Nudity in Art
Karl M.
Is nudity prohibited in fine art within the Baha'i Faith? That is,
nudity that is non-sexual.
Karl M. s...@charm.net
Brent Poirier
On Mon, 22 Dec 1997, Karl M. wrote:
> Is nudity prohibited in fine art within the Baha'i Faith? That is,
> nudity that is non-sexual.
I have seen a letter from the House of Justice stating that the nude human
body as a subject of art, and models posing in the nude for artists, are
both permissible for Baha'is. However, I do not know where the letter is
published.
Brent Poirier
gpoi...@acca.nmsu.edu
Enoch's Vision, Inc.
n The Advent of Divine Justice, p. 25, Shoghi Effendi states that the
Faith "condemns the prostitution of art" and "the practices of nudism"
and instead calls for the "exercise of moderation in all that pertains
to dress, language, amusements, and all artistic and literary
avocations." However, the House of Justice does not know of any
passages in the teachings prohibiting the delineation of the human
body in works of art. It is the practice of nudism that the Guardian
condemns in The Advent of Divine Justice, not nudity. There are many
variables in the question of the portrayal of the nude form in art,
including that of local mores and attitudes. The intention of the
artist is a very important factor. Normally that is a matter left to
the conscience and good taste of the individual artist unless the
Spiritual Assembly decides that the Cause is actually being harmed in
a particular case.
25 February 1988 to a Natuonal Spiritual Assembly [83]
Refer to: http://www.ee.pdx.edu/~pamela/bahai/comp/arts/cpart5.html.
~~~~~~~
Cary
~~~~~~~~
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Cheryl Cudmore
Karl asks:
< Is nudity prohibited in fine art within the Baha'i Faith? That is,
nudity that is non-sexual.
In The Advent of Divine Justice, p.25, Shoghi Effendi states that the
Faith "condemns the prostitution of art" and "the practices of nudism"
and instead calls for the "exercise of moderation in all that pertains
to dress, language, amusements and all artistic and literary avocations."
However, the House of Justice does not know of any passages in the
teachings prohibiting the delineation of the human body in works of
art. It is the practice of nudism that the Guardian condemns in The
Advent of Divine Justice, not nudity. There are many variables in the
question of the portrayal of the nude form in art, including that of local
mores and attitudes. The intention of the artist is a very important
factor. Normally that is a matter left to the conscience and good taste
of the individual artist unless the Spiritual Assembly decide that the
Cause is actually being harmed in a particular case.
During my years of study in fine art and design, I asked a similar
question of my life drawing professor:
"Why are we forever drawing nude men and women week after
week, every month, every year? Are you trying to corrupt us?"
He assured us 'no.' His answer was that the human form is,
whether we are aware of it or not, imprinted within the brains of
every human. It is the most familiar form we know as everyone owns
one. The knowledge of our human form is so much a part of us
that it is the most obvious subject of all for students to study
intensively in learning to draw well. In fact it was considered
important to sit in on the human anatomy labs of Dalhousie Univ.
medical students and sketch the dissection of cadavers, if we
were inclined to do so. I think the spirit and intention of the artist
determines everything. I would look at the nude subject as a creation
of God and have a pure conscience and make a tasteful rendering.
Then I think of something like front covers of Cosmopolitan
Magazine notorious for plunging necklines, loose bodices and
pouting poses or Playgirl Magazine's Mr. May centerfolds and
because of the context I would not consider these examples of
art. An attitude of nudism for the intention of sexual excitation
is quite obvious. These images are created for mass circulation
and moderation is never an issue.
I enjoyed your question. I'm sure there are many other answers.
Cheryl
abjo...@hc.itas.net
Brent Poirier
On Tue, 23 Dec 1997, Cheryl Cudmore wrote:
> During my years of study in fine art and design, I asked a similar
> question of my life drawing professor: "Why are we forever drawing nude
> men and women week after week, every month, every year? Are you trying
> to corrupt us?" He assured us 'no.' His answer was that the human form
> is, whether we are aware of it or not, imprinted within the brains of
> every human. It is the most familiar form we know as everyone owns one.
> The knowledge of our human form is so much a part of us that it is the
> most obvious subject of all for students to study intensively in
> learning to draw well.
Nearly twenty years ago, "World Order Magazine" published an article by
Firuz Kazemzadeh about the great Baha'i artist Mark Tobey, in honor of Mr.
Tobey's passing. Mr. Tobey's art was quite abstract. As I recall the
question, Mr. Kazemzadeh observed that there were a good number of
talentless people who masqueraded as abstract artists -- but how could the
public determine which of them was an artist, and which was a fraud? Mr.
Tobey responded, "Ask them to draw the human form."
When one has the artist's eye, one sees everything through it. I recall
being at the Bosch Baha'i School in California when the late Helen Bishop
was teaching there, and she talked with great respect about Mr. Tobey.
Then she turned her conversation to Dick Cavett, and how the horizontal
hold on her television (this was in the prehistoric days before computers
in TV's, kids) went out of wack during his program. "There was Dick
Cavett, in three parts like Gaul, and whirling like a dervish."
Helen had been our Baha'i representative for a time, at the Baha'i Bureau
in Geneva, and represented the Faith to the diplomats before the creation
of the U.N. Mark Tobey lived in Switzerland for a big part of his life,
and they were friends there back in the 30's. There is a very fine
watercolor artist in Albuquerque -- Bonnie Wilder -- and she likes to talk
about Baha'i art and artists during the nineteen-day Feasts. She likes to
start off by talking about Mr. Tobey, and I asked why him, given that
there are a number of outstanding Baha'i artists in different fields.
"Because Mark Tobey is our biggest gun. He changed the entire course of
art history."
Brent Poirier
gpoi...@acca.nmsu.edu
Robert J. Pease
Thank you for your wonderful post about Mark Tobey.
In my opinion, nude modelling and nudes in general are boring.
I have been an artist all of my life, and have exhibited in
dozens of showings, but am non-professional.
There is considerable question as to whether the amount of nude drawing
does a lot for one's actual facility with human porportions.
It has been my experience that time is better spent with
clothed figures and with esthetics of design.
In general I find that nudity is an excellent expression of
intimacy and sometimes is OK in public, but is never OK if
used to manipulate the sexuality of people.
As a non-Bahai I will not be convinced by religious quotes, but
certainly welcome them them as part of the discourse in this newsgroup.