Blood and gore in art has no social redeeming value and the audience it is presented to are, for the most part, not psychologists or psychiatrists. Generally they have no concern for the inner workings of the human mind, or the horrors contained within, except in the context of music videos, movie genre, and getting the shit scared out of them. That we consider this entertainment is troubling to me.
As an artist, writer, and photographer, i find it to be a sad reflection on the artistic ability, or lack thereof, to get a message across without the use of such tactics. It is even sadder, for those of us that remember, for a society that has forgotten how a cliffhanger was done in the past, when directors knew how to command the attention of an audience without cursing, blood, gore, and blatant sexual acts. These were the times when art and craft in film meant something. Now days blood and gore is simply a crippled vehicle used by artists that have reached the bottom of their creative bucket trying to appeal to an intelligent audience. The problem with this last statement is two-fold. First, the general audience really isn't all that intelligent and, second, the artist isn't really that concerned with their own creative abilities. It is all about the money which the zombie public are willing to part with for ninety minutes of plot-less crap.
As an artist, writer, and photographer, i find it to be a sad reflection on the artistic ability, or lack thereof, to get a message across without the use of such tactics. It is even sadder, for those of us that remember, for a society that has forgotten how a cliffhanger was done in the past, when directors knew how to command the attention of an audience without cursing, blood, gore, and blatant sexual acts. These were the times when art and craft in film meant something. Now days blood and gore is simply a crippled vehicle used by artists that have reached the bottom of their creative bucket trying to appeal to an intelligent audience. The problem with this last statement is two-fold. First, the general audience really isn't all that intelligent and, second, the artist isn't really that concerned with their own creative abilities. It is all about the money which the zombie public are willing to part with for ninety minutes of plot-less crap.
But, should we be surprised? In today's world of McDonald's, Ikea, particle board, and paper laminates with wood grain, we have come to expect less that perfection; art by machine. We live in a world of machined construct and our artists have nothing to offer but what they know, so they pump out hour after hour of the same garbage, one hoping to out gore the other and the audience paying big money for the opportunity of applauding their latest attempt at "low brow" crap. I feel sorry for the musicians who's music is held hostage by contracts allowing studios to hire these crap mongers to render an "artistic" interpretation for the viewer, since we are all so obviously incapable of interpreting the musical offering for ourselves.
I offer to my readers two music videos from two totally diametrically opposed genre. Art, like beauty, is truly in the eye of the beholder. One of these is very visual with blood and gore, the other leaves the immediate visual method and aftermath of death to the viewer's imagination. No brains blown out across a living room wall, no blood drenched carpet from slit wrists. The question, after you view the two videos, is which one do you find artistic? Now, ask yourself why. Why does this appeal to you? Why does this speak to you? Why do you like this? You will not have to ask "what" this says about you or your feelings because, if you've truthfully answered the "why" of it, you already know the "what."
Where are we going as a society and as humans? Is this the road we must take to be entertained? What does this say about us?
Why?
Be at peace.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94bGzWyHbu0
http://vimeo.com/29465404
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