These days the nude appears to have become more controversial as the line between nudity and sexuality has been blurred. The prevalence of porn and sexualized images In the media have led to an automatic association between nudity and sex. A belief that nudity is dirty, wrong, and disgraceful. All of this has led to nude art being pushed to the back corner, far from being the classic and honored subject of artists everywhere.

There is no image of vulnerability more powerful than that of a naked child. Take for example the iconic Vietnam Napalm photograph. Would this picture have as much impact if she was an adult? If she was clothed? The image of her running down the street, naked and screaming, is real, it’s powerful and it’s become a symbol for the horrors of war everywhere. This photograph won the Pulitzer and world press photo of the year.

A nude child is the image of vulnerability, of change. It automatically triggers protective instincts. Good art has the power to move us. It inspires emotion.

Would Bill Henson’s works be as emotive if the children were clothed? if they were small breasted adults? His works capture a moment in time. A fragile period in a teen’s life. These works make us empathize with the subject, I have heard abuse sufferers consider them both triggering works and uplifting and encouraging. Other see a coming of age, loss of innocence. fragile, strong. Whatever you see in this work you cannot deny that it has an emotional impact and that is the purpose of art.

The scandal with Brook Shields and the Gary Gross/Richard prince photographs is another good example. Gary Gross took photographs of a pre-teen Brook Shields for a magazine. These works were highly sexualized, with brook painted with oil and makeup. They were exceptionally adult, and in very poor taste. Brook shields did not get a say in modeling for these works, nor how they were used later on. Many years later Richard Prince took a photograph of the original Gary Gross, then changed it. The final work was seedier and turned the original on it’s ear. Where the first seemed to celebrate child pornography, the Prince version used the same image to condemn it. It still uses a sexualized image of an adolescent, but by using that image to make the viewers uncomfortable it made an excellent point about not turning a blind eye to child pornography.

These artists have taught us all about solidarity, about production and about being a truly great artist. Here is what I have learned from these greats:

1. Paint, paint and paint some more.
All three artists were extremely prolific. They did not get to the level of success they had without painting constantly and diligently.
2. Paint what you want to paint.
Each one received ridicule and derision at some point for their works, technique or subject matter. They rose above it. Nothing was more important than the art.
3. if you don’t like your situation, change it.
Move, change your allegiance, don’t wait for change to happen- be the catalyst for change.
4. Respect your peers.
Respect other artists, pose for them, inspire them as they inspire you and don’t fear giving back.
5. Know the rules- then break them.
Once you know the rules, you know what you should, and should not do. You know how to bend them and even how to break them. If you don’t know the rules, you risk breaking them in the wrong way. There’s so wrong it’s right and so wrong it’s wrong- the difference is knowing the rules.

These work for all careers, not just for artists. The art world is lesser for these losses.

Being the obsessive sort that I am I started considering these issues when I decided that I wanted a family. Liam and I discussed them from the beginning and we planned out how to ensure that I had enough time in the studio and how to make it a safe environment.

The thing to bear in mind is that this is your career and if you are serious about it, then it needs to be treated with all the seriousness of any other career. I work from my home studio and fit my work, both studio time and the business side, around her naps and feeds- I actually use them to structure my day! I find that since having a baby my career has become more structured and disciplined. I have to set aside time to achieve my tasks, so I don’t waste it as much as I used to. my goals have coalesced more as well, I’m more inspired to create and more inspired to succeed because I want the best for my little girl!

a few notes.

• I don’t know what paint you are using, but I find that the water miscible oils are wonderful and fume free, I took to using them before I started trying to get pregnant and find them a great way to keep a safe environment at home- they work just as well. they also clean up very fast- great when time is an issue! I don’t use heavy metal pigments either, I don’t want to risk transferring anything through my breastmilk.
• pick techniques that you can fit around his schedule – small, bite sized chunks of work you can easily digest. that goes for your to-do list too! if you keep tasks to 15 minute blocks you can get so much done in very little time! (this works for cleaning too
• have a list of goals for your art, your marketing and keep them in mind. make sure they are achievable and excite you. set particular goals for each year. this year I am focussing on creating works and marketing online, I have stepped back on exhibiting, but I am getting my gallery list together and starting to plan my calendar for next year.
• keep a sketchbook with you for quick ideas and sketches. no matter what you are doing there is always time for thinking about art!
• I find it’s sometimes hard to get myself into the studio, I talk myself out of it, there is so much more I feel I should be doing. the 15 minute rule works well here too.
• getting up one hour earlier can work wonders.
• expressed breastmilk can help for long studio jags or when you are out at openings. knowing you don’t *have* to stop painting to go feed really helps.
• My husband is very supportive of my career, he knows it is my passion and makes sure I have time. enlist help to ensure you get the time you need!

Shakuntala by Camille Claudel 1864-1943

From the 15th through the 19th century the nude was essential to art, especially to grand history paintings. Doing history paintings helped establish the stature of an artist. However, women were barred from studying the human nude regardless of gender; even when they were permitted to join the academies on quotas, they were restricted from such training. By the time the restrictions were lifted by the end of the 19th century, the nude was no longer central to painting’s subject matter. Nochlin discusses this issue extensively.
She writes, “I have gone into the question of the availability of the nude model, a single aspect of automatic, institutionally maintained discrimination against women, in such detail simply to demonstrate both the universality of this discrimination and its consequences, as well as the institutional rather than individual nature of but one facet of the necessary preparation for achieving mere proficiency, much less greatness in the realm of art during a long period.”[From Why have there been no great women artists? - Stabroek News - Guyana]

this sounds like an interesting concept, I don’t know if I agree with a central precept, however, that the nude is no longer central to painting. it’s a crucial part of training and still a key subject, from art history to now there is no single subject that has been covered as extensively as the human body.
it’s an interesting parallel to draw, that the lack of access to the nude for women artists impeded their growth as artists. but it is noted that other factors probably contributed as much. I look forward to reading more as this series continues but I find myself concerned that some of the logic appears to be a little scattered. I assume it will all pull together by the end. I also dispute the title, it’s an attention grabber (it grabbed me!) but there have been many excellent women artists of note, both in the periods mentioned and now. They have received less notoriety, but are not less ‘great’ -it all depends on how you define greatness.
I am interested to see if these conclusions about the history of women artists lead onto the current disparity between modern male and female artists.

Jerry Hall met Lucian Freud at a dinner in 1997 when she was eight months pregnant with her fourth child. He asked if he could paint her portrait, and she started posing the next day, three times/week, until she went into labor.

[From Eight Months Gone, Jerry Hall By Lucian Freud - Daddy Types]

I found myself wondering why this was such a big deal – £600,000 isn’t actually that much for a Lucian Freud, let alone one of a celebrity – but then I found out the size, 4x6in – a postcard size oil painting sketch. considering the size of Benefits Supervisor Sleeping and the price it set, this is consistent, even quite high.

I haven’t been following the sale of Jerry Hall’s art collection, but I wonder, along with the quoted author above, what else may have come out of all those sessions. this looks like a wet on wet sketch and probably quite fast. I wonder if there are any others lurking around. this sketch, even with it’s looseness show’s Freud’s wonderful treatment of skintones, gravity and luminosity.

it’s an interesting concept. ‘how big do we want our breasts to be’ has come under attack, literally, for it’s controversial nature but I think it makes an excellent point. There is so much focus on the idea that bigger is better, that all we need is enhancement to be as sexy as possible. if my email is anything to go by anyway! I see so many ridiculous morphs in 3D art that make these sculptures seem practically normal. these concepts are often created by men with infantile mammalian fantasies. it’s interesting that this sculpture was created by a male, I think it’s really interesting and well executed. it’s a shame they’ve felt the need to censor the sculptures.

Silf - Acrylic and Gesso on Canvas by Jennie Rosenbaum

Being an artist is like being a kid in a candy store. the world is full of colorful possibilities- ideas overflowing, shiny packages and tasty treats waiting to be explored. there is always something new around the corner!

at other times it’s like being the owner. you get the same surroundings, but you get to make money from it and work hard for your passion.

I love having a job where I am paid to let my mind wander. where I can live on my imagination. I also get free reign to be a complete disorganized mess (read: artistic), to be grouchy randomly and to wear what I like.

I also have Pink hair. or purple, or teal or whatever I want. it’s ultimate freedom to be myself.

Marina Abramovic’s “The Artist is Present”

(NEWSER) – It’s not only spectators who are getting frisky at a Museum of Modern Art show featuring live nude models. One male on display in the Manhattan exhibit was so aroused by the experience that he was asked to leave, reports Page Six. The exhibit by artist Marina Abramovic features a nude couple standing in a doorway so that visitors have to squeeze between them. Some of the 38 nude models have complained that museumgoers are getting touchy-feely—but this is the first model asked to leave.[From Lusty MOMA Nude is Booted From Museum ]

I admit that at first I didn’t understand the point of this exhibit. it appeared to me to be structured to deliberately make the patrons and the models very uncomfortable. I found the idea of something that could put the life models potentially in harms way or make them very uncomfortable to be disturbing. In addition, most of the publicity center around the issues with the models being harassed, and one of the male models being fired for getting an erection, there has been very little written about the work itself.

Upon further research I found out more about the nature of the exhibit itself..

The exhibit features 38 performers in rotating shifts of eight facing each other at a doorway or lying under a skeleton or posing in other pieces, mostly in the nude. …

All the performers went through a mini-boot camp at the artist’s Hudson Valley hideaway in a bid to prepare for anything. For five days, they led a monk-like existence — fasting, not speaking and not reading — while doing exercises designed to help them develop self-control, including bathing in an icy pond, walking in slow motion and counting grains of rice, said MoMA’s Erica Papernik, whose job is to make the performers’ rotations as smooth as possible. A clothed Abramovic is also on display in the exhibit. Visitors can sit across from her. Elke Luyten, a 35-year-old performer, called the show a welcome test of self-discipline, even if she occasionally cries while lying under the skeleton. “I never feel awkward. I never feel strange,” she said. “Even when teenagers laugh, I never feel laughed at. Because Marina is there on the second floor, you feel you’re part of something bigger.”

[From Naked models at MoMA "The Artist is Present" exhibit are getting groped - NYPOST.com]

the artwork appears to be just as much about the discipline and discomfort of the models as the reactions of the patrons. as a living artwork it encompasses the emotions of the players into the piece. I didn’t understand what was artistic about getting people to stand in doorways, but the creation of the work began with the bootcamp and was clearly very well thought out. I find myself very sorry that I won’t get to experience it. the artist being a part of the exhibit, but clothed is an interesting touch.
as far as the difficulties go, I still find that uncomfortable to deal with. the idea that the models have to cope with being groped and be unable to react sends shivers down my spine. I am glad that they have been prepared and that there are such security measures in place. the model being ejected for getting an erection is a different matter. I realize it changes the nature of the rating as it were, but it’s a natural and uncontrollable reflex and I don’t believe the model should have been held responsible and fired, just allowed a brief respite until everything was back under control.

The row escalated earlier in the week when activists petitioned Christie’s, the world’s best known and largest arts business and auction house, not to oversee transactions of any of Husain’s work.Christie’s rejected the demand, with spokesperson Sara Fox saying, “Art and culture embraces multiple interpretations and re-interpretations of religious and ethnic symbols that are often highly individual expressions.”Narain Kataria, president of the IAIF, told rediff.com, “Husain is a Muslim who was born in India, and he knows the significance of what he’s done. His hatred for Hindus is obvious in his actions and vulgar art, if you can call it art. It’s borderline pornography, not anything a normal person would consider art. By painting vulgar, sexual images of our great goddesses like Durgadevi, Lakshmi, and Saraswati, he deliberately insults Hindus’ sentiments. It’s as if he’s insulted our mothers. Why has he not painted these images of Christ? Of Mary? Why is he running from India? It’s obvious he is a criminal and a coward.”
New York: Husain’s paintings auctioned amid protests

The Christie’s auction of Maqbool Fida Husain’s works proceeded on Thursday amid protests and demonstrations outside it’s doors. Protesters were vehemently disputing the sale of works by India’s most notorious artist. MF Husain, exiled from India, came under fire for his depictions of Hindu deities in the nude – and action that has enraged Hindu extremists, leading to his exile, cases of obscenity and the seizing of his assets.

The Auction proceeded after letters of protest and finally a full protest during the auction itself. The contested works sold despite the protest with one, Battle of Ganga and Jamuna, selling for 1.4 Million.

What saddens me about these protests is that they seem to be becoming a Hindus versus Muslims argument. if you read the above quotes one of the key factors that all the extremists can agree on is that he’s a Muslim and therefore hates Hindus and is purposely trying to inflame them. now, my understanding is that not only have Hindus had in the past a greater tolerance for nudity than they do now but that Muslims have always had a greater problem with nudity in general. why is this coming down to religion? especially when one religion is known for it’s long history of nudes and nude art and sculpture and the other considers bare arms to be indecent? I will never understand this war, and I think it is developing into a war. The Hindu extremists responsible for the protest seem to have an exaggerated view of propriety and pornography. MF Husain’s works frequently depict Hindu deities nude, I can see where that can be a source of contention if he displayed them in particularly sexual or pornographic poses, but most of his images are very peaceful, nudity is almost pure in them. Some of his most contentious works seem to me to be no worse than traditional hindu depictions of these same deities. is it in fact because Husain is Muslim that these depictions are forbidden to him or is it because the extremists responsible for denigrating him are trying to change Hinduism from it’s roots? The current news from India, laced with protests and incarcerations for artists, says yes.

There appears to be a division between Hindus however, here is a quote to end on from another Hindu with a different view of Husain’s paintings and the Christie’s Auction.

But inside the auction room, one Hindu man, wearing white and saffron silk kurta pyjama, a collector and purveyor of Husain’s art, termed the protest “a circus and a joke”.

Asked about a Husain’s painting being auctioned, titled ‘The pink elephant and Maya’, which shows a nude Maya on a bed with a pink elephant on her knee, the art-lover said, “It’s a beautiful, thought-provoking piece. I don’t see anything offensive. I’ve been a practising Hindu all my life.”

Apres Le Bain,
by Renoir

Today is the 166th anniversary of the birth of Auguste Renoir, the famed Impressionist painter who first painted small children and beautiful flowers. He was quoted as saying, “Why shouldn’t art be pretty? There are enough unpleasant things in the world.”
When later in his life, he celebrated his appreciation of the classical female form by painting nudes, he said, “I never think I have finished a nude until I think I could pinch it.
Bradenton Herald | 02/25/2007 | Library sheds light on artists:

a tad late but I definitely appreciate Renoir’s sentiments, it’s frequently how I feel about my nudes (especially the booty).

I am not a huge impressionist fan. at the risk of alienating you all, I think many popular impressionist pieces lack depth and are even, dare I say, insipid. yes sling your arrows, I am a disappointment to my profession, etc etc..

That having been said, Impressionism did a lot for art. the concepts behind the movement are still very much in evidence today. the use of color and light was unparalleled and revolutionized the industry bringing in new ways of looking at things and new techniques to explore. For me, the key artists were Degas and Renoir, their figurative pieces had feeling and emotion. Renoir always appeared, to me, as the bridge between the rather insipid impressionist landscapes and the deep and heady figurative works of Degas. His figurative techniques revolutionized the genre and inspired many figurative artists to explore the nude more.

Tags: Art, art history, nudes, renoir