„Weirdcore aesthetics“ is a surrealist aesthetic in film, photography, and visual image creation. The works are thereby edited or constructed to evoke or convey feelings of disorientation, fear, confusion, alienation, or nostalgia.
What is the „weirdcore aesthetic“ about? Explanation
Even though the „Weirdcore Aesthetic“ likes to play with images that can evoke a sense of horror in many viewers, the style of the „Weirdcore Aesthetic“ is not anchored in the world of the horror genre.
Rather, the feeling of horror or revulsion is evoked by a combination of low image quality and a lack of context regarding the location, situation, or message depicted. The sense of unease, which at times can even be described as fear, thus arises less from what is depicted in the images of „weirdcore aesthetics.“ Instead, these emotions are a side effect that arises from the fact that the viewer feels confronted with something unfamiliar, provocative, or poorly relatable. This fact contributes to the fact that the „Weirdcore Aesthetic“ is a very subjective art that can evoke different feelings and emotions in each viewer – depending on the experiences and current state of mind of each person and the relationship he or she makes to the content of the image.
Some people may feel discomfort or a sense of menace when viewing a Weirdcore work, other people may feel disgusted, and still other people may feel a twinge of nostalgia or even comfort.
Appearance and appearance of art within the „Weirdcore Aesthetic“
The „Weirdcore Aesthetic“ is heavily influenced visually by images that were popular from the late 1990s to the mid-2000s in the early days of the Internet. As a result, it is characterized by a look that specifically attempts to mimic the primitive digital graphics of the time through amateurish editing, lo-fi photography, or low-level image compression. Specifically, these elements are found very often in the „weirdcore aesthetic.“
These elements are often so-called liminal spaces. This is an aesthetic that has a strong connection to the „Weirdcore Aesthetic“. Many artists of each style refer to the other style and incorporate opposing elements into their personal style.
Since „Weirdcore Aesthetics“ is primarily a digital art movement, digital style elements are also incorporated into the works. In many cases, this includes the use of virtual text elements, usually in a simple font reminiscent of the fonts commonly used at the time. The content of the text is often taken out of context, the message raising more questions than providing answers, leaving it entirely up to the viewer to find meaning in it. As a result, the „weirdcore aesthetic“ is a style in which there are only two extremes of identification: either the viewer can immediately make sense of the image and identify with it, or the message and meta-level content remain so hidden that there is no further interest in engaging or identifying with the work.
Even though text elements are not always part of Weirdcore images, they are one of the most common elements of the style.
In general, there are no mandatory elements for works to be counted as part of the „Weirdcore aesthetic.“
Rather, it is about conveying a certain feeling and creating a certain style, thus putting the viewer in an unusual emotional state – which elements are used for this is secondary.
Where does the „Weirdcore Aesthetic“ come from?
The „Weirdcore Aesthetic“ first became popular when a Youtuber published a video in which he explained the „Weirdcore Aesthetic“ trend. With that, he kicked off a wave of new creations that can increasingly be found online – especially on Tumblr.
Where exactly the „weirdcore aesthetic“ came from is not clear. However, its origins are thought to date back to the early 2010s. The first, officially known Weirdcore work is dated 2017 – but it’s not impossible that there are earlier works that just haven’t become known.
Because, as with many Internet phenomena, it’s almost impossible to track down the first mention, the first work, or the original idea.