Cover design by Julia Reodica

Sacred and Sacrilege: Body Symbolism in Art and Culture

Beyond the definable vital functions of the body that support an individual’s existence, a cultural language arises from the different meanings assigned to the body’s functions or its parts. “Body symbolism” as a fundamental unit of cultural communication, especially in relation to the supernatural and taboo, is the subject of the art book in-progress, Sacred and Sacrilege: Body Symbolism in Art and Culture.

The human body, as a culturally constructed subject/object, is a reflection of the social environment in which it inhabits. The meanings are malleable and progressive, depending on where the body resides or transitions towards geographically and culturally. The symbolic language, also a cultural construct, assigns specific meanings and metaphors that attempt to explain the significance of the body and its super/natural affiliations.
Body symbolism stems from semiotic constructs of specific cultures that, in antiquity, have roots in religion, magic and superstition. Straightforward biological descriptions of the body are not sufficient enough to explain the occurrences between the mind and body. Instead, through the hybridity of religion, culture and magic, the body is culturally constructed and changes over the course of history and time. In addition, the issues of ethnic profiling, body ideals and superstitions influence the perception of those involved in the encounter of the mystical and cultural body portrayed in art and cultural practices or mediums. The body and its symbolism is examined through the categories of: sacrifice, control, torture, enlightenment, commodity and science.

Click here for Writing/Research Log: in-progress