Cruelty, Mental illness, Characters in Stanley Kubrick’s selected Films

Abstract

Modernism marks a decisive break from the realist traditions of the 19th century, embracing experimentation in form and style. Within this movement, the human body emerges as a metaphorical site for exploring inner expressions and psychological depths. Avant-garde figures such as Antonin Artaud, Jean Genet, and Eugene O’Neill project their philosophies onto artistic canvases, often through depictions of grotesque bodies. These representations challenge conventional aesthetics, foregrounding the body as both a medium and a message in the modernist quest for new modes of expression.