Showcase

Self-efficacy (SE) involves perceptions of one’s abilities and talents. Psychologist Albert Bandura first used the term within his social cognitive theory of children’s behavior. However, SE persists throughout the entire lifespan, and is relevant to ... any goal, challenge, or life decision made, with multiple different aspects. Read more

In this essay, I identify what makes abject art so uniquely effective in connecting with an audience and expressing complex themes. Knut Asdam's Untitled: Pissing from 1995 breaks down the hollowness of toxic masculinity through loss of control. Ana ... Mendieta's Body Tracks from 1982 uses performance to critique the normalization of violence, and the product of the performance to imply the horrific violence against women. Ron Athey's 4 Scenes in a Harsh Life from 1994 uses piercing art and the spilling of blood to express the struggle with addiction along with reclaiming queer identity through religious themes. Marina Abramovic's Rhythm series from the 70's expresses the tensions between apathy towards self and sole trust in oneself and the work visualizes the cruelty that is experienced on both sides of the spectrum. Together, these artists use an intense art form to reveal systems of oppression that are not easily understood otherwise. The product of abject art is an audience that is left to grapple with their disgust at not only the content of the art, but the implication it draws in relation to how people experience their culture. Key Words: abject art, physical, visceral, performance, Marina Abramovic, Ron Athey, Ana Mendieta, Knut Asdam Read more