In contemporary times, significant similarities and differences have emerged between the popular absurdist theatre, which challenges traditional narrative approaches, and the grotesque mode of interpretation. Absurd theatre and the grotesque in visual arts depict the tragic conditions of modern humanity through a foundation of meaninglessness, employing a discordant and chaotic language. At the same time, both approaches emerge as forms of protest narrative that centre on the fundamental existential anxieties of human beings. From this perspective, revealing the similarities, differences and relational proximity between the formal approaches of the grotesque and the absurd will make significant contributions to the limited body of knowledge currently available in the literature. Within the context of the current study, the depictions of the grotesque, discordance, meaninglessness and grotesque elements in the works of the pioneer writers of absurd theatre were examined. In addition, in the context of visual arts, examples were provided from the works of artists that correspond to the concepts discussed. The findings indicate that these styles of expression play a crucial role in conveying the existential struggles and experiences of alienation in the chaotic world arising from both the individual and the relationship between the individual and society within the context of art. Another significant finding is that both styles of expression serve as a form of political avant-garde language. Through their approaches that transcend established norms of social life, they have been observed to create effects of alienation, threat, othering, and nausea on the audience. In conclusion, absurdity and grotesqueness, interpreted as boundary-transcending approaches, can be said to hold a central role in contemporary art in expressing the existential crises of both individuals and society. The study has significant implications for understanding the relationship between absurdity and grotesqueness from the perspective of both the producer and the consumer of art.

Keywords: Absurdity, Disgust, Grotesque, Art, Theatre of the Absurd