Nudes in the Present: Contemporary Painting in the Face of Nudity

　The nude is an expression of the human form as it really is. Not only have nude works been produced since the days of Greek art in the B.C. era, but they have also been actively produced worldwide in primitive art that has not been systematized.

　After the Edict of Milan, Europe was governed under the name of Christianity, but even in an age of public order and morality, nudity was an inviolable part of the art world. Even though it was necessary to have the excuse of “having allegorical or mythical nature” to deal with nudity.

　However, a new horizon opened up with the first vulgar and figurative female nude painting in the history of Western art, “The Naked Maha,” painted by Goya, outside the realm of “mythological and historical paintings depicting scenes from the Bible, myths and stories.

　Since then, the nude, which continues to fascinate people, has transcended the world of art and has undergone dramatic changes with various characters. However, in this age of the Internet, we can connect to the “naked” anytime, anywhere with a single smartphone. In this respect, it is questionable whether we can compete with other media in terms of sensuality, but what is the significance of today’s artists dealing with “nakedness”? Through the works introduced in this article, we would like to consider this question together.

Fiona Maclean