Art Pornography or Nude Art?

Should Nude Art be considered Art Pornography or art depicting humanity in its most vulnerable, purest form?

Nude art is a subject that has been baffling the minds of millions since the first controversial painting by Frances De Goya “La Maja Desnuda”.  Even before this bold talented artist painted the beautiful naked model, nudes were a popular subject of the ancient Greek and other cultures.  So why even question if this form of art is a no-no you ask?  As you may know, in today’s time, moms of little boys with curious minds, and critics of what art really means have started to challenge what is acceptable to be honored as a masterpiece and what is not.  Before I go into my own personal opinion of nudity and art, I would like to share a few opinions of well-respected artists as well as the basic every day Sally & Joe.

“What spirit is so empty and blind, that it cannot recognize the fact that the foot is nobler than the shoe, and skin more beautiful that the garment with which it is clothed?”

• Michaelangelo

“Beauty, I think being naked is so over-rated.  They’re just body parts and everybody has them.  The only reason people get uncomfortable is because they’re so used to it being covered up and don’t think of it as normal to show others what’s underneath.”

• Average Joe, Anonymous

“I paint people, not because of what they are like, not exactly in spite of what they are like, but how they happen to be.”

• Lucien Freud

Getting back to where we started, I would like to share how I really feel on this continuously argued subject.   Art has been around since the very beginning of time depicting many different subjects, with one constant favorite being the human race.  Aside from asking whether nude art is pornography, we should be asking why we feel the need to pick apart any subject an artist chooses to use.  I once was told that art is the only free form of expression.  I honestly believe this!  When I see a work of art, I see it for exactly what the artist says it is, after all he or she was the one who created it.  If I don’t like a certain work of art, I move on from it and leave space for others to possibly admire and enjoy it.  If we can learn that not all things we like, someone else will, we can get passed these silly subjects that consume the thoughts of some of the world’s most intelligent people.  If you don’t like nude art, by all means, don’t look at it.

Art is created to cater to the minds and souls as well as the eyes of all people.  However, art is also created usually by a person or group of persons who came up with a thought or feeling, and decided to bring it to life.  That person at the time was not necessarily taking into consideration how you might feel about their art.  Hence, the freeform of expression I mentioned earlier.  I respect all artists and I know inside everyone is a little creativity trying to scratch its way to the surface.  Whether it is painting or sculpting naked women and men, is left up to you and only you to decide.  Nude or not, art and humanity are beautiful.  Stop trying to change that!