Daisy Dixon's 'Depraved' Examines Dark and Dangerous Art Through History
Philosopher Daisy Dixon's new book 'Depraved' surveys controversial artworks from classical painting to video games, exploring how an artist's character influences creations and their harmful effects. The book identifies five ways art can be depraved: showing an immoral state, causing bad actions, expressing dangerous messages, being created by an immoral artist, or made in a morally suspect way. Dixon discusses Titian's 'The Rape of Europa' as a beautiful painting that eroticizes sexual violence, and Dana Schutz's 2017 Whitney Biennial painting of Emmett Till, which sparked protests over appropriation despite Schutz's intention to present white remorse. The book also covers video games like 'Rape Day', performance art involving live goldfish, and films with paedophilia. Dixon argues depraved art should be confronted 'loudly, angrily, beautifully' rather than hidden, advocating for better speech, art, and curation.
Key facts
- Daisy Dixon is a philosopher and author of 'Depraved'.
- The book was published in 2026.
- It covers art from prehistory to present, including video games and pornography.
- Dixon identifies five categories of depraved art.
- Titian's 'The Rape of Europa' is analyzed as eroticizing sexual violence.
- Dana Schutz's 2017 Whitney Biennial painting of Emmett Till caused protests.
- The book references Claire Dederer's 2023 'Monsters'.
- Dixon believes depraved art should be confronted openly.
Entities
Artists
- Daisy Dixon
- Titian
- Dana Schutz
- Emmett Till
- Oscar Wilde
- Claire Dederer
- Marquis de Sade
- Marilyn Manson
- Ian Brady
- Myra Hindley
Institutions
Locations
- Manchester
- United Kingdom