Why are young children intrigued by tools of violence? Swords, guns, bombs, and tanks have been carefully de-contextualised in the playing realm, with the human presence component taken apart by manufacturers in order to make these signifiers acceptable. The same process unravels in mass media’s violence consumption, where serial killers’ fans communities hardly pay any attention to their victims’ pain. This process entails a consumption of the image of the criminal as a cruel idol that is not subject to our moral rules. Individuals thus contemplate violence to ponder the sublime, as argued by Oriana Binik, in the attempt to learn where the limits of the moral and ethical rules stand and what could be found on the other side.
In my illustrations and 3D models, I explore this paradox by blending grunge style and noise texture with vibrant pop colors, creating a strong visual contrast. The knives and other tools of violence in my work are designed with impossible shapes, adding an element of surrealism that challenges the viewer's perception. These stylistic choices serve to deconstruct the familiar symbols of violence, pushing the boundaries of aesthetic and ethical contemplation.
