Discussion

[madshutterbug]

Two quotes Quotes (from a posting thread on Flickr):
'An artist friend of mine told me years ago that no matter what you portray in a nude, the face is what makes it beautiful, sensual, erotic or interesting. Without the face there is no reference of pleasure, sadness, pain, or feeling. A nude needs a face.'

And in response: '...I agree. Most nudes tend to be either academic or pornographic without a face.' (name is redacted with the ellipsis)

Comments?

Comments

[merimask.livejournal.com]

I don't know...sometimes the way light and shadow and curves comes together (especially in black & white or sepia-toned pictures) is more artful than a highly detailed naked portrait that includes a face.

Like, these are beautiful compositions of curves and lighting:
http://www.dejavuphotographic.com/web/photo_details.asp?ProdId=228
http://www.dejavuphotographic.com/web/photo_details.asp?ProdId=227
...and not at all pornographic to me.

But these:
http://www.nu-photos.com/
...really do look like something you'd see in Vogue or Playboy or something like that. Less like art, more like portrait photography of naked girls looking seductive.

I guess it depends on whether your intention is to create an art piece or a portrait. One is universal, and the other is highly representational.

[xjenavivex.livejournal.com]

Great examples

[madshutterbug.livejournal.com]

Probably ironic, considering I posted the subject for discussion, since I'm following this in free moments at work I'm not following links just yet. I am looking forward to seeing the examples.

And your points are some of the things I thought about when reading the 'response' comment in the Flickr, in particular. Stipulating one of my applied definitions to determine Art vs Not-Art, if there is an evocation of an emotion we open the door to Art.

Given that premise, I may see where inclusion/exclusion of a face may make a difference between erotic art/pornography, it still does not make an argument about inclusion/exclusion making it art/not-art.