The Naked Post
I have been a little dissatisfied with my earlier post on nudity. In addition to being incomplete it strikes me as a little prudish or preachy.
What I failed to articulate has been better expressed by he who has been called estimable by others in the blogosphere.
"Second, the question at hand is when is public nudity simply exhibitionism and when it is art...Let me suggest a standard. Some would say that nude art shows us the beauty of the human form. I would suggest that for a nude body to become art it should point beyond the human body to something higher. Simply showing the beauty of the human body is not enough. Here is a brief list of characteristics that an artistic depiction of nudity might point towards: grace, innocence, modesty (ironically), power, strength, dignity, gentleness, affection, etc. Nudity that simply titillates and nothing more is not art but exhibitionism.
I am quite sure that what is going on with Vanity Fair is not an attempt to say something about the human condition. Rather it is the use of naked bodies in an attempt to increase magazine sales. That strikes me as a less than noble artistic goal."
And yes, we're all agreed that Photoshop does wonders for your butt.
What I failed to articulate has been better expressed by he who has been called estimable by others in the blogosphere.
"Second, the question at hand is when is public nudity simply exhibitionism and when it is art...Let me suggest a standard. Some would say that nude art shows us the beauty of the human form. I would suggest that for a nude body to become art it should point beyond the human body to something higher. Simply showing the beauty of the human body is not enough. Here is a brief list of characteristics that an artistic depiction of nudity might point towards: grace, innocence, modesty (ironically), power, strength, dignity, gentleness, affection, etc. Nudity that simply titillates and nothing more is not art but exhibitionism.
I am quite sure that what is going on with Vanity Fair is not an attempt to say something about the human condition. Rather it is the use of naked bodies in an attempt to increase magazine sales. That strikes me as a less than noble artistic goal."
And yes, we're all agreed that Photoshop does wonders for your butt.
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4 Comments:
I must respectfully disagree with your thinking you seemed prudish or preachy. What I mean is, I didn't think you were.
I agree with you. It seems in our society less is more, and I for one am sick of fake naked, half-naked, glossed over, air brushed, women or men being thrown at me every time I turn around.
estimable has a point. I'm not denying there is a time and place for artistic nudity, but then again is there? I can certainly understand the medical community has a need for such art, but really is there a need elsewhere?
What happened to the idea of modesty? Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
In a community of young children being raised with their every whim answered immediately with x-boxes, gameboys, television, burger king, mcdonalds, I have to wonder what kind of adults we are raising.
A young child who is given everything more than likely will grow to be an adult who is a thrill seeker always needing more.
What I am trying to say is what kind of sexual adults are we raising by exposing our children to nudity? Or racey pictures of young women in string bikini's barely covering pubic hair? Public nudity is everywhere, on the news stand in Albertson's, Winco, Walmart, it's laced in every video game. I mean even cartoon characters have fake breasts with cleavage!
It's a wonder why we're seeing an incline in men who are addicted to pornography!
No...I don't mind being called prudish or preachy. I say enough is enough. At the very least if there is going to be such displays at least allow them to be pictured in real character, showing all dimples of cellulite, all wrinkles, no stretch marks removed, with the allowance of every pimple located on the buttock!!
Saturday, February 25, 2006
I was just at Albertson's, and all they had was the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue and a couple of badly-wrinkled copies of Lowrider.
Of course, you're dealing here with V.F., whose entire raison d'être is to convince rich young pretty people that it's better to be rich and pretty, and if you can start when you're young, so much the better. As magazines go, it's slightly less useful than, say, American Rifleman.
Saturday, February 25, 2006
I guess I didn't want to make it sound like I opposed the naked body or even found certain kinds of art centered around a nude figure offensive.
I had also failed to mention something you bring up and that is the super-abundance of nudity or near-nudity in the American culture, though I touched on it when I said we had dragged lovemaking through the mire of human complacency. I loathe our familiarity with what should be private.
And we are mocked for being Victorian!
Thanks for the comment
Saturday, February 25, 2006
I hope estimable isn't reading the comments. His new moniker might go to his head.
Saturday, February 25, 2006
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