Four headless figures -- a man, a woman, and two children -- stand at attention as if in a drawing room, perhaps: they're hard to situate. Their clothes' colorful fabric clashes violently with a laced-up style. In "Nuclear Family" (1999), Yinka Shonibare has fashioned African batik prints into the Vi

Bright, Deconstructive, Eclectic, Ironic, Kaleidoscopic, Young british artists

Junichiro Tanizaki wrote erotically and ironically about the dynamics of Japanese culture and the effect of Western influences on tradition. In a style that is delicate and emotionally powerful, Tanizaki's narratives progress through dialogue and careful description without an omniscience narrator. T

Clean, Erotic, Intense, Ironic, Modernist literature, Perverse

Their message is explicit: "We want to spill our blood, brains, and seed in our life-search for new meaning and purpose to give to life." Although it's difficult to say what this new meaning might be, it's clear that Gilbert & George think they can find it in bodily substances. Shit, piss, blood, uri

Body art, Funny, Homoerotic, Ironic, Slick, Smart, Visceral

"To me, bad taste is what entertainment is all about," flamboyant filmmaker John Waters has said. "If someone vomits watching one of my films, it's like getting a standing ovation." Just check out the infamous scene in the cult classic "Pink Flamingos" (1972), in which a 300-pound transvestite cheerf

Gritty, Grotesque, In-your-face, Ironic