The Art of Bullfighting: AI NO CORRIDA
Released in France in 1976, Nagisa Oshima's film "Ai no Corrida" ("Empire of the Senses") delves into bullfighting, portraying it as a fusion of opposing values—savagery intertwined with nobility, and grace contrasted with kitsch. The author perceives bullfighting as both a spectacle and a ritual, situated between grotesque sacrifice and exquisite slaughter. Picasso's words connect this practice to themes of love and violence. The corrida is illustrated as a symbolic potlatch, where death adheres to artistic principles, and the dynamic between the torero and the bull reflects eroticism. Referencing Georges Bataille and quoting poets and toreros, the text highlights the delicate balance of light and shadow, emphasizing bullfighting as a fleeting art form, alive only in the present and memory.
Key facts
- The text is a commentary on Nagisa Oshima's film 'Ai no Corrida' (1976).
- Bullfighting is described as a crucible of contradictory values.
- Picasso's quote about mass, bullfight, and brothel is used as a manifesto.
- The corrida is a symbolic and erotic potlatch.
- Georges Bataille's concept of the 'rotten sun' is referenced.
- The torero and bull have a dissymmetric relationship akin to erotic activity.
- Bullfighting is considered the most volatile art form.
- The text quotes poets and toreros including José Bergamín and Pepe Luis Vázquez.
Entities
Artists
- Nagisa Oshima
- Pablo Picasso
- Georges Bataille
- Michel Leiris
- Luis Miguel Dominguín
- José Bergamín
- Pepe Luis Vázquez
- Quincy Jones
Locations
- France
- Spain
Sources
- artpress —