Saturday, January 24, 2009

Nude Commentary

I am working @ this moment @ the front desk @ the Art Association of Harrisburg. This month's exhibit is a figure show, a members' show with the human figure as the theme, called 'Figuratively Speaking'. It is a well-established annual feature which has drawn record numbers of member entries this year. The Curator had to clear out the permanent collection hallway to make room.

Since it is Saturday, there are children's art classes held in the building.

A little girl leaving with her father took the time to give commentary. As she walked by, she was pointing continuously @ the nude women in her path saying, "Eeew, eeew, eeew, eeew...", to communicate her visceral reflexive reaction to each piece she saw. She spoke with definitive disdain in her voice, controlling her obvious shock and continuing realization that the whole wall, room, and building was, no doubt, filled, one after the other in place with these, in her opinion, yucky, icky, ucky classic nudes in familiar classic nude poses. And she listed her reaction to each with a very matter-of-fact tone, unable to find the time to reformulate another word of description or lower her pointed finger, first extended in haste to point out a possible horrible wrong, left extended to defend her sensibilities. I'll continue with a colonial-style poem, I hope Hawthorn will be proud.

I think artists themselves with this most pure judgment must agree (at-heart honestly); else how more flattering and pleasant our unclothed selves would (most likely) be; to that young sensibility! As for me, the girl's opinion-an untarnished reflection-(more likely) must be.

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