Transgression – or the violation of norms – has been essential to art since the 19th century. This is true of several genres, from the French avant-garde movement of the 1860s to the body-based performance art of the 1970s.
Key point 2
Many artists have adhered to the slogan “shock the bourgeoisie”; however, the offensive effect they seek relies on the formal structure of an exhibition as opposed to art that is not clearly distinguishable from real life events.
Key point 3
Recently, so-called “cancel culture” has restricted provocative expression. Instead, this movement seems to emphasise the traumatic and seeks to remove it from the public sphere.