It’s one of the greatest conundrums for artists. The nude is not just the sight of the beauty that we all hold as humans; it’s also one of the greatest subjects with which to learn the practice of your art, across numerous disciplines. It is also very off-putting to some North American audiences that much prefer to keep the body covered up.
Studio Gallery co-curator Pat Wagensveld recalls a time about 15 years ago when she was on another local gallery’s board and had to bear the brunt of the negative reaction from a member of the public.
“A lady stood there screaming, ‘Take that picture of a nude male down!’” she recalled, adding her frustration about the nature of some audiences. “You walk through Europe and there are nudes all over.”
She’s hoping that the new show at Studio Gallery will be accepted by a more receptive public when it opens this weekend. Go Figure features the works of more than a dozen local artists in a variety of media from watercolours to oils, even fabrics and multimedia.
“I took a chance with this one,” Wagensveld says. “I put up one in the window over the weekend and there’s a breast exposed.” Not sure what would happen, if anything, she has the same conviction she had so many years ago.
“I’m not going to be that manipulated. It’s all about the beauty of the body, the beauty of the human figure.”
Wagensveld even vouched for the propriety of the images, arguing there is nothing provocative or inappropriate for any age group. “I want my grandchildren to see it. Bring your children.”
Jayne Willoughby Scott works in a variety of media but her two entries here are gorgeous semi-abstract figurative textile works. From her artist’s statement she writes about the strong psychological narrative that she finds in the physical form.
“I am interested in the stories people’s physical bodies tell and my experience of the figure on display rather than an exact replication of what I see. The fragmentation and distortion of shapes and lines suggests movement and the passage of time.”
And she’s just one of 14 artists represented in the show. Not all of the pieces are nudes, but all do explore the human body.
The gallery’s front window highlights two of Barb Shore’s triptychs featuring women in bathing suits. They are real women, not supermodels, but they are all captured beautifully. Inside you’ll find a punk blonde waif and three crane-necked women courtesy of Chris Riley, Verne Busby’s magical figure studies, portraits of mostly featureless figures by Kathy Meaney.
Preview
Go Figure<br />Opening reception on Saturday, 2 to 4 p.m., artists will be in attendance.<br />Exhibit runs from Jan. 9 to 30 at Studio Gallery, 11 Perron St.
