Do you think that there is a place for sex and nudity in art?

Question

For example, do you think "L’Origine du monde" by Gustave Courbet ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%E2%80%99Origine_du_monde ) is artisically valid or just porn on canvas?
Is pornography itself art or just something to letch at?
How is Michelangelo's David different from Deepthroat?
What defines tasteful nudity?

Answer 1

There is a place for everything in art. Art, as the deepest expression of the human soul, clearly cannot be defined by rules as transcient as that of good taste. The same way, it is the prerogative of every artist to chose whatever medium serves his or her needs the best. This might include pornography.
In the case of Courbet's painting, there is actually very little that is pornographic about it. For starters, it's not sexually arousing and behind its shock value, the painting lacks the crudeness and even violence normally associated with pornography.... It is, in fact a reflection, almost on a philosophical level, on human nature and, well, it's origin, as the title indicates. The shock experienced when seing the painting is precisely what allows the viewer to realize the true nature of their condition as humans. This is what sets it apart as a key masterpiece in the history of modern art rather than a piece of porn.
best,
f.

Answer 2

Let's stop with this British moralism. Courbet's canvas was an expression of his own vision and a provocation to the moralist attitudes of the times. It's the old argument "what is art?"
What is porn? what is nudity? (Un)fortunatelly, what defines any work is the cultural context we're living in.

Answer 3

I'm an artist - and I only paint people with clothes on doing normal everyday activities... I have never had the desire to paint a naked man or woman. But, I do have a friend who is a college art professor who pretty much exclusively paints nudes - and with all their junk in plain view... And his paintings are bigger than life... I must say I don't stare long and feel like blushing inside! LOL!!! Technically it is art - but definately nothing I would ever want on my walls.

To me art is a way to romanticize the way we look at the world... If the painting is done in a romantic tone - then I usually like it. If it is crass and hard - too realistic - I don't like it. Most people feel this way about art and that is why romantic art is so very popular. But the painting you showed in the link - is art - but where do you hang a painting like this? Could you still have your mother come over? lol. But as an artist - I still have to say it is art! I'm not happy about it - but it's true.

Answer 4

L’Origine du monde is a very valid piece of work & nothing to do with porn & only tertially about sex.

studied sex & nudity should be in art but not just for its own sex, there is too much of it around anyway, i'd like to see much less of it...

Answer 5

art reflects life and nature
and sex and nudity is part of life .

what is tasteful nudity ?
Now that is so hard to define .

In my opinion nudity ( in itself ) is not tasteless or
dis respectable .
It is a reflection of what the artist See's

how we ourselves have been brought up, Can affect the way we react to most nudity.

Some so called nudity ,can seem depraved and suggestive of overt voyeurism / pornography.
But this has also been portrayed by many artists over the century's, with great skill..

I do not regard modern art, as any different, to the art of ancient times
. though the ancients had to paint, in a far more difficult and meticulous way , with no modern technology .
.
if we don't approve of the art we go to see., it is our prerogative, to not view, what offends our senses .

Equally, artists, also have the right to portray,
what they feel and see , as .this is art .

Just my thoughts .
>^,,^<
.

Answer 6

I brought your question up three times. I am not sure how to put this. I am not personally offended by nudity or sex. David is a statue of a magnificent human, and deep throat is meant to stimulate sexual thoughts.

If you watched a movie of someone throwing up or of deification, would that be art? Some people feel about nudity as someone else might about other bodily functions.

Art is in the eye of the beholder.

Answer 7

Absolutely there's a place for it. The human body (and all of its functions) is a work of art all on its own! It's so proportioned in so many ways. Artists were the ones to figure out the appropriate dimensions of the human body. If people see it as pornography...don't look at it!

Answer 8

tasteful nudity is attractive people naked or ugly people naked where I can't see them. hey that painting is pretty hot for 1800's. I guess I would say all porn is art. Michelangelo's David is a product of rare ability in the field of sculpture. Rare artistic ability is prized in the field of art.

Answer 9

Of course there is a place for it, just visit any great art gallery or museum. Art is so hard to define, I have seen things that I consider total crap, but my taste is just that, my own taste. Porn- to me anyway--is when it is done for show, without any artistic influence at all, but then again it is all relative.

Answer 10

That's porn, bad porn. Bushy gross 1970s disco music porn. Yick.

If you are trying to make a liberal "there is no black and white, there is only grey" argument, forget it. A movie about a girl who cannot have an orgasm unless she sucks wingwong is not on the level of an ancient sculpture that is obviously not for the purpose of masturbating to.