Representation of Trauma in Contemporary Arts

This paper attempts to explore the theme of Trauma and its representation in Contemporary Art. In particular, analyzing the concept of trauma with its origin as a term in human history, the paper will bring a comprehensive understanding of the human body and psyche as a subject and content of the works produced in Contemporary Visual Arts. On this basis, the paper will be an extensive discussion of the representation of physical and psychological traumas in works of art. In fact, the paper will attempt to analyze how the theme has become a hidden meaning of some of the works while the paper will bring the theme into a discursive space by investigating the field of Contemporary Visual Arts including its different practices such as body art and performance, new media art, installation, happening art, etc. Significantly, another aim of the paper is to discuss the theme by contextualizing on visual art practices as made by both male and female artists. This means that the paper becomes critical on the point of view in exploring the theme on the basis of gender identity. Therefore, this research includes a critical discussion of trauma and gender identity. Furthermore, the paper will broaden its analytical sphere with cultural and philosophical concepts such as psychoanalysis, gender and other visual cultural theories. At the end of this paper, the research includes the author’s own experience as an artist who has been working on the themes trauma and gender for nearly fifteen years. Furthermore, although the paper focuses on Contemporary Art particularly, it will also provide information of different periods of the Art History in contextualizing the theme and its representation in Contemporary works of Art.