The Abject and its Subliminal Relationship to The Sublime
All of existence is to do with repression. This is not to be confused with oppression or suppression. While oppression is caused by external elements, suppression is the act of refusing to give in to impulses at a conscious level. Repression, however, is beyond human control, since it occurs at an unconscious level and many a time, the owner is utterly oblivious to such thoughts. These unfelt emotions later manifest themselves in the form of abjection. The irony of this coping mechanism is that it causes strong negative emotions of disgust and revulsion towards an activity or object when seen removed from the self, without realising that these emotions are serving the purpose of being outlets for unconscious jealousy. This jealousy stems from the fact that onlookers themselves would like to indulge in those abject situations but are unable to consciously do so.
The term ‘abject’ has existed in dictionaries for centuries, but it is only in the 16th century that it assumed its present meaning, which degraded the word and its usage. That is particularly surprising considering the epistemological origin of the word. The word originated from the Latin word “abicere” meaning to cast away or rebuff. The term was further brought into common usage because of Julia Kristeva’s writings on the notions of abjection. This belief begins right at the early stages of infancy when the child begins to separate itself from the mother, before moving on to being puzzled by the reflection of itself on a mirror. This phase is known as the “mirror stage”. This confusion that is caused by the reflection, though not as obvious as the former, is also a subtle form of abjection. The association of the reflection to the self, to the notion of “I” as mentioned by Kristeva, does not occur immediately. Slowly as the child grows up, the mind begins to use the abject as a defence mechanism.
Everything that is outside human understanding, or those that the mind would rather not confront, is masked by the idea of abjection. This includes everything that threatens the mind’s false sense of security, such as bodily fluids, which when secreted, forcefully serve as a reminder that the human body is not a safe space with definite boundaries. This quality of abjection, at a later stage in life, can also be termed “judicious rejection” or “disapproval”. It is this disapproval that then becomes more pronounced in the form of the abject. The abject can range from revulsion towards everyday occurrences such as phlegm, menstrual blood, vomit, semen, et cetera, to more “uncommon” occurrences such as bestiality, sexual intercourse between people of the same gender, or even incestuous relationships. This feeling begins its manifestation early on and then continues to flourish all throughout a person’s life. It remains constant, even if it does not increase. Research into this phenomenon would lead the reader to the uncanny, which then raises questions about the differences between the abject and the uncanny. The uncanny, according to Freud’s “On Creativity and the Unconscious”, is said to be everything that “undoubtedly belongs to all that is terrible and to all that arouses dread and creeping horror.” He also goes on to mention that one then wonders about the “peculiar quality” that is intrinsic within the uncanny, is what allows us to “distinguish as uncanny certain things within the boundaries of what is fearful” and by extension, abject. Most of Freud’s opinions on this subject seem to have been observations, based on a paper written by E. Jentsch. In this document, Jentsch talks about the uncanny and the obstacle that it faces due to the varying sensitivities of people towards it. This however, may not be the case for the abject, mainly because the abject is governed by the surroundings and the circumstances of an area, over a specific period. The abject originates from the desire for societal approval which spurs the human mind, both consciously and unconsciously, towards collective agreement on what is acceptable and what is not. This leaves little room for questions and personal choices. However, unlike the abject, in the case of the uncanny, it is difficult to find any two people who consider the same instance to be uncanny.
Upon investigation into the origin of the meaning of the two words, it is seen that both the uncanny and the abject incite similar reactions of extreme fear within the mind, but instead of causing repulsion, the uncanny causes the mind to recollect something inexplicable, something that is long buried under layers of new memories and thoughts. It takes the mind’s owner to a primal state, which was once very familiar. Therefore, if one were to pause to understand the uncanny, one comes to the realisation that there is only one thing that truly terrifies the human mind and that is the fear of the unknown. Shadows, due to the lack of features, darkness, due to sensory deprivation, newness, due to the lack of a priori knowledge, all have their roots in the fact that they are unknown and therefore, seemingly incomprehensible. But, though the uncanny in its truest definition is not unknown, just forgotten, it still manages to terrify, for that very reason. Interestingly however, the mind does not react the same way to everything that is new or unfamiliar. Jentsch summarizes this by saying that the “essential factor in the production of the feeling of uncanniness to intellectual uncertainty; so that the uncanny would always be that in which one does not know where one is, as it were.” He also, introduces a word “Heimlich”, which when used in different contexts means the exact same as its opposite, though the word itself means “familiar and congenial” and “Unheimlich” which is supposed to mean the opposite, means concealed and kept out of sight. Heimlich is then actually a word, which “develops towards an ambivalence and finally coincides with its opposite.” It is ambiguous and therefore, serves as the right adjective to describe the uncanny, which is unique to the person who experiences it.
When one talks about things that terrify, the discussion is incomplete without the mention of the sublime. The sublime, like the abject and the uncanny, terrifies the human mind beyond understanding. However, as seen in the case of the formerly mentioned definitions, the sublime too has a peculiar feature that distinguishes it from the uncanny and the abject. The sublime, along with extreme fear, is also a display of extreme beauty. In this world, it is truly difficult to find something that is purely sublime. The word sublime has been wrongly used to describe scenes and sights that merely possess immense beauty. Beauty, if it does not terrify the onlooker, is just beautiful. In fact, in comparison to the sublime, it may even seem mundane. Sublime is that which makes the spectators question the very purpose of their existence. It makes them feel as if that moment is the very end of their being and that they are nothing more than just a minute, unimportant speck in the abyss. It causes feelings of deep insignificance. Interestingly however, it has the most distinctly different characteristics, as compared to the abject and the uncanny. Unfortunately, the sublime, for a very long time, has been and continues to be associated with mere aesthetics. The sublime is much more than just that, but it is not taken as seriously as the abject and the uncanny due to its misinterpreted definition. Immanuel Kant describes it as “the encounter between the “I” and that which has the capacity to annihilate it completely”. It scares the mind, because the mind perceives extreme beauty as something that is unbeatable. In relation to the mind, it is guarded against this fear by the feeling of abjection, as stated earlier. The feeling of abject is in turn controlled by the pleasure principle, which controls the ID. Similarly, the notion of sublimity is controlled by the reality principle, which governs the ego. Both these theories play an important role in the relationship between the abject and the sublime.
The mind can be divided into and is governed by the Ego, ID and Super-ego. Freud, in his book, “The Ego and the ID”, talks about the need to understand the ego as it “can be unconscious in the proper sense of the word.” Understanding the ego is of utmost importance in the study of the human psyche as it influences the mind in its understanding of the world. The ego is driven by the reality principle. This principle guides the ego into making decisions that are founded on the reality of the external world. It is an informed decision that has been made after assessing the possible risks that the decision(s) may entail. This is the balancing force to the ID, which is driven by the pleasure principle. The pleasure principle as the name suggests, only seeks pleasure without thought about the direct consequences of fulfilling those desires. An ideal situation would be an equal combination of these two principles. The feeling of abject, as mentioned earlier, is a result of the pleasure principle. While the principle causes the mind to seek out desires that are often irrational, it could also mean that it influences the mind into actively avoiding everything that might cause pain and suffering. This evasion could be in the form of revulsion, repulsion, disgust, or in broader terms, abjection. Similarly, the reality principle works to force the mind of the gravity of any action and the consequences of choice. This is, therefore, the force behind the simultaneous feelings of terror and beauty that is associated with the sublime. The terror stems from the stark reality that is seen by the viewer and is triggered by the ego. This is rather interesting as something that is beautiful is perceived as pleasurable by the ID, whereas, the ego begins to draw attention to the magnitude of the situation, thereby causing extreme fear. This fear is a form of self-preservation. As this fear is felt, the attention is diverted towards the fear, away from the cause of it. Once the focus is on the feeling itself, the pleasure principle causes the mind to react with yet another feeling, that of acute abjection. Thus, though it may seem that the ID is kept within bounds by the ego, in truth, the ID helps in diverting the mind away from reality. When reality is given excess attention, it can lead to feelings of depression and insignificance and eventually, even insanity. Absolute reality, when experienced without the influence of ID, is as terrible as exclusive pleasure without any pain.
Among the two feelings mentioned above, abjection is felt almost every day. Sublime, however, falls on the opposite end of the spectrum and people can go through lives entirely without having experienced it even once. Interestingly however, the feeling of sublime can be induced through several other mediums and serves as one of the most explored themes in art. This is seen in specimens starting from the Baroque period, all the way to Modern art. A fine example would be Joseph Mallord William Turner’s watercolours which often use elements that constitute the sublime. He uses water and luminescence to suggest all that constitutes the sub of the sublime. Here, the sub is everything that is beneath, “beneath the horizon, beneath the water and beneath paint.”[8] Turner’s paintings, which are both sublime and subliminal, have a transformative effect on the viewer. “Fishermen at Sea” was Turner’s first painting to be hung at the Royal Academy. Though this painting did not follow the rules of lighting strictly, with one light source and two spots of reflection, its visual quality attracted the viewers’ attention in ways that a “scientifically correct” painting would not have. This approval from the audience might have also been an unconscious pull towards the quality of sublime that the painting projects.
The painting is a visual oxymoron mainly due to its quality of ‘visible darkness’. It successfully treads a very thin line between luminescence and obscurity. At first, the painting is merely a spectacular display of skill and finesse. But as one spends time with the work, they sense a growing unease. They can see just enough of the boats to feel the surging upheaval of the water, while the rest of the painting retains the blackness of night, causing a combination of dread and terror that precedes foreboding. The next feeling is that of impending doom. Then gradually, this escalates to a point up to which the audience begin to experience the terror that is characteristic of the sublime.
But aside from the emotions it evokes, it is also an aesthetic treat. ‘Fisherman at Sea’ is a master attempt at evoking the feeling of sublime within the audience. The lighting that is a constant in Turner’s paintings is a part of his attempts at representing the sublime within the constraints of a canvas. Another element is the portrayal of the sea, for it provided the space for “aesthetic invention and experiments.”Similar to the efforts made to capture the sublime, the abject has also been a constant focus in the art world. Amongst several other works, ‘Loop My Loop’ that was created in the early nineties by Helen Chadwick is particularly fascinating. A thought-provoking feature of abject art is that though it repulses, it also awes. It makes the audience secretly wonder if this is something they would attempt to do and also to question the necessity of their self-imposed boundaries. There are several other artworks that explore similar topics with almost the same materials such as “Chicken Knickers”, “Tongue and Groove, Always Goes Down Well”, both by Sarah Lucas.
There is sense of acute abjection coupled with the familiarity of the everyday. Meat is a particularly useful medium as it has the capacity to disgust with its raw and exposed form. It is also a metaphor for human nature, which is constantly masked under false pretences and sophistication, whereas, it is repulsive and dirty. Chadwick’s work is visually appealing and does not cause any form of abjection up until the point when the viewers realise that the thick translucent tubes are pig intestines, intertwined with blonde hair. The work is presented in the form of a photograph and this effectively serves to act as a filter between the slimy intestines and the audiences’ sensibilities. This work talks about the notions of love, affection and purity coupled with the primal, animalistic tendencies of human nature. Though the message is straightforward, the medium used to represent it is what makes the work stand out. There is an irony about the aesthetic appeal of the abject, that comes with ignorance, that holds a fascination for audiences.
It is the desire to respond to this incongruity that attracted the writer of this text in the making of her artwork – “A Table for 12 at 2 pm.” This work is a video installation of a gourmet meal that was made using 12 bodily secretions, plated and served in a manner of exaggerated sophistication. The video has a pink hue that adds to the aesthetic of it, but also makes the audience question its purpose. In addition to this, all the props used in the video are arranged in a symmetrical manner and thereby contributing to the aura of simplicity that is a defining characteristic of the work. The video is a part of a larger installation that invites the audience to cook their own gourmet meal with the labelled ingredients that are set upon a table, with the video in the background, along with a recipe that instructs the participants in the making process. Here again, the abjection is felt only when the medium is revealed. This leads back to how the feeling of abjection is purely a coping mechanism, an outlet for jealousy. These feelings manifest only after when the association is made. Therefore, abjection is not to with the visual itself, but rather, comes with the apperception of repressed feelings and desires, as mentioned earlier.
In this artwork, the artist tries to convey the close dependency in the relationship between the feeling of the sublime and the abject. The artwork, at first, is pleasing to the eye and then leads to the feeling of abjection, which after passing, moves on to the feeling to terror. This terror, though might seem to be, is not caused due to the sublime quality of the work, but rather because the brain failed to recognise the origins of the work’s medium and shun it at the very first instance. It is also due to the realisation of the fact that apart from the lack of ‘appropriate response’, the brain also, evidently, enjoyed seeing and experiencing the artwork. This chain of actions and reactions causes the mind, the unconscious, fear that it will be exposed, along with its repressed desires and wants. Therefore, the next immediate response is that of repugnance. Thus, the mind travels from feeling of fascination, wonderment, fear, terror and repulsion within mere minutes to finally settle on the abject. The final follow-up to the feeling of repugnance is to remove oneself from the subject, both physically and mentally. Without the cause close at hand, the intensity of the feelings lessens greatly, but the feelings of abjection remain. Both the principles of reality and pleasure play important role, of varying capacities, in this quick yet, intense process of shifting emotions. Thus, the feelings of abjection and sublime remain in the human mind as vital aspects of support. This support mechanism is the fulcrum on which a man balances his existence.
References-
[1] Arya, Rina; Barrett Estelle; Butler Rex; Chare Nicholas; Creed Barbara; Donaldson A. D. S; Hoorn Jeanette; Lechte John; Mey Krestin; Thomas Calvin; Alphen Van Ernst, Wark Jayne; Watt Daniel; Abject Visions: Power of Art and Horror in Visual Culture; Edited by Rina Arya and Nicholas Chare; Oxford University Press, 2016; Accessed on 23/10/18, <https://books.google.com.sg/books?id=6hupDgAAQBAJ&pg=PT31&dq=abject&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiRnLn_xJveAhVaOSsKHcbbDO8Q6AEISTAG#v=onepage&q&f=false>
[2] Stanford Encyclopaedia of Philosophy, “Jacques Lacan”, revised on July 10, 2018, Accessed on 8 November 2018, https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/lacan/
[3] Kristeva, Julia; The Powers of Horror; Columbia University; 1982
[4] Freud, Sigmund; The Unconscious; London; Penguin; 2005; Pg:36
[5] Freud Sigmund; On Creativity and the Unconscious”; HarperCollins Publishers; New York; 2009; Pg.: 122- 162
[6] Jentsch, Ernst; ‘Zur Psychologie des Unheimlichen’; 1906
[7] Freud Sigmund; The Ego and the ID; Martino Publishing; USA; 2010; Pg., 19-20
[8] Monks Sarah, ‘Suffer a Sea-Change’: Turner, Painting, Drowning’; The Art of Sublime; Tate Research Publications, Published January 2013, Accessed on 11 Nov. 18, https://www.tate.org.uk/art/research-publications/the-sublime/sarah-monks-suffer-a-sea-change-turner-painting-drowning-r1136832
[9] Monks Sarah, ‘Suffer a Sea-Change’: Turner, Painting, Drowning’; The Art of Sublime; Tate Research Publications, Published January 2013, Accessed on 11 Nov. 18, https://www.tate.org.uk/art/research-publications/the-sublime/sarah-monks-suffer-a-sea-change-turner-painting-drowning-r1136832