Abstract
This article pursues a theological reading of Darren Aronofsky's film Black Swan (2010). Unlike some other interpretations, especially from psychoanalytical, feminist or neuroscientific perspectives, it suggests focusing on a transformative quality of the main protagonist's self-giving act.
Drawing from John de Gruchy's emphasis on the alien beauty of the cross of Christ, in contrast to the symbolism of both the Apollonian and the Dionysian, and from Rose-mary Radford Ruether's accent on the iconoclastic Christ, the present article argues that the redemptive power of beauty represents both a potential for transformation of individual lives and an effective challenge to deep-rooted oppressive structures. As such, the paper seeks to make a contribution to the theology of culture.