RE: putting clothes on a goddess

[Guest guest]

Dear list,

Well...I'll take the chance of posting here again. I am an artist by

profession and have been for the past 40 years (in the West but have

also studied in India). I looked at the paintings in question. They do

not seem to be anything very unusual or even particularly interesting,

considering the level of art that can be found in India virtually

everywhere you look. However, it seems to me that it's the titles

given to the paintings rather than the paintings themselves that

are "inflammatory"...calling something, "Stark Naked Lakshmi"

or "Naked Saraswati" is manipulating the viewer's focus of

attention...virtually demanding that the viewer "notice" and react to

the "nakedness" of the deity. It's not "accidental" and is a ploy used

frequently by Western artists to call attention to otherwise pretty

conservative work...give it a title that forces the observer to see it

in a specific way. I doubt that these paintings would have caused much

of a fuss without the titles...but, of course, I am quite ignorant of

the ongoing debate.

s

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

You are right on the money with this observation. And I agree, the

artistic value is negligible.

 

Max

 

>They do not seem to be anything very unusual or even particularly interesting,

>considering the level of art that can be found in India virtually

>everywhere you look. However, it seems to me that it's the titles

>given to the paintings rather than the paintings themselves that

>are "inflammatory"...calling something, "Stark Naked Lakshmi"

>or "Naked Saraswati" is manipulating the viewer's focus of

>attention...virtually demanding that the viewer "notice" and react to

>the "nakedness" of the deity.

 

--

Max Dashu

Suppressed Histories Archives

Women in Global Perspective

http://www.suppressedhistories.net

 

New poster: Our Reproductive Rights!

http://www.maxdashu.net/shamanic/reprorights.html

Beautiful, multi-issue, empowering 11 x 17 laser print

 

 

 

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