Dazed currently features a fascinating article on ero guro nansensu, the erotic Japanese art movement. If translates as “Erotic grotesque nonsense.” The work of Suerhiro Maruo, Junuji Ito and Takato Yamamoto are named as three artists who are bringing vitality to a movement that originated in the 1860’s, and had resurgences in the 1920’s and the 1960’s.
So, what’s bringing ero guro back to the forefront? According to the article,
possibly 2016’s mix of violence and consumerism. After all, although ero guro is far from wholly progressive, the movement is a form of critique and resistance against
state-sanctioned conservative values. Early on, women’s liberation and queer
visibility were common themes addressed both favorably and unfavorably by the
movement.
In Western culture, bro guro has been thought to have influenced the movies Videodrome, Dead Ringers, Crash, Hellraiser, and American Psycho.
Sociologists continue to argue the role of ero guro. Will ero guro stand as resistance
against religious fundamentalism, radical extremism, and political correctness?
From DazedDigital:
Ero guro nansensu, or ero guro for short, is not only a literary and artistic movement, but an attitude and a philosophy. It was the poltergeist of д20s and д30s Japanеs snarling, restless hedonism, a manifestation of its fascination with the erotic, the perverse, the corrupt, and the bizarre. Itеs not horror or pornography, although it can contain those elements it often provides searing social commentary and itеs much easier to exemplify than explain. Common refrains are bondage, mutilation, and monstrosity often at the same time.
The movementеs defining moment was 1936еs Abe Sada Incident, when a failed geisha-turned-prostitute strangled her lover to death during sex, cut off his genitals, and carried them around in her kimono. One of its most famous short stories, written by ero guro godfather Edogawa Ranpo, involves a deaf, mute, and dumb quadriplegic war veteran whose wife is duty-bound to act as his nursemaid and sex slave until she snaps and tortures him. Itеs called The Caterpillar.
Today, Western audiences will best recognize bro guro in Flying Lotusе Youеre Dead! album, whose cover and liner notes are covered with exploding faces, defecting spinal cords, and auto-vivisecting babes by ero guro artist Shintaro Kago. The movement continues to thrive in Japanese art and film, as well as pockets of international pop culture like American Mary and Moebius. We celebrate its indelible cultural impact with a look at its history.
Read more at DazedDigital…