The Nude

The nude figure has been an engaging subject in the Arts for hundreds of years. Michelangelo’s nude masterpiece David was controversial when it was completed in 1504. Nudity in the Arts continues to be controversial today. Isn't the nude figure obscene? Absolutely not! It becomes obscene when violence or exploitation is employed upon the body. I believe religious dogma has a lot to do with the stigma assumed by the nude figure. (I would love to talk about the politics of clothing, but that is a different subject.)

For about the past thirty years, I have seen the nude figure portrayed as a metaphor in the theater arts. Currently, there are several productions on Broadway in which the nude figure is being employed. One, in particular, is the play named Equus, starring Daniel Radcliff from the Harry Potter series.

I think that children have a healthier behavior towards the nude figure. It is a natural phenomenon to them because of their innocence. In some cultures, and societies, including ours, children are taught that nakedness should be covered. This praxis is paramount in societies where religion is a dominant aspect of its government.

The parents should be aware of their children’s maturity relative to the nude figure, and its potential to be a sexual manifestation. I am not sure if musicals and plays have a rating system similar to movie theaters. However, I believe most parents know how to protect their children from material that is potentially harmful. It is up to the parents to make that choice.

Art should never be censored-- we live in a free society where its citizens can express themselves. (We have First Amendment Rights to the United States.)

Anything that can be deemed pornographic is also subjective. We must be careful in characterizing what is pornographic.

One of my new projects relates to the human figure. I am creating a series of figures relating to the evolution of the human as a species. The iconography is rather psychological and zoomorphic.