Michitaka Kohno, Curator Yamaguchi Prefectural Museum of Art
Klauke! Grotesque! Fantastic!
Hermaphrodite Image of Jürgen Klauke
English translation by Yuko HASHIMOTO
"The grotesque body, ... , is a body in the act of becoming. It is never finished, never completed; it is continually built, created, and builds and creates another body." Mikhail Bakhtin(1)
"..As soon as angels finish singing a hymn in front of the God after being generated at each moment of the genesis they newly form numberless groups, they cease to exist and melt into nihility..." Walter Benjamin(2)
As students in the gallery on the opposite side of the street quickly noticed Jurgen KLAUKE who was heading to a restaurant to have lunch with us, they began to shout excitingly in turns, "Klauke!" While, he responded to them with a cheerful dry voice, "Ho!" , shrugging his shoulders as if he was surprised in a strained manner. Yet, he did not take the trouble to look back at them but went away by sticking up his hand.
This is an episode I came across when I visited KLAUKE's atelier in Koln so as to talk about his exhibition. Despite of his fashion, wearing pointed black boots and having a snake tattooed on his left arm, he was friendly enough to welcome us with gentlemanlike reception. He entertained us warmly at a reception room installed with a leopard-pattern-sofa (!), and our casual conversations began as he asked us "...so, how was things going on in Frankfurt?" while he served us glasses of cold drinks. In fact, we had to stay overnight in Frankfurt after the long flight from Japan the day before.
When I honestly explained him how I was surprised at a view never seen in Japan, many junkies gathering in front of the central station, KLAUKE instantly frowned and said "Oh!", then, suddenly, he opened his arms wide, stared at me in a dramatic way, and shouted "Fantastic!" Loud laughter exploded among us because of his jokingly exaggerated gesture. The moment his humorous voice "Fantastic!" which did not deny nor confirm junkies on the streets roared in the room, the stiff mood of our first meeting was wiped out and conversations became more natural.
What I wish to focus upon in this text is hermaphrodite image KLAUKE worked on in the 1970's for the purpose of clarifying the features of his achievements. In a sense, such an attempt is quite similar to the intention of his speech and conduct as abovesaid.
***
In each of the eight panels that compose "Home Game" (cat. #37), the work included in the series "Sunday Neuroses" (1990-1992) , there is depicted upon the bluish dark ground a lonely woman wearing plain black dress. It is not only her who appears in the scene; the other is a man. Female figures in the two tall panels of which height reaches 260 cm represent the pose suggestive of meditation, while, others stand straight and offer hermaphrodite image for the sake of being united with men.
Since male figure is also dressed black, deprived of individuality and his face hidden behind the woman's costume and shadow, the only personality confirmed in the scene is her clear-cut white face. Yet, light does not cast entirely upon it. Because her characteristic is replaced with the striking comparison between light and darkness, even we happen to know that the couple is KLAUKE and his fiancee(3), it seems to us as if she symbolizes the general image of fair sex. In addition, due to their enhanced pose quite simple and geometrical, it is recognized here no mere private desire but the unification of universal man and woman, in other words, the universal dream of love, or the desire of both sexes to be united.
We may now call to our mind how HERMAPHRODITES was born as referred to in the text "Metamorphose." OVIDIUS elegantly describes the episode of beautiful HERMAPHRODITES being embraced by force by SALMACIS, the nymph who fell in love with him, who "entwined herself around him like a snake," as follows.
"...their two bodies were mingled and joined, and they put the appearance of one; just as, if someone puts branches through a tree's bark, he sees them joined as they grow and maturing together, so, when their bodies had come together in a clinging embrace, they were not two, but they had a dual form that could be said to be neither woman nor boy, they seemed to be neither and both..."(4)
The two figures depicted in "Home Game" are too, united inside the woman's dress likewise "branches through a tree's bark."
Hence, love can be defined, as follows.
"...love is the most complete relationship between two humans with the view of incorporating sexually intermixed two lives into a new body. It is the desire to be melt thoroughly into one, together with one's lover, that is, the wish to give birth to a new life by means of unification..."(5)
In this sense, the most sophisticated static hermaphrodite image noticed in "Home Game" may be explained as "no mere sexual unification" but the visual enhancement of "the most complete relationship between two humans," or the desire of perfect love, as sacred illusion.
Let us now peep into "tree's bark" that hides the reality of hermaphrodite image of "Home Game."
As we view KLAUKE's early works in the 1970's, especially drawings worked on almost everyday in those days(6), we can easily notice how much he adhered to the theme "sexual unification of bodies." Various images of incorporated bodies and sexual organs seen in them (figs. 1, 2, 3) let us recall to our mind grostesquerie of "mere incorporation of sexually intermixed two lives" and mingled bodies of both sexes standardized by complicated codes in our daily life.
Yet, just as the source of grotesque image of body is searched in “showing two bodies in one"(7), the intermix of two opposing issues confronting on both sides of the unchangeable borderline in our daily life should be, indeed, fundamentals of "grotesquerie." If this is true, hermaphrodite image is always nothing but grotesquerie.
Leslie FIEDLER, the author of the text "Freaks" (1978), comments on hermaphrodite that to both sexes, real hermaphrodite is the most grotesque existence among all sideshow freaks, in other words, "dual monster" more dreadful than anything. Hence, even today when unisex is gaining positive understanding, nude or seminude image of hermaphrodite makes the viewers shiver due to hatred feeling and terror, while, let them ridicule on the sly for the purpose of healing their mind.(8)
When the intermix of two issues believed to be apparently different, for instance sexual unification of man and woman, is presented as visual image or reality, hermaphrodite is put on the fringe as grotesque freak and becomes the target to be mocked at owing to its frightful appearance.
In real example of hermaphrodite image, such as "Hermaphrodites and Salmacis" (fig. 4) by MABUSE, a painter active in the early 16th century, it is largely depicted the state of the two before transformation but already twined together, while, hermaphrodite born after their unification is painted in the corner as if it is an addition. Moreover, it is never elegant, far from what we can imagine from OVIDIUS's description. Rather, it is expressed as Siamese-twin-like image (fig. 5) as seen in the text "Animals, Monsters, and Prodigies" (by Ambroise PARE, 1573), a sort of encyclopedia of freaks published in those days.
On the other hand, in Japan, there is found "futanari (hermaphrodite, or man with genital organs of both sexes)" (fig. 6) in "Yamai zoshi (Illustrated Scroll of Diseases and Deformities)" presumed to be edited in the late Heian or the early Kamakura Periods (the late 12th or the early 13th centuries), which let us know people's feeling toward hermaphrodite. As its title indicates, "Yamaizoshi" covers many related stories concerning diseases and "abnormality" of body. Summary of the tale of "futanari" is, as follows. "...people were quite suspicious at a drummer who seemed like a man but sometimes dressed as a woman. One night, people sneaked in the drummer's house after he went asleep, and dragged up his clothing to discover that there were genital organs of both sexes hidden underneath..."
In order to depict the "abnormal" organs of "hermaphrodite" sleeping safe without knowing anything, the painter illustratively arranged vagina underneath phallus. While, "normal" men who mock at such "abnormality" are vividly expressed; it is even possible to notice their strange feeling in which surprise, terror, and sneer are mixed. They think that "futanari" is weird and fearful, still, they cannot but stare at the double genital organs. At the same time, they wish that sexual "abnormality" is fake. However, the duality of organs they see make them shiver due to hatred feeling and terror, while, let them ridicule on the sly for the purpose of healing their mind. Here, one person ridicule, another peep and the other, "futanari" is put to sleep so sound that he does not even know that he is being ridiculed and viewed with terror, in other words, given the role to be observed and made a mockery of. The painter tries to express people's feeling toward hermaphrodite and his own puzzlement by diverse attitude of three persons.
In the remote antiquity, perhaps, due to their fearful feature, many of those really born as hermaphrodites were killed young as beings that excited God's anger. That is, if it was illusion or concept, hermaphrodite was regarded to be an elegant existence, or, sometimes, "...classical form that signify conformity of the confronting issues..." (9), yet, if real, it was hated and terrified people as much as death.
Therefore, once when we view it, we cannot but ridicule for the purpose of healing our mind so shocked by its appearance and recovering the stable borderlines.
For certain, it is possible to search such ridicule grotesquerie peculiar of hermaphrodite in KLAUKE's drawings. Although, there may be found, at the same time, a different type of laughter, that merry and cheerful, which liberates our mind, in them.
Some of hermaphrodite images appearing in KLAUKE's first dessin book "Erotographic Daily Report" (1969-1970) are the type arranging genital organs of both sexes, while, most of them are bodies with male organs and female busts. Since they are expressed by cartoonlike delicate but flat abstract lines, and lack hands and heads, human individuality is rather reduced(10). Also, despite of their distorted form and situation being restricted by a range of straight devices, their move is so light and somehow humorous.
There are bodies with double genital organs, both simply juxtaposed (figs. 7, 8), hermaphrodites whose parts of body (such as fingers, head, and shoulder) transformed into phallus (fig. 9), and images of specific objects (for example stick) turned into phallus united with vagina (fig. 10). On the other hand, variations of those with busts and phallus are worked on too; for instance those whose organs are depicted as they are (fig. 11), others with parts of their body, such as face and toes, changed into phallus (fig. 12), and examples joint with objects that are, in fact, phallus.
Since the depicted essentially have double meanings as hermaphrodite, KLAUKE’s dessins based upon the idea to let it yield a new form from association of those real are difficult to be classified and unable to be covered by types. There are examples quite untypical, for instance the most hybrid kind (fig. 13) with busts, phalluslike nose, and doglike feet in their back, and those complex. Thus, many variations of hermaphrodites are noticed.
In KLAUKE's second dessin book "Daily Sketches" (1972-1973) drawn on an account book, there appears a new hermaphrodite code (fig.13) unseen in "Erotographic Daily Report" (1969-1970). That is, so to say, "phalluslike busts" or "bustlike phallus." Perhaps, it is agglutination of images of women whose busts fettered and body extended (figs. 15, 16, 17) and sticks and fingers transformed into phallus (figs. 9, 10), both repeatedly depicted in "Erotographic Daily Report." In fact, they are like phallus and busts united in "tree's bark" as OVIDIUS described (thereafter, KLAUKE uses the image over again in the series of photographs, such as "Self-Performance" (cat. 3, 1972-1973) and "Transformer" (cat. 5, 1973)).
It is quite often pointed out the influence of Hans BELLMER in KLAUKE's works. That is, BELLMER also sought for a different body hidden under that usual by binding his lover's nude with thin rope likewise searching for a word in anagram. However, in comparison to the image of vagina involved in phallus, which BELLMER adhered to, KLAUKE's drawing is more dry and merry.
Mikhail BAKHTIN who made much of richness of popular culture in The Medieval and The Renaissance Ages by focusing upon festive laughter yielded by grotesquerie referred to grotesque decoration considered to be the origin of the term "grotesque," as follows.
"The borderlines that divide the kingdom of nature in the usual picture of the world were boldly infringed. Neither was there the usual static presentation of reality. There was no longer the movement of finished forms, vegetable or animal, in a finished and stable world; instead the inner movement of being itself was expressed in the passing of one form into the other, in the ever incompleted character of being. This ornamental interplay revealed an extreme lightness and freedom of artistic fantasy, a gay, almost laughing, libertinage."(11)
Description concerning grotesque decoration is assumably true in the case of KLAUKE. As aforementioned, his dessins do boldly invade the borderlines of "the kingdoms of nature," while, the most exaggerated acrobatic move somehow foolish (figs. 19, 20) also gives us freedom which makes our body be aloof from gravity that restricts ourselves. Still, the merry laughter in his drawings originates not only in these reasons.
In the same manner, variations of expressive busts are depicted. For example, one of them is transformed into a surprisingly staring face (fig. 21), another into a bashfully moving hand (fig. 22), and others seems as if they are widely opened hands that welcome the viewers. For certain, due to the exaggerated move of busts, “the movement of finished forms in a finished and stable world" is lost. Rather, they are transformed into “the inner movement of being itself” and expressed in "the passing of one form into the other, in the ever incompleted character of being". Such a transformation of busts enlarges a laugh, and let its quality be more light and free.
In this sense, it is considered that KLAUKE aims at not drawing hermaphrodite image but to give birth to merry light laughter which denies the ridicule. Moreover, he may be trying to realize the transformation of form that generates a loud and cheerful laugh.
Since after 1972, KLAUKE developed the series in which photographic images of the artist himself dressed variously appear; especially in the 1970's, he actually performed for himself the hermaphrodite motif he adhered in drawings. In the case of "Physiognomies" (cat. 3), he made up his face and disguised as woman, while, in "Self-Performance" (cat. 4), he dressed like a woman by wearing cheapish vagina and "phalluslike busts/bustlike phallus" often depicted in drawings.
Nevertheless, in comparison to perfect disguise represented by "Rrose Selavy" (1920-1921) by Marcel DUCHAMP, KLAUKE does not hide his masculine features, for examples hair on the chest and unpainted face, at the the same time, devices he wears, fake vagina and "phalluslike busts/bustlike phallus" are so cheapish that they indeed look unreal.
Such a method remind us of KLAUKE's following words in the interview made by Peter WEIBEL.
"...I do not assume other roles, I don't want to be a woman or any other person, and I certainly not striving for unity and divine perfection... ...if anything, it's 'happy hybrid..." (12)
The fundamental difference is obvious if we compare Pierre MOLINIER's work (fig. 23) indulged in "sacred perfection," namely hermaphrodite, and deeply sunken in the dark illusion, with KLAUKE's "Transformer" (cat. 5), despite of the pose of the depicted bearing resemblance to each other. KLAUKE does not focus upon the ill-omened holiness by directing his attention to hermaphrodite image in the dark as MOLINIER does. Rather, he embraces the space with flat light and stresses the stylized or comical pose in our daily life more than being indulged in sacred perfection. Thus, KLAUKE's image gives an impression as if it is the parody of MOLINIER's; it is a cool interpretation of hermaphrodite.
When we compare the two works "The Shaman" (fig. 24) and "Embrace" (fig. 25), both reflecting the artist himself in hermaphrodite image with phallus and vagina, this impression may be felt stronger. In contrast to MOLINIER's double genital organs that seem real assumably applying the method of photomontage, those of KLAUKE are so cheapish.
In the case of KLAUKE, makeup, costume, extraordinary huge fake phallus and vagina, and the artist's action and feature do not exist just to indicate hermaphrodite image but function as devices to make a caricature of it. Hereupon, it is noticed that he intends to laugh away ridicule originating from grotesquerie and indulgence in personal illusion.
Still, we must not forget that after he denies "sacred perfection," KLAUKE mentions that "...it's still possible to find your own identity through that of others, a raising of consciousness, a reaching out for the limits, and within a little luck perhaps even beyond..." (13)
That is, he suggests not securance of "sacred perfection" but the possibility of viewing the outside of one's own borderline by way of love or "sexual unification."
We should regard that intention of KLAUKE's works is not presentation of hermaphrodite. Rather, it is, first of all, to shake the borderlines conventionally stereotyped and standardized in our daily life by means of the sign of hermaphrodite, just as feeling bold by once wearing any kind of mask that makes us regard that our own borderlines are hidden: KLAKE’s aim is to disguise "hermaphrodite", namely to camouflage the invasion of fundamental confrontation which constitute our daily life. Thus, KLAUKE's hermaphrodite image is a diving board to jump to the outside of one's own borderline "with a little luck".
KLAUKE dressed like a woman, or he who acts "hermaphrodite" behaves as if he pulls himself free from the complicated codes which forge the limit, with the intention to break the borderlines in people's laughter . He noisily laughs in "An Eternal Smile" (cat. 4), violently provocates in "Ziggie Stardust" (fig. 26), and jokes around in "Red" (cat. 7).
Owing to the unique effect of installing some panels as a sequence of photographs, in some cases, the scenes can be viewed continuously likewise movie, while, they form a single image as a whole. And "the fake hermaphrodite = KLAUKE," the fury arabesque dance in full speed in "An Eternal Smile" and "Ziggie Stardust," and the humorous one interspersed by means of cheapish vaginas in "Red," transcends the clearly divided scenes, and ultimately, becomes a total movement in the whole series. In other words, his action in each scene denaturalized into a part of that whole movement makes its appearance in" the ever incompleted character of being" in the course of " the passing of one form into the other."
***
Grotesquerie is not a mere issue of openly showing genital organs. Fundamentally, its structure is to unify two issues confronting on both sides of the unchangeable eternal borderlines in our daily life. Therefore, grotesque decoration composed of entangling motifs half-plant and half-animal yields "liberation of emotions" (14), at the same time, it make the space a fantastic one that gave birth to "freedom and lightness."
Yet, on the other hand, as it is clearly confirmed in the grotesque image of hermaphrodite, grotesquerie is apt to be put on the fringe and brought into ridicule. That is, the serious will to stubbornly secure the borderlines keeps the borderlines by always excluding grotesquerie as mere hybrid in which characteristics of the confronting two issues remain, or setting it aside as illusion permitted only to the sacred. What utterly impeded chances to feel a new physical sensation free from the border, that marks the outside and the inside, by moving our body, in other words, to recognize grotesquerie as our body, is, for certain, this strong will.
KLAUKE who considers "sacred perfection," namely hermaphrodite, is only "happy hybrid" should have sensitively hinted our instinct to protect the borderlines. In this sense, he makes much of the radical aspect of grotesquerie; he aims at not just indicating the state of two issues united as hybrid but realizing the stage of both disappearing to be transformed into one novel existence.
KLAUKE laughs away by making caricature of ridiculing grotesquerie and putting it on the fringe, and of setting it aside as the sacred. He let transformation appear before a people's loud and cheerful laugh ends. In this way, his grotesquerie makes the fantastic space be real in ourselves as a part of our body.
Notes