Perfection seems to be outdated. We are no longer drawn to straight lines and smooth geometries, high-resolution photos, or immaculate white spaces in the white cube. The fascination with the ugly seems to have captivated everyone: from fashion trends going to extremes on TikTok to art that increasingly embraces urban spaces and brutalist aesthetics. There appears to be a shift in favor of imperfection, which is becoming more pronounced on social media. Consider the photo-dump carousels featuring poorly taken shots and even hospital photos, especially by celebrities. But why are we so drawn to imperfection? One aspect to consider is the need to return to an authentic and truthful language after years of meticulously crafted images. The second aspect is more psychological and raw. In a way, we can define this as the era of decay, or rather, disillusionment brought about by a precarious condition that makes it difficult for the younger generations to fulfill themselves easily. Perhaps, therefore, we accept the ugly in others and ourselves, and in the world in general, because we are aware of an impending socio-cultural decline. This is reflected in new TikTok trends that encourage “rotting in bed” and, more broadly, in embracing idleness. Think of #bedrotting, lazy girl jobs, or the term Goblin mode. We find ourselves in an age of squalor that says a lot about us.
@virginradiotoronto The word of the year for 2022 is… #goblinmode ♬ original sound – VirginRadioToronto
This is not the first time in history that the rediscovery of the ugly, or more broadly, a period of disillusionment, has occurred, often after major tragedies, as seen in the post-World War II period with the Avant-garde movements. In the eighteenth century, there was also a reflection on the concept of ugliness. We recall a quote by Jean-Baptiste Du Bos that reflects on the idea that “an emotion can be aroused more intensely by what in art causes displeasure.”
Towards a deviant aesthetic
In the art world, all of this is reflected in a pessimistic and raw aesthetic, as seen in the growing popularity of the cyberpunk movement, especially in terms of social rebellion. Curators and gallery owners are increasingly choosing urban or abandoned locations for exhibitions. A branch of art is turning to a rediscovery of brutalism, placing meaning above aesthetics. The pursuit of pristine perfection is being replaced by the need to address current and contemporary issues such as identity crisis, social disintegration, and environmental problems through a language that reflects them. Art, especially installation and performance art, aims to shock the audience, confronting them with reality through a very direct language.
For example, a frame from the drama The Parents’ Room (2021), presented at the Venice Biennale last year by Diego Marcon (Busto Arsizio, 1985). Marcon, one of the most intriguing Italian artists of the current generation, creates enigmatic dramas in which he envisions a new humanity plagued by profound moral uncertainties and trapped in endlessly repeating distressing actions. His works are disturbing, with the monstrous masks worn by the actors contrasting with the dramatic narrative, creating discomfort in the viewer.
Another example is Ambra Castagnetti (1993, Genoa), who was also part of the Venice Biennale in 2022. According to Elisa Carollo’s text for the Quadriennale di Roma, for the artist, «The work of art, as a cultural product, becomes a tool to speak about this relationship, in works that appear as debris of a dystopian future and remnants of a past utopia.» Castagnetti’s sculptures, installations, videos, and performances emerge from the need to reflect «on the existential and political dimension of the body in the world.»
It’s worth mentioning the MRZB collective, which initially looked at the byproducts of global consumerism. MRZB’s work starts from marginal and underground places; their studio/shack is constructed from reclaimed materials in a peripheral area of Turin. Today, «the work presents itself as a post-post-modern pastiche of trash, glam, gothic, pulp, horror, and hardcore aesthetics,» as described in Alessandra Franetovich’s text for the Quadriennale di Roma. «The margin is thus a real point of comparison, but it also takes on the features of a narrative artifice to address historical issues of marginalization, where the figures of the clown, the mannequin, fetish objects, and horrific situations stage a theater of masks that speaks of being a freak, the fragility, and the fragmentation of existence today.»
Conceptual Design with Little Functionality in Urban Environments
Even in the world of design, particularly collectibles, there is a growing trend towards organic and imperfect forms rather than the preference for rigidity and cold materials like steel or glass. While design has always been focused on serving a specific function, today it leans more towards recycling and repurposing, favoring the creation of irregular objects and using raw materials. The urban and decadent aesthetic is also gaining popularity in interior design. Consider, for example, the choice of materials that increasingly includes expanded polyurethane or melted recycled plastic. Here are some examples.
The ugly shoe trend, ugly chic, and the genesis of the trend that encourages us to “rot in bed”
words by Anna Frattini
From the ugly shoe trend to the fascination with wrinkled clothing, numerous trends promote the aesthetics of the ugly. TikTok hosts many trends in this direction, from #feralgirlsummer to #ratgirlsummer, and even the “Rotting in Bed” trend, which reflects a reaction to the hyperactivity in our daily lives, both in work and leisure. In the world of fashion, think of Miuccia Prada’s ugly chic, which has found beauty in the ugly with her Prada and MiuMiu collections. This revolution has long influenced women’s fashion and seems to be a timeless trend.
Specifically, the “Rotting in Bed” trend encourages us to reflect on the necessity of staying in bed and finding peace in doing nothing. It represents near-total immobilism, almost akin to the concept of Goblin mode, “unrepentantly self-indulgent, lazy, sloppy, or greedy behavior that rejects social norms and expectations.” This expression was even chosen as the Oxford English Dictionary‘s word of the year in 2022, and we can see it reflected in many of Julia Fox‘s looks, one of the most controversial personalities in recent years.
