Clown Torture

Upon first viewing “Clown Torture,” I was profoundly unnerved. In the piece, by Bruce Nauman, five videos simultaneously display clowns in disturbing situations. Some of the videos are displayed within monitors flipped upside-down or sideways, with the same scene playing endlessly within each monitor. In one video, a clown uses a public toilet and appears to be taped from a surveillance camera. In another, a clown screams at an unseen antagonist, while in the third monitor a clown repeats a confusing tale with increasing frustration. In the final two videos, one clown is splashed by water each time he opens a door and another unsuccessfully attempts to balance a goldfish bowl. Each video alludes to controversial topics, such as insanity and public surveillance. The painted expression of happiness ironically contrasts with the agony each clown undergoes. The painted faces provide not only irony but also anonymity. Because of hair and makeup, each clown’s identity is unknown, implying that any individual, regardless of age, sex, or ethnicity, could be suffering the torture felt by each clown. I interpret such anonymity as necessary to reflect the universal scope of the controversial topics the videos hint at. For instance, the video of a clown within a public bathroom reflects the global issue of breaching of privacy.

Each clown suffers repeatedly, yet none is unable to change the outcome. This helplessness is extremely relatable. Many victims around the world are powerless to improve their situations. Though each video is disturbing and depicts pain, Nauman’s “Clown Torture” is extremely popular and has had many viewers. Such popularity raises the question, do we as humans enjoy watching misery?

The torture of the clowns may well be a symbol for global suffrage, or simply a symbol for Nauman’s own plight. Nauman, an extremely private person, may have felt that the art world was encroaching on his personal life, as viewers encroach on the clown within the bathroom stall. Overall, Nauman’s work has multiple layers of meaning, and can create a range of reactions and emotions from its viewers. Its universal appeal and disturbing nature have cemented its place within art history. 

-Tina