Freaks and Geeks

This June I will be visiting Scotland and presenting a paper at the University of Edinburgh's Sensualising Deformity conference. As the call for papers explains, this conference aims to explore the overlapping spheres of sensuality and deformity:

From freak exhibitions and fairs, medical examinations and discoveries to various portrayals in arts and literature, images of deformity (or monstrosity, used separately or interchangeably depending on context) have captivated us for centuries. The result is a significant body of critical and artistic works where these bodies are dissected, politicized, exhibited, objectified or even beatified. Nonetheless, there remains a gap, an unexplored, unspoken or neglected aspect of this complex field of study which needs further consideration. This two-day interdisciplinary conference aims to bring the senses and the sensuous back to the monstrous or deformed body from the early modern period through to the mid-twentieth century, and seeks to explore its implications in diverse academic fields.

We hope to bring together scholars and students from a wide range of disciplines to engage in a constructive dialogue, network, and exchange ideas and experiences, connecting a community of researchers who share a fascination with deformity, monstrosity, and freakery.

Speakers include Jeffrey Jerome Cohen, Rosemarie Garland-Thomson, Peter Hutchings and Margrit Shildrick. Excuse me while I fan myself. This is an amazing lineup, and I would encourage anyone with an interest in monsters, deformity, freak studies and the grotesque to come along. You can register here (and it's cheaper if you do so before April 15). You can also check out the conference programme here.

[Annie Jones, Bearded Lady. Via]

My paper is entitled "That Twisted Lump of Flesh: Desire, Disgust and Deformity in Basket Case." Please feel free to attend and marvel at the wonderosity of my presentation skills.

If you haven't seen Basket Case yet, its level of low-budget excellence is difficult to adequately describe. This trailer gives you some indication.


[Warning: probably NSFW due to blood and screaming.]




Oh Dwayne.


After the conference I will be traveling to some other interesting places. One location, in particular, that is very significant to the history of the grotesque. I shan't say where - it can be a surprise...

Squashed

So, I had some posts planned, but I have such a big pile of marking to do that they will just have to wait.

In the meantime, to assuage my need for grotesquerie, here is an informative video from that renowned medical specialist and purveyor of human curiosity: Dr Drew Pinsky.


(Might not be safe for work. Depending on where you work, of course...)





I love science.

Safe As Ever

The Onion's top news story of 2011:



So committed to grotesquing the news.

Don't Look Down

This video reminds me of the infamous forehead incident of 2010.

Slightly less daring, but I think we're all a little bit grateful for that.





Try getting that song out of your head. Just try.

Crotchety

I love how creative people are being with music videos nowadays. It warms my heart.

[This might be NSFW, if you work in a nice place. Or any kind of place.]



It would make more sense to brush teeth after going to the toilet.

Big Bad Wolf by Duck Sauce reminds me of this music video, only pushing things further, to a more weird and interesting place.

[Via i09 and Eleanor]

Gross Intermission

I'm really busy with Thesis Stuff right now, so the Grotesk blogging journey has slowed somewhat. Never fear. It will soon return, stronger than ever. Meanwhile, here are a few of my favourite advertisements from X-Men #41 (1963).














Superhero comics of the 60s clearly traffic in shame.

I'm interested to see that stories about heroic super dudes are accompanied by advertisements targeting readers who are encouraged to see themselves as physically and socially inferior. It somewhat reminds me of women's magazines today. The old 'look at this model now buy a concealer and a detox program you fatty' trick. Old as the hills.


Please note - at no point should you apply a "vacuum pump" to your pimples. Even if it is "scientifically designed." At least try Clearasil first. I'm just saying.

Let It Flow

It can be difficult to relax sometimes.



So many niceties to observe. And we don't all enjoy the same things.



When stressed, I highly recommend watching The League of Gentlemen. It will make you feel extremely normal and put together.

In-Game Grotesques: Part 2

Following up on my previous post about the Grotesques in Hellgate: London, here is another distinct yet overlapping example of 'grotesque' video game beasts. This time they are in Diablo III, a fantasy RPG that has not yet been released.

According to the gamers who contribute to the Diablo Wiki, Grotesques in this game "seem to be doll-like entities made of human skin sewn together."

But wait, there's more:

"...the grotesque are basically living pinatas. They are fat, white, humanoid monsters, who run up to a player who comes into range, take a single hit, bend over backwards, and rupture into a massive fountain of wriggling silver eels."

For your viewing pleasure, here is a clip of this precise event taking place.

"There seem to be far more eels within a grotesque than their volume would permit, but such is the nature of magic. The eels, properly called Lamprey are wriggling creatures that must be killed lest they consume your character's toes, but they seem to die very quickly, and on the whole the Grotesque-Lamprey combo looks more inventive and amusing than dangerous."

If you are getting a sense of déjà vu from this description, you are not alone. The Grotesques in Diablo III are very similar to the Grotesques in Hellgate: London. Both are described as figures whose bodies are stitched together from various pieces of flesh. Both explode when attacked, releasing a dangerous surge of eels or maggots. They also somewhat resemble each other at close quarters, each with multiple heads emerging from bulbous yet sinewy bodies crisscrossed with Frankensteinian scars. Here is the official art for Diablo III's Grotesque. Click for a closer look.

[Via]

Two separate grotesques... why the resemblance? As usual, the good people of the Internet have the answer:

"Grotesque are extremely similar to a monster type in Hellgate: London also knows [sic] as Grotesque. In Hellgate, Grotesque are shambling, twisted mounds of demonic flesh that, upon death, explode and release numerous zombies and Death Maggots. Given that Hellgate: London was created by former members of Blizzard North, which made Diablo II and started work on Diablo III, one might speculate on some connection between the very similar monster types seen in the two games."

Most importantly, game producer Bill Roper (who was heavily involved in the creation of the Diablo series) left Blizzard Entertainment to begin making Hellgate: London.

I always find it interesting to observe how similar visions of grotesqueness are perpetuated in different texts. In this situation, a solid connection can be made between the two constructs. Individuals who share a notion of grotesqueness that is embodied in misshapen, composite and explosive human flesh have applied their definition while creating multiple texts, resulting in Grotesques that are similar in both appearance and behaviour.


Ah well, back to work...

[Via]

Meat You There

So. I'm quite busy at the moment with writing deadlines and marking. Apparently the majority of people spend January on a beach somewhere running in slow motion while tossing their heads back and laughing.

What fools, eh. I'll do that when I'm dead... right? Oh.

Anyway, I couldn't resist posting these incredible sculptures from the Meat After Meat Joy exhibit back in 2008.





I love these pieces because they are multivalent, they could read in any number of ways, depending on the politics, beliefs and experiences of the individual viewer.

To me, as simultaneously organic yet artificial forms they bring home the reality of living creatures torn apart and reassembled into objects of desire. The Frankensteinian nature of the Nike runners puts a Gothic twist on the shoe fetishism so encouraged in Western culture, while the teacup suggests an horrific substance lurking behind a (gendered?) domestic facade.

Curator Heide Hatry was interested in the role of meat as both a medium and a symbolic substance:

"By putting these artists together, the exhibition seeks to investigate the uncanny effect meat as a medium is for artist and viewer. This is not a show about meat as spectacle but about meat as signification, precisely because meat does not signify (a body) but its very annihilation."

My favourite is the toilet. I mean, wow. I find myself asking 'what is it?' Trying to identify distinct body parts in the larger shape. What is that big blob at the back? But these are not natural formations, so no 'real' body parts are to be found.


It seems rather poignant that an appliance designed to disguise and sweep away human refuse has been remade from flesh. Perhaps a timely reminder that we can never erase our waste completely. It has to go somewhere. There is a cost to pay, and we must manage our rubbish or suffer the consequences via the destruction of our own bodies and environment.

You can check out a video from the exhibit here.

{Via Miss Cakehead and Eat Me Daily}

How They Know You're A Lady

Just in case the Forehead Tittaes are drawing a little too much attention to your face... Behold: Camel Shows.

Kelly Brook's Cameltoe Shows from Kelly Brook

Lobster Claw, anyone?

[Via Street Anatomy]

When Intestines Attack

In episode 18 of Canadian TV series Grossology, insane proctologist Dr Cornelius Colon attempts to take over the world by "growing a giant colon that lives OUTSIDE THE BODY."

His campaign begins at Ringworm High School, where students trapped inside observe mucus sliding down the walls, a rotten stench, and large tapeworms in the corridors. The school is basically turning into a giant intestine. Incidentally, this reminds me of the moments in Silent Hill when the normal game world transforms into the freaky "Otherworld" full of mutants. Eg:



Back to Grossology: my favourite part is when Dr Colon gleefully describes his whole plan like an 007 villain: "my colon begins here, but as it feeds and grows it will spread out ensnaring everything in its path. Soon everyone will respect a healthy colon, because everyone will be inside one!!" As he speaks, the audience is shown fantasy images of an enormous fleshy tunnel moving through a city full of screaming citizens. A frontal shot, accompanied by the sounds of squelching and farting, depicts what amounts to a large throbbing ass bearing down on the cityscape.

And this is a kid's show, people.

You can watch if you don't believe me.









A little note on language: on this blog I've been referring to 'gross' as a modern slang form of the word grotesque. This involves a bit of fancy footwork, linguistically speaking, and I'm aware that 'gross' and 'grotesque' are not, in fact, synonymous historically.

Etymologically, the words have different roots. Gross comes from the Italian grosso, meaning large, while grotesque comes from grotto, meaning cave. 'Grotty' is the accepted (read: dictionary) slang for grotesque... However, I would argue that contemporary usage of the word gross has evolved to the point where there is a distinct relationship with ideas of the grotesque.

That's my story, anyway.

Respect a healthy colon.

Will Your Privates Survive?

For all those who giggle when they hear newsreaders discussing 'sea men' on the news, game developers Zombie Cow have created a unique new video game called Privates:

"BRITAIN. Land of Hope and Glory-holes. Where pregnant, waddling teenagers take up the full width of the pavement with their oversized triplet pushchairs, unaware that their rampant, perpetual humping has filled them to the brim with all manner of grotty infections.

Privates is a platform twin-stick shooter in which you lead a teeny-tiny gang of condom-hatted marines as they delve into peoples’ vaginas and bottoms and blast away at all manner of oozy, shouty monsters. It’s rude, funny, bitingly satirical and technically pretty accurate if you don’t count the tiny people or the germs with teeth."

You see, the game's characters are 'privates' but they are also exploring 'privates' - so it's totally a play on words!! Oh, you got that already?




The use of the word 'grotty' fills me with excitement, because this is slang for 'grotesque.' It also strikes me as another example of the 'gross science' genre, especially given the game's safe-sex pitch:

"Zombie Cow founder Dan Marshall said the game is intended to indirectly promote safe sex through its dealing with condom use, sexually transmitted diseases, unplanned pregnancy and other themes. He said the game was written to follow the Personal, Social and Health Education guidelines of the British government's National Curriculum. "And the whole thing is essentially aimed at teenage boys," Marshall wrote. "That said, we're doing it in an entertaining, funny way so it's approachable by people of all ages. It's a really interesting project."

I like this idea, and not just because it's 'grotesque.' This game exhibits thinking outside of the box (no pun intended) because it approaches sex education via a media form that young people are attracted to, plus uses comedy to try and break down some of the shame barriers that prevent open discussion. A video game can't stop someone from having unprotected sex, but perhaps spending the afternoon shooting STD monsters is enough to make you think twice about it?

Here are a few early screen-shots:








The game will be a download for the PC and Xbox360. See the developer's website for more details.

[Via Kotaku and seattlepi]

The Lucky Brown Fairy

Just in case you were suffering the mid-week blues... I suggest you get happy with Unko-san.

“Unko-san,” a new anime series about a brown turd-shaped fairy with lots of luck, is fast becoming the rage among high school girls in western Japan. Short episodes of the anime are now showing in the Osaka area on Kansai TV’s “Otoemon” music program. The stories revolve around Unko-san — whose name is a play on the Japanese words for “luck” (un) and “crap” (unko) — and his quest for happiness on Lucky Island, which is populated by a host of other poo fairies.

You can also play Step Mania with the Unko-san theme song.




Catchy!

For us collector types there are key-chains and plush toys, so you can hug your little brown fairy nice and close.




I'm always amazed at how creative people can be with the humble turd.


[Via Pink Tentacle and Tokyobling]

The Dirdy Birdy

Sometimes writing feels a bit like having a dual personality. One half of your brain is really dedicated and focused, while the other half is... well, easily distracted.




Heh.

Back to work.

EDIT: oh who am I kidding *flash*

The Human Centipede

Associate Professor Neal King recommended this movie to me after witnessing my paper at last month's Gender, Bodies and Technology conference. The Human Centipede depicts an insane doctor's attempt to make... well, exactly what the title says: a human centipede.

Warning: you should not watch this trailer if you: a) have a weak stomach; or b) are troubled by the expression "eat shit." Think The Island of Doctor Moreau (1896) meets Saw (2004).





I warned you!

Now that I'm back (mentally, as well as physically) from my US travels this blog should be getting a bit more lively once more. I have a bunch of posts coming up involving examples of the Traditional Grotesque found in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It is a genuine treasure trove for the groteskologist.

Also, as I will be writing the introduction to my thesis in the next few months, I will be posting a bit about early writings on the topic. Everyone from Ruskin to Montaigne has had a crack at the grotesque, so there are quite a few interesting essays to look through.

Bulgy Bodies

Another entry in the 'Gross Science' category. This boxed collection features books from the Horrible Science series, including such titles as Disgusting Digestion, Chemical Chaos, and Bulging Brains.




















I find it fascinating that this kind of imagery is used to teach scientific principles. It's as though science is viewed as such a 'boring' subject that it requires an extreme grotesque makeover to hold a child's attention.

This preemptive strategy is somewhat disturbing. Not only because of the attitude towards science it suggests, but the bloodthirsty vision of children it seems to convey. The last time I saw this much gore I was watching My Bloody Valentine. Then again, perhaps these books operate in the spirit of realism, by refusing to conceal life's "squishy bits"?

There is a related book and TV series called Horrible Histories which I am more familiar with. Slightly less gory, but always presenting history in terms of weirdness and grotesquery. This is the live-action version:





There is also a cartoon version of Horrible Histories, which is the one I've seen on TV here in Australia:



I haven't heard of a Horrible Science TV show as yet. Be sure to let me know if you find one!

Eyes Up

Have you ever had the experience of being in the middle of an interesting discussion with someone, perhaps about Roland Barthes or the 19th century novel, only to look up and find them staring at your chest?

If you answered no; you are probably a man.

Female scholars of the world must surely rejoice at this new invention:





All jokes aside, Marion makes a fair point. It is difficult to have a serious conversation with someone when you feel as though their attention is elsewhere. Not only is it irritating, but it makes you doubt their level of commitment to the topic at hand. Luckily the gentlemen I have the good fortune of engaging with are vastly superior on this front (no pun intended).

When it comes to making a statement about sexism, misogyny and the female body, I have to say it is a close race between the forehead breasts and the bra below:




In the "Look at them then, you pig" stakes this is quite impressive. Nothing like wearable taxidermy to keep 'the gaze' at bay.

Perhaps I should reconsider my wardrobe for the next conference paper. Can't be too subtle, you know.


[Via Crappy Taxidermy (thanks Tammy) and Jezebel]

The Poo Shoe

I vaguely remember promising more grossness on this blog.

How about heels made from elephant dung?






These lovely items, designed by Insa, have resulted in the inevitable flurry of 'crappy shoe' jokes. I like to think they were intended to operate as an ironic commentary on consumerism and the fashion industry's exploitation of workers in developing countries.

Apparently these shitty heels are part of an exhibition called Bring The Noise which runs at the Tate Britain from March 14th to March 21st. If you live in London, you should definitely go check them out. Maybe wear a nose peg or something.



Perth has its benefits, but I'm really wishing I lived in London right now.


[Via InventorSpot and Trendhunter]

Grotesque Collector

This short animation by Dimitri Kozma popped up today on one of my regular keyword searches for 'grotesque' on YouTube.

"Besides the bizarre factor, the animation was created with a second layer of interpretation as a critical appreciation of the superfluous and disposable."

The scatological aspect of grotesqueness has been sadly lacking in this blog since my early posting about gross science. I apologise, and hereby promise to provide more toilet humour in future.

Happy Thursday!

Gross Science

I find it interesting that adults designing 'educational' science/human body related material for children very often use grotesqueness or the 'gross out' as a framing discourse. These clips exhibit this tendency quite well I think.

This is a Canadian kids TV show called "Grossology"... speaks for itself really.







And below, a special 'gross out and learn' event. I'm not sure where or when it was, but it sure looks fun. I also love the phrase "the impolite science of the human body."