Between Mimetic Exacerbation and Abstraction

Pictures of atrocity play a major role in human rights campaigns, but contemporary artists may show different responses to human rights violations. The essay looks at a less discussed strand in contemporary art, which has taken an approach to the representation of human rights violations, i.e. the...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Paolo Maganoli
Format: Article
Language:Danish
Published: Aalborg University Open Publishing 2012-12-01
Series:Akademisk Kvarter
Online Access:https://journals.aau.dk/index.php/ak/article/view/2874
_version_ 1797228610394783744
author Paolo Maganoli
author_facet Paolo Maganoli
author_sort Paolo Maganoli
collection DOAJ
description Pictures of atrocity play a major role in human rights campaigns, but contemporary artists may show different responses to human rights violations. The essay looks at a less discussed strand in contemporary art, which has taken an approach to the representation of human rights violations, i.e. the works of artists and activists Thomas Hirschhorn and Paul Chan. The article asks and answers the question: Ultimately Chan and Hirschhorn’s fascination with violence opens up serious questions regarding the use of images of physical abuse in order to garner interest in the politics of human rights. Is the depiction of violence necessary in order to provoke spectators and induce them to protest against human rights violations or, alternatively, is graphic violence always voyeuristic and a further degradation of the victim?
first_indexed 2024-04-24T14:59:26Z
format Article
id doaj.art-ffe74fced4a742f08d12ab9b11db57c3
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1904-0008
language Danish
last_indexed 2024-04-24T14:59:26Z
publishDate 2012-12-01
publisher Aalborg University Open Publishing
record_format Article
series Akademisk Kvarter
spelling doaj.art-ffe74fced4a742f08d12ab9b11db57c32024-04-02T16:52:20ZdanAalborg University Open PublishingAkademisk Kvarter1904-00082012-12-01510.5278/ojs.academicquarter.v0i5.2874Between Mimetic Exacerbation and AbstractionPaolo Maganoli Pictures of atrocity play a major role in human rights campaigns, but contemporary artists may show different responses to human rights violations. The essay looks at a less discussed strand in contemporary art, which has taken an approach to the representation of human rights violations, i.e. the works of artists and activists Thomas Hirschhorn and Paul Chan. The article asks and answers the question: Ultimately Chan and Hirschhorn’s fascination with violence opens up serious questions regarding the use of images of physical abuse in order to garner interest in the politics of human rights. Is the depiction of violence necessary in order to provoke spectators and induce them to protest against human rights violations or, alternatively, is graphic violence always voyeuristic and a further degradation of the victim? https://journals.aau.dk/index.php/ak/article/view/2874
spellingShingle Paolo Maganoli
Between Mimetic Exacerbation and Abstraction
Akademisk Kvarter
title Between Mimetic Exacerbation and Abstraction
title_full Between Mimetic Exacerbation and Abstraction
title_fullStr Between Mimetic Exacerbation and Abstraction
title_full_unstemmed Between Mimetic Exacerbation and Abstraction
title_short Between Mimetic Exacerbation and Abstraction
title_sort between mimetic exacerbation and abstraction
url https://journals.aau.dk/index.php/ak/article/view/2874
work_keys_str_mv AT paolomaganoli betweenmimeticexacerbationandabstraction