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A Survey on Edvard Munch's Artworks Based on the Terror Management Theory
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Faraz Sadeqzadeh Farid   , Sadreddin Taheri * , Salar Faramarzi |
| Art University of Isfahan |
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Abstract: (41 Views) |
Edvard Munch is one of the most significant figures in early modern art and a pioneer of the Expressionist movement in painting. This article aims to psychoanalytically examine Munch’s paintings through the lens of Terror management theory. To cope with the anxiety that arises from the awareness of death, humans often resort to defense mechanisms such as culture, art, religion, and myth. Munch transformed painting into a tool for confronting his profound inner fears and searching for meaning amidst nothingness. For him, painting served as a cultural ritual— a mechanism for creating a sense of immortality through reflections of the modern human psyche. Many characters in his works struggle to utilize fear management strategies due to social isolation. Examining five paintings by Munch revealed that his artwork addresses the psychological processes of mourning, denial, and spiritual stabilization in the face of loss. In these paintings, death is a recurring theme, and the mind's defense mechanisms are also unveiled: by depicting death, Munch frees himself from the fear of it. Through the act of pouring his fears onto the canvas, he finds relief and distances himself from existential anxiety. From the perspective of Terror management theory, Munch’s works are more than mere reflections of lived experience; they represent the complex psychological processes of a person who seeks refuge in the realm of art to escape the inevitability of death. Munch’s art functions as a form of terror management—not by denying death, but by confronting it openly, creatively, and symbolically. |
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| Keywords: Edvard Munch, Terror Management Theory, Awareness of Dying, Expressionist Art. |
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Full-Text [PDF 518 kb]
(27 Downloads)
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2025/10/28 | Accepted: 2025/12/17
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