Thursday 25 September 2014

Discovering Franz Kafka Writings And Kafkaesque Art

By Karina Frost


Kafka was a major figure in his day. His writings include several well known publications. Two of these being The Trial and The Metamorphosis. While these are two of his most well known works, he left behind a large body of work at the time of his death. In fact, much of his other works have since been published posthumously. A number of artists have now incorporated images from his writings into work known as kafkaesque art.

Most of his work expresses concerns about current events, one being the rapid growth of capitalism and corporate greed. Franz may very well have been a writer ahead of his time. Or, one which could have provided a great deal of insight as to how the world would be in the future. Whatever the case, kafkaesque is a label that has now been given to artwork by a number of artists who paint or create photographic images based on his writings.

Kafka seems to portray a world in which God is dead, if present at all, with the individual on trial for crimes in a past life. The trial, to survive the world which has become void of purpose or meaning. Regardless of beliefs, individuals can still find references to religious and spiritual aspects in his work.

Current events and concerns about the future figured prominently in the writings of Kafka. He believed, or at least portrayed a belief that the world was void of meaning and purpose. As a result of this belief, the writer provided an ideology that most societies are less than hospitable in most situations.

Born to a middle class German Jewish family in Prague, at that time the capital of Bohemia, he was both Austrian and Hungarian. While his first language was German, he was also fluent in Czech. Still, his dialect and vocabulary was primarily German which came across both in oral and written interactions.

Kafka became quite ill in 1917, he later received a diagnosis of tuberculosis. Tuberculosis is an illness that requires a great deal of ongoing convalescent care whether in a home or rehabilitation center. After years of treatment, he later moved to Berlin. It was in Berlin where the writer fell in love with a young Jewish girl. Being he was a Germanic Jew, her mother had reservations but liked Kafka so with the blessing of the young girl's mother, the two were married.

With some artists, anxiety and depression are inspiring conditions. While this is the case, it is both good and bad for the success of artistic works. The writings of Kafka often provide dark horrific images and surreal scenes. Images which can often evoke either a positive or negative reaction.

Franz, like many artists, suffered a serious mental illness. Whether this illness only included those diagnosed as anxiety and depression, or something more severe is unknown. Though, it certainly seems to some in the mental health profession that the ongoing darkness and images he painted with words may also have indicated the presence of schizophrenia.




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