There are certain writers that are widely read and reread. Their works resound with us to the extent that their names are made into adjectives and used to describe concepts, events and art forms. Franz Kafka was a writer like this and Kafkaesque art reflects qualities found in his works such as alienation and situations that are surreal and yet affect us intimately.

His works often have an almost dangerous quality and disorientating complexity. Despite a sense of futility and impossibility, there is also a sense of yearning. Kafka used to create doodles that reflected the same tension as his writing. Many of these drawings have been used on his book covers.

Kafka uses dark imagery and absurdity in his works. Whether it is an artist who starves himself, a man transformed into a large insect, or a giant machine used as a device for capital punishment by the military, these images have provided the spark for many paintings and photographs. They reflect the anxiety of man in a dehumanized world and the alienation of individuals.

In a world Kafka presents where everything is subject to change, we are forced to consider the fact that we are subject to change too. Artists today produce intriguing paintings of insects with human characteristics or humans as machines or animals. Individuals experience anxiety and a lack of control due to being subjected to a dehumanized world where there are few answers.

The stories of Kafka are filled with symbolism. The symbolism often lies in the material objects placed in the narrative. In one of his stories, for example, the cage in which the hunger artist performs, is symbolic of his alienation from society. This is another reason why so many readers re-read his stories multiple times and have various interpretations. The same applies to artworks of this nature. They allow viewers to use their own imagination in interpreting them.

Another element that has the same kind of effect is the use of ambiguity. Kafka was a master at using ambiguity in the way he manipulated language. Readers of his work are faced by this ambiguity all the time. In the same way, paintings can also be ambiguous. They may be interpreted by the viewers in different ways and the viewer needs to carefully search for hidden messages.

The themes found in the works of Kafka have infiltrated into so many areas of our modern world. Photographers, artists, musicians and even game players have found inspiration in his works, whether directly or indirectly. The themes of struggle, despair, isolation, yearning and absurdity are all presented in different ways by these artists but the central concepts are the same.

The complexity of the works of Kafka invites us as readers to actively participate in interpreting them. His ambiguity, symbolism and the fact that he does not present answers is something we can relate to in a world that often does not have any answers for us. Whatever art form it takes, this type of expression forces us out of complacent viewing and makes us active participants in the search for meaning.