Do we teach shame by avoiding the classical nude figure?
Where do you "draw the line" on nudes in your program? I tried to put these in order of "nude-ness" using their level of abstraction and "frontality" as a factor. Obviously you might order this list differently and perhaps swap out some works for others... but what number is okay or a no-no for your program... And why?
This is in reaction to someone telling me they would never include Picasso's painting Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, in their middle school program and went so far as to say it might put their job in jeopardy...
My reply was, "When in doubt, see if Administration would back you up in a rigorous program that exposes students to important works of art, or a cursory program that avoids certain material. That's where I'd draw the line if I had to. I think not including this work is "wrong" if based on "prudence," because it then assumes that the human form is "bad."
This may not be obvious at first, but do we project "shame" by avoiding all nudes in an art program? Again, every population is different, but it does pose a good teachable moment (if administration will back you.)
So what happens when your students DO go to a museum??? If they have never been exposed to artistic nudes will they giggle, point, and make jokes in a public setting giving you and your school a bad name?
Or will they have been exposed to nudes, know the context, know that the body is not a purely sexual object, know that snickering, pointing, joking is just never appropriate?"
When in doubt, have a candid conversation with your administration. Some teachers have parents sign a statement that discloses that the art program will potentially include a few classical nudes found in major museum collections and recognized as important works of art. (Perhaps name a few so they can look for themselves.)
How you present the work is just as important. Each teacher may need to have "the talk" about artistic nudes, how they are just another subject, historical context, and model appropriate conduct.
Please reply with your thoughts and experiences.
This is in reaction to someone telling me they would never include Picasso's painting Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, in their middle school program and went so far as to say it might put their job in jeopardy...
My reply was, "When in doubt, see if Administration would back you up in a rigorous program that exposes students to important works of art, or a cursory program that avoids certain material. That's where I'd draw the line if I had to. I think not including this work is "wrong" if based on "prudence," because it then assumes that the human form is "bad."
This may not be obvious at first, but do we project "shame" by avoiding all nudes in an art program? Again, every population is different, but it does pose a good teachable moment (if administration will back you.)
So what happens when your students DO go to a museum??? If they have never been exposed to artistic nudes will they giggle, point, and make jokes in a public setting giving you and your school a bad name?
Or will they have been exposed to nudes, know the context, know that the body is not a purely sexual object, know that snickering, pointing, joking is just never appropriate?"
When in doubt, have a candid conversation with your administration. Some teachers have parents sign a statement that discloses that the art program will potentially include a few classical nudes found in major museum collections and recognized as important works of art. (Perhaps name a few so they can look for themselves.)
How you present the work is just as important. Each teacher may need to have "the talk" about artistic nudes, how they are just another subject, historical context, and model appropriate conduct.
Please reply with your thoughts and experiences.
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