may not be faithful; nonetheless, some considered GTA exploitative. From depictions of torture, sex work, and gang violence, the series has a long history of explicit scenery. The problem with this critique is that it ignores what the game sets out to do: parodying. GTA is a parody of life, which adds to its commentary on the state of the world. If GTA’s graphic content is essential, then what is widely considered going beyond the boundaries of art?

Fictional & Non-Fictional Blood & Guts

There’s a specific type of genre of, most often, films that cater to the curious and deprived. Exploitation and shockumentary fill the bill. These equally exploitative types of films are widely considered beyond viewability as they do not hold back. The only difference between the two genres is the validity of the footage. Fictional stories like A Serbian Film or death compilations like Traces of Death are so revolting that many consider watching a minute of footage challenging. So, if that’s crossing the sands of acceptability, why is it still difficult to reach a consensus?

There are so many factors that sway opinions to being against or tolerating graphic depictions of violence, such as the deaths of animals and children, both of which have long been controversial in horror films. However, there’s also the question of accessibility, as not everyone can stomach seeing gore without feeling nauseous. There are so many problems and challenges that many artists must consider when creating ethically and responsibly.

The Principle of Ethics

Art is a complicated talent. No matter the intent, artist strive for their creations to be one thing: beautiful. There’s beauty in the smallest of details. A part of that beauty, though, is the ugly, which is to balance it out, representing the artist’s emotional struggles. Not only does it help the creator cope with issues in their lives, but it also helps others who relate to them. Although, at a certain point, a line must be drawn. Yet, we still haven’t collectively figured out where to draw it

Should it be okay to show actual deaths to showcase the consequences of our actions? Is it necessary to kill a dog in the name of storytelling? How much detail can we put into body horror until it becomes unnecessary? Is it fair if a horror film or game is inaccessible due to its graphic content? Unfortunately, that’s up to you to decide as you prick your finger, thanks to the hidden rocks on the sandy floor. Where should the bloody line be drawn between art and unethical shock value?

Read More From The Able Show Contributors.

Works Cited

Cascone, Sarah, and Caroline Goldstein. “Archaeologists Have Discovered a Pristine 45,000-Year-Old Cave Painting of a Pig That May Be the Oldest Artwork in the World.” Artnet News, 14 January 2021, https://news.artnet.com/art-world/indonesia-pig-art-oldest-painting-1937110. Accessed 19 September 2024.

Eidelstein, Eric. “’It Follows’ Director David Robert Mitchell on Sex in Horror Films and the Current State of the Genre.” IndieWire, 4 March 2015, https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/it-follows-director-david-robert-mitchell-on-sex-in-horror-films-and-the-current-state-of-the-genre-64494/. Accessed 23 September 2024.

Koinuma, Ari. “Art Should Comfort the Disturbed and Disturb the Comfortable.” Ari Koinuma, 2 March 2017, https://arikoinuma.com/blog/2017/03/art-should-comfort-the-disturbed-and-disturb-the-comfortable/. Accessed 23 September 2024.