than their direct “meaning”, Benn transforms a story about decay to one
of human suffering and the apathy of nature to one species over another.
I used to be ashamed of liking the poetry of Gottfried Benn and would
never mention him amongst a list of recommended poets. I did not
want my enjoyment of his disturbing poems to reflect on my character,
even though I was just as sickened by his images as anyone else. My
complicated emotions towards “ugly art” are clearer to me now because
I accept the draw of art that resists a simple reading. The challenge of
bypassing the initial reaction of disgust in order to discover a message
which touches upon some darker aspect of humanity is both exciting and
rewarding. Benn’s skill is not found in his word choice, but in the way his
narratives flow to create an emotion and a metaphorical message. Even
though Benn is expressing a truth that many would rather avoid, his art
has the power to make people understand why people acted in such a
despicable way. In spreading this awareness through “ugly art” which
separates words from their exact meanings to tell a bigger story, Benn
can teach people about the tendencies of human nature so that they can
avoid falling into the same habits. Knowing that the draw towards “ugly”
art is natural and even important, I feel that I can assist Benn and share
my love of his poetry with others. Embracing the harsh realities of the
world makes it much easier to surpass them.
References
Bernstein, J. (1991) The Death of Sensuous Particulars, Retrieved from http://
www.radicalphilosophy.com/article/the-death-of-sensuous-particulars
Höcker, A. (2013) Brainless: Scientific Observation and Literary Writing in
Gottfried Benn. Monatshefte, 105(3), 458-471. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.
org/stable/24549810
Hohendahl, P. (2005) Aesthetic Violence: The Concept of the Ugly in Adorno’s
“Aesthetic Theory”. Cultural Critique, (60), 170-196. Retrieved from http://www.
jstor.org/stable/4489213
Matravers, D. (2013) Introducing Philosophy of Art: In Eight Case Studies,
Durham: Acumen.
Schultz, H. (1959) German Expressionism: 1905-1925. Chicago Review, 13(1),
8-24. doi:10.2307/25293491
19