Af Claus Krogholm Sand

The politics of the obscene is concerned with the obscene form of politics rather than its content. In Franz Kafka’s novels and stories the Father and the Law are symbolic representatives of a political system, where the apparent absence of God in fact is concealing the proximity of an obscene god or father. The Law is everywhere in Kafka’s work and thus becomes obscene (off the scene).

There is a kafkaesque dimension to the films of David Lynch. All of Lynch’s films are dealing with the American family as the foundation of the American culture. The family is the centre of repressed secrets concerning corruption, prostitution, drugs, incest and murder. Lynch is turning the family inside out and thereby exposing the obscene, perverted reverse side of American culture.