Gurevich P.S. Grotesque of Human Existence (Review of Books Published by the Canon+ Publishing)

Abstract: In his review Gurevich analyzes different grotesque revelations of human existence expressed in art. The review provides a thorough introduction into the book of Natalya Nolde-Lurie on the creative work of a famous modern sculptor Vadim Sidur. As it is known, sculpture may have the form of symbolic plastics, sculpture in the round and reliefs. Vadim Sidur is more inclined to symbols which he uses to express the grotesque of human existence. His creative imagination relates human and universal suffering to an instrument or mechanism. This is how the threats of the world of machines are expressed. Even erotica has grotesque features in his creative work. Sigmund Freud's selected works 'Psyhoanalysis. Religion. Culture' published by Canon+ present an analysis of different aspects of human existence, too. In particular, Freud viewed religion as a special form of collective neurosis. Yulia Melentieva's work 'On Reading. Thoughts About Theoretical Aspects of Reading' shows a great role of books in the development of civilization. Hermann Hesse once stated that without book there was no history. Therefore, the decline of the reading culture has a certain negative influence on human mentality and human existence. In his review Gurevich has ued the methods of aesthetical analysis allowing to assess achievements of arts. Gurevich also bases his research on the methodology of philosophical anthropology which allows to demonstrate a complex and contradictory human nature. The novelty of the research is caused by the fact that the researcher tries to reveal the grotesqueness of human existence based on the example of the three books selected for the review. According to psyhoanalysis, nearly at birth a child faces the world of absurdity offered by culture. Instinctive desires are repressed, inherent motivation is suppressed which creates the feeling of dissatisfaction with culture. Human existence is absurd by nature because the actual history does not correspond to rationality principles. Moreover, human himself is the victim of internal conflicts between concious and unconsious, instinct and culture. One of the forms of 'dissatisfaction with culture' is the growing elimination of books from our life. For half a century Gutenberg's invention has been creating the modern culture that loses reading skills and forgets theoretical aspects of reading.   

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