Maggot crown

This exhibition engages with the book The Songs of Maldoror, a work by Lautréamont published between 1868 and 1869. The book presents a dark literary antihero who has declared war on God and on humanity, which he treats with contempt. Maldoror becomes a case study of a figure lacking a fundamental human capacity: compassion. In a world where violence has become the norm, human dignity is crumbling, compassion is waning, and a radical dissolution of faith in the goodness of human nature prevails, this dark perspective seems particularly timely.
Today, countless screens create a romanticized impression that technology and science will lead us to a better world. Nevertheless, reality shows that humans are capable of boundless cruelty. In an era dominated by a climate of mass violence, wars, and absurdity, this book seems almost prophetic. At the same time, however, it is not merely a dark depiction of evil; it is a cry of rebellion against the hypocrisy of society and morality, confronting us with the difficult reality that barbarity and violence are not merely exceptions, but part of human nature. The exhibition “Maggot Crown” features digital prints, woodcuts, drawings, paintings, and audiovisual works inspired by the theme described above.
The exhibition took place in the exhibition space of Paprika_lab, in Thessaloniki. March 2026.
Curated by: Arurkokk