courant.com | Has Nudity Become Passé?
“I don’t know where it is that you can’t see nudity if you want to see nudity. We have so much more access to nudity than ever before,” said Jeanine Basinger, founder and curator of the Wesleyan University Film Archive. “So where’s the shock of it all? In a society that has everything hanging out all over the place, it’s not that interesting.”
So, when is nudity interesting? In what context is it powerful?
“When it’s for beauty,” Basinger said.
Indeed, art (and the inherent beauty of art forms) remains the most vivid example of nudity’s ability to move artistic mediums to new levels.
I think this article is quite compelling. I have had concerns over the nature of nudity and whether we are becoming too jaded. Admittedly, my work is not designed for shock value, it’s more a beauty and sensuality thing, but if we lose our wonder at seeing things then that can only be detrimental to art. When we are bombarded with images, we start to filter them out in our heads, if that starts to happen with nudity – will we miss out on some of the great pleasures in life? (like a good perve?)
On the flip side, it is a good opportunity for artists to create images that stand out, to try to change the impressions brought to us by the mass media. as the filters start growing there may be more room rather than less for broader images of nudity, an opportunity to stand out from the plasticized perfect images to provide the reality that audiences crave..
What do you think? is readily accessible nudity a detriment or a benefit for nude artists?
Tags: Art, beauty, media, nudes, nudity
Jennie's Palette 
The assumption seems to be that the nudity is the central aspect of the art. I for one don’t look at your work with my immediate reaction being “Oh look, it’s a nude person!” – sometimes it takes a while for the nudity aspect to even filter through to a conscious level.
Seriously, has people wearing clothes for the past who knows how many thousand years been a detriment to art depicting clothed people? I personally can’t see, unless you are actually aiming for the tittilation aspect, how increassed accessed to nudity will detract from the art.
Just my early morning, only-had-one-cup-of-coffee-so-far thoughts 🙂
I reckon we are mostly facinated with peoples bodies and the beauty therin – I dont think we are surrounded by nudity as such – although it is readily accessible if you want to see it. I dont think that it should affect how artists work in this area and peoples bodywork is amazing as is the machine underneath.
Love your pics.
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I think the artistic nude is very different from the actual real life nude. It tells a different story because it brings the artist’s interpretation into the equation. Excess availability of nudity in modern society it won’t saturate the mind’s desire for nude art, much in the same way that excess availability of cucumbers wont decrease the demand for pickles.
Mmm pickles… Sorry! 😉 you make an excellent point, they are two very different animals… I do sometimes hope to see more artistic nudity in the mainstream media though!