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Nude For Thought

September 17, 2009

We’re constantly coming across reports of public protest over nude statuary. Townships are always abuzz over art au natural. Three recent undressed uproars demonstrate that demands for modesty are often directed at the least sexy of sculptures.

Take “Journey To The New” in Delray Beach, Florida. This serious and spindly towering trio was created by Itzik Asher and represents a refugee Jewish family fleeing Ethiopia for sanctuary in Israel. Displayed at the Addison Park Shopping Center, it’s too close to an elementary school for some sensitive critics. Oh, and the man is “anatomically correct”—except for the fact that his privates are made out of metal.  The artist defends his vision by saying it’s about “…who you are. That’s why my figures walk naked, but they are not naked in what they carry.” Thanks for clearing that up, Smartypants!

Then there’s Mike Magrath’s nude and brooding site-specific woman, installed at Burien/Interim Art Space in Burien, Washington. Officially titled “Paradigm Shift” (note pretentious name which attempts to imply deep thought rather than hoochie coochie-ness) it is nicknamed “The Squatter” by locals. This contemplative and somewhat scrawny lass is posed in rather unflattering position, which admittedly encourages tasteless jokes by adult and child alike.

Citizen “Lynette” — whose visit to the Strawberry Festival with her grandkids was potentially ruined by the titillating thinker — makes a good point: “If that were a live person, she would be arrested for public nudity”. But she’s not, so let’s move on.

Finally, some citizens of Silt, Colorado are all worked up about a statue of a naked rock-climber, who moons passing roundabout traffic. Blaine Peters of “Rock World Unlimited” made the bare-butted adventurer—but didn’t take the time to come up with a pretentious title for his gripping creation, which is as yet unnamed.

Sexy? Arousing? Hardly. All it serves to do is to make onlookers (especially men) wince. [Post by Anne D. Bernstein]

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