Wandering Ghosts - An Analysis of Subcultural Phenomena from the Perspective of the Gaze

Abstract

This research primarily uses Lacanian psychoanalysis as a central framework to explore the unique conditions under which the gaze emerges within contemporary subcultural art phenomena. The discussion begins with two representative cases, grounded in the fundamental condition of the object gaze formulated by Lacan from the perspective of the dialectics of desire—namely, the outbreak of the fundamental lack concealed by the subject's symbolic order. The analysis uses the Y2K and Retro-futurism art styles and the Otaku phenomenon as case studies, aiming to deepen and expand Lacan's interpretation within a contemporary context by examining its temporal and structural conditions. Additionally, this paper first establishes the ontological position of the gaze by comparing Sartre's notion of intersubjective gaze with Lacan's concept of the object gaze. This serves as the basis for a further epistemological analysis, employing the dialectics of desire and the role of the Real in driving perception, as outlined in Lacanian psychoanalysis. Subsequently, this study applies psychoanalytic theory alongside Derrida's concept of "hauntology" to analyze the manifestation of the object gaze in these contemporary cultural phenomena. Ultimately, the paper aims to clarify the distinct conditions under which the gaze operates within subcultural contexts today.