BEYOND RODIN:
New Directions in Contemporary
Figurative Scultpure The Rye Arts Center, Rye New York
Curated by Bob Clyatt
Early this summer, right outside the boundaries of "The City" with all it's contemporary galleries, at the Rye Arts Center presented a collection of high-quality artworks curated by sculptor Bob Clyatt. Beyond Rodin: New Directions in Contemporary Sculpture Figurative Sculpture was reviewed in the New York Times, so if you missed it, watch our video interview with Bob Clyatt.
The Bodyscapes of Allan Teger
Allan Teger Interviewed by Lilianne Milgrom
Photographs by Allan I. Teger
What do fishing, climbing, golfing, horse riding and tightrope walking have to do with the female nude?? Or for that matter, what is the connection between the female nude and turtles, giraffes, cats and ducks? Veteran photographer Allan Teger marries these seemingly unrelated images in his thought-provoking and delightful photographs. Lilianne Milgrom’s interview delivers some unexpected insights into these questions and presents a portrait of a man on a mission.
Up From
The Deep A Group Exhibition TNC Gallery
July 10 - August 23, 2012
TNC Gallery presents, "Up From the Deep," an exhibit of 15 artists probing the fathoms of memory, dreams, myth and states of being. The show ranges from photography, to mixed media, fabric sculptures, and good old colored pigment smeared on flat surfaces. Curated by artist Jeff Faerber.
A Celebration of
the Figure X @MOCA DC, Washington, D.C.
Friday, Jul 6 to Aug 4, 2012
Contribution by David Quammen, Director of MOCA DC
MOCA DC gallery is situated in Canal Square in the middle of Georgetown, the toniest section of Washington, DC. The courtyard is framed by four galleries, one of which is a venue for the kind of art and activities one would hardly expect to find in this conservative bastion of a generally conservative city.
Mel Ramos 50 Years of Superheroes, Nudes,
and Other Pop Delights
A Sacramento native, internationally acclaimed Mel Ramos (born 1935) is one of the city's most celebrated artists. This is the first American museum survey of his work in more than 35 years. The exhibition showcases each of the artist's creative phases, including his Abstract Expressionist early works, his comic book heroes from the 1960s, and the commercially inspired nudes that made him famous. We don't have images to share, but we found this great interview with Mel Ramos that is promoted through the Crocker Art Museum's website.
Interview:
Ted Lawson Exhibit: Entropy at Emmanuel Fremin Gallery Interview by artist/publisher Jeffrey Wiener
May 2012
TheGreatNude.tv sent it's crew down to the Emmanuel Fremin Gallery to meet with artist Ted Lawson, who's exhibition of abstract and realist sculptures and paintings feature several Great Nudes.
It seems just a short time ago I was complaining to Jeff Wiener, The Great Nude's publisher, of a shortage of nudes, much less figurative work, being shown in the New York City galleries, when all at once the "art universe" backhanded me. Well, my head is still spinning from all of the great work on exhibit here in NYC.
Behind
the Scenes: Curating
'You, Me
and Everybody Else" By Lilianne Milgrom
You don't necessarily have to have read Seven Days in the Art World by Sarah Thornton (highly recommended BTW) to know that the art establishment is made up of a lot more than mere artists. There are artists' agents, artists' assistants, curators, gallerists, museum directors, preparators, auction houses, collectors - to name but a few – who keep the art moving in one direction or another.
The Birth
of Venus by Jeffrey Wiener, Publisher, TheGreatNude2007
Here's a re-release of one of our first videos, a Life-painting session where we attempt to recreate Botticelli's "Birth of Venus". It's a little lo-res, and we've certainly improved our productions since this video. But she was a great model. (I can't believe we fit all those people in my tiny Hell's Kitchen studio apartment! And how about that Red Wig?)
Auckland based John Crawford is one of New Zealand’s best known photographers. His portfolio of commissioned and uncommissioned works is diverse in subject matter and mood, yet unmistakeable in its use of light and its natural, simple style.
John says his aim is to capture images that have a high degree of interest and contrast, don’t look too technical, and are easy to look at and enjoy.
Geekography by Exey Panteleev, Flash Developer May, 2012
TheGreatNude.tv keeps an eye out for unusual videos, and this one stands out for being rather "technical". Thanks to the "Geeks" in the office, who alerted us to these videos. The code samples attached to the various nudes are quite funny when you know what the cods means – instructions for computer/web-browser functions.
TheGreatNude.tv has been working hard at editing through one of the largest collections of art in the world to bring YOU just what you're looking for. Now on Pinterest, we present The Great Nudes of the Metropolitan Museum.
The Holy Land
Laid Bare The Body and Beyond
A Series by Lilianne Milgrom January, 2012
Our roving feature writer Lilianne Milgrom recently returned from the Promised Land, where she uncovered unexpected treasures in her search for the Great Nude. After visiting galleries and museums, and meeting with a number of prominent artists she reports back on Israel's unique and surprisingly sophisticated art scene.
Artist Scott Goodwillie heads up a regular feature covering the Nude in New York City. Watch this space for reviews of exhibitions in the museums and galleries of New York that feature the Nude.
To see some of these works in person, you can join Scott on one of our WALKING TOURS of New York’s art districts by visiting wwwTGNArtTours.com and purchasing advance tickets to RSVP.
TheGreatNude.tv presented 6 of its writers/artists in an exhibition at our booth at the Contemporary Art Fair NYC at the Jacob Javits Center. We also presented a series of Life-drawing events that featured a live model and drawing supplies for the public. Artist Sherry Camhy, a popular teacher here in New York, and Publisher/Artist Jeffrey Wiener, both presented tutorial demonstrations during the busy weekend.
Life-Drawing
with the iPad
Jeffrey Wiener Test-drives Drawing APPs on the iPad
Like many practitioners of "Life Drawing", over the years I have collected a broad set of tools and techniques for capturing that moment on paper. I am also a digital artist, and deeply fascinated by the process of using software and digital input tools to create art. I've been drawing on the iPad and iPad2 using the various drawing APPs available for a while now. Here's some examples of the impressive results one can obtain using the Digital Tablet for life-drawing with a model.
The Nude in Advertising A Series by Jeffrey Wiener,
Publisher, TheGreatNude.tv
Sagmeister Inc.'s rebranding of Aizone, PLUS Model Magazine’s Campaign against Skinny models, Videos include "Toe Jam" featuring music by David Byrne, the Making of the 2012 Pirelli Calendar, and an ad promoting Naturism in Europe.
Cassandra is a well-known actress/dancer/model here in New York City, and we were thrilled to have her posing for us at TheGreatNude’s weekend-long event at Contemporary Art Fair NYC, which was held at the Jacob Javits Center this last November, 2011. View>
Edgar Degas Museum of Fine Arts Boston Oct 9, 2011 –
Feb 5, 2012 Review by Scott Goodwillie
The imagery that first comes to mind when you hear the name Degas is familiar to everyone of course. Ballerinas, ballerinas and of course young ballerinas – most of whom are disturbingly pubescent. It's refreshing then that the Museum of Fine Arts Boston has launched this interesting and comprehensive take on the artist which focuses not one iota on ballerinas but on his study of the nude. A collaboration between the museum with the Musee d'Orsay in Paris who contributed about a third of the works on view.
The number of times you'll hear an artist claim that his or her works are autobiographical can be numbing in their frequency. In the drawings of Zachari Logan, this aspect of "Self" is acutely manifest and integral not only to the images he presents to us, but in the telling of his personal history and his coming to grips with his identity as a gay male.
Cesar Santos Eleanor Ettinger Gallery Oct 27 –
Nov 26, 2011 Review by Scott Goodwillie
For the Artist, working with the visual pun can be a risky venture. In the masterful hands of Cesar Santos, the appropriation of iconographic images from art history goes far beyond the initial pun and makes for a feast of color and composition. Santos has adopted the concept of syncretism into his mature body of work and takes us on a tongue and cheek ride through art history.
With the passing of Lucian Freud on July 20th, 2011 at the age of 89, a chapter in the figurative arts was closed. To honor his achievements, The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City is hosting a small but spectacular exhibit of 17 paintings, along with a few by his friends Francis Bacon and Frank Auerbach, until December 31 2011. If you are in New York, you have no excuse to miss this.
Paris in
the Nude The Body & Beyond: A Series by Lilianne Milgrom
Turning 360 degrees in just about any public place in Paris is all it takes for your eyes to alight on a dizzying array of bared breasts, derrieres and male genitalia. Not in the flesh, but in the form of statuary, artworks, graffiti and advertising displays. During a quick visit to Paris recently, Lilianne Milgrom sampled the Paris art scene, and gives us a sense of The Nude as seen through the eyes of several transplanted artists who call Paris their home.
Siren on the Hudson Interview with Artist Matt White
The Models to Monuments Program, run in coordination with the Art Students' League here in New York City, has produced some wonderful public works in it's efforts together. And we're happy to introduce you to artist Matte White, who's statue Siren can be seen gracing the banks of the Hudson River.
Recently, TheGreatNude visited the Eleanor Ettinger Gallery on 57th Street to see their exhibition British Figurative Art, a wonderful collection of British artists, several of whom focus on works featuring the nude. We were fortunate enough to have gallery owner Fran Bradford give us a personally guided tour.
The Women of the Sylvia Sleigh
Collection by Scott Goodwillie
With a hurricane and floodwaters slashing the State of New Jersey, it's good to see a flood of a different and most enjoyable kind lining the gallery walls of Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey. Currently the university is hosting an extensive exhibition of works from the collection of late artist and collector Sylvia Sleigh (1916 – 2010). Presenting over sixty paintings, works on paper and mixed media in an overwhelming array of styles and sizes it is a dizzying outpouring of creativity.
The Governor's Island Sketch Sessions Governor's Island, New York • September, 2010
NEW VIDEO RELEASE!
During The Governor's Island Art Fair, TheGreatNude presented several Sketch Sessions in our own exhibition space. Our Life Drawing workshops were open to the viewing public, and visitors were often surprised when they turned the corner to discover nude models posing for artists.
The Nude in Advertising A Series by Jeffrey Wiener,
Publisher, TheGreatNude.tv
This month, the Nude is being used to sell things for ZAPPOS, HBO’s series HUNG, Svedka Vodka, Sofie Yogurt, Psychology Today Magazine, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC!
Here's several new models for the Library from a recent call-out. We're still offering Art/Life Models a FREE Annual Subscription in exchange for your photos and profile info. Our Artists will appreciate the service.
The Body
and Beyond A New Series by Lilianne Milgrom
Lilianne Milgrom sets out to uncover the Washington DC art scene beyond the venerable Smithsonian museums. She didn't need to scratch too far below the surface to discover a vibrant art community dedicated to the traditions of the nude in art.
The Nude in Advertising Series by Jeffrey Wiener: Publisher, TheGreatNude.tv Keywords: More Magazine, ESPN Body Issue, Nadav Kander, Sam Edelman Shoes, Charlotte Kemp Muhl
Over the centuries, the Nude has been a vehicle for communicating the virtues and values of humanity. While the nude was often commandeered for purposes other than art in the commissions of paintings in the past, the use of the nude figure for advertising and marketing purposes is a relatively new phenomenon.
Today, with the numerous influences of technology and modern media around us, the use of the nude is as varied as our culture itself. This series of posts will explore some of the more interesting uses of the nude we can find.
Claudio Bravo was a master 'hyper realist' painter, known more for his quasi-mystical imagery and his stunningly realistic depictions of the figure. He was an extremely gifted artist on the front lines of a surge of contemporary Spanish realists, who all looked back to masters such as Velazquez and Francisco Zurbaran for their inspiration, all the while dealing with subject matter relevant to their time.
Rodin created some of the most memorable and iconic nudes of the 19th century. Recently, Jill Newhouse Gallery presented for sale a marvelous small collection of drawings and small sculptures from this French master.
Join us for an intimate tour of these Rodin masterpieces with Gallery owner Jill Newhouse.
Nakha Chitra is not exactly a common term in the art world, with its roots in ancient Sanskrit, Nakha meaning fingernail, Chitra means art, and Nakhachitrakar means fingernail artist. Not as simple as embossing, this is a rare Indian art form in which there is a reverse process happening, not only with the image being created with pressure on the back of the paper, but with the basic concept of drawing itself.
Bob Clyatt @An American Craftsman Gallery April, 2011
We've followed Bob's career as a sculptor for several years now. We brought a crew down to his latest exhibition of works here in New York City, and asked Bob to speak with us about his approach to figurative works in clay.
For those who follow Madrid-based hyper realist artist Bernardo Torrens, there is a familiarity with his stable of regular models. In this show at Bernaducci Meisel Gallery, we are offered a new group of masterfully executed paintings focusing primarily on two new subjects: strong featured model Jesi, and the Spanish dancer Melinia Olicina.
Jasad An
“Arab Spring”
for the Nude?
By Scott Goodwillie
With the Middle East in turmoil again - this time with Social Media fueled explosion called the Arab Spring - we hold our breaths and hope for a new openness in governance and hopefully social attitudes within the Arab world. Enter the art/literary magazine JASAD, which launched in 2008. The launch of this publication was a courageous act of literary expression, and we here at TheGreatNude applaud the publisher's efforts.
An Interview with Peregrine Honig Interview by Jeffrey Wiener
For many who watched the BRAVO series "Work of Art/The Next Great Artist", Peregrine Honig was a favored "competitor" with wide range of skills for making art. What many did not know, was that Honig was already a successful artist with a following and several museums in possession of her works. Honig has long been exploring the boundaries of culture with works that make provocative use of the nude figure.
An Interview with Collector Howard Tullman New York Academy of Art, October, 2010
Howard Tullman's Loft, Chicago, November, 2010
For the past few decades, the Figurative Arts have had few champions in the marketplace like collector Howard Tullman. This Chicago entrepreneur has been buying art for over 40 years and has amassed one of the largest collections of nudes I've ever seen.
Tullman also supports the arts in several other notable ways. In New York, Howard is on the board of the New York Academy of Art and in Chicago, Tullman has launched a professional digital arts school called Tribeca Flashpoint Academy.
We met with Howard at the New York Academy of Art for an in-depth interview about collecting art, and to ask him a little about both of the schools. Afterwards, we flew out to Chicago to pay him a visit at Tribeca Flashpoint Academy.
The Body
and Beyond A New Series by Lilianne Milgrom
AN INTRODUCTION
Our newest editorial contributor, Lilianne Milgrom, will be reporting on the nude in art and the nude AS art in a series entitled The Body and Beyond. We'll follow her travels around the world in 2011 in her search for the next Great Nude.
She personally experienced this cacophony of divergent opinions during her recent stint at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris as the authorized copyist of Gustav Courbet's 1866 masterwork L'origine du monde (The Origin of the World).
Fragonnard and Bronzino walk into a 60's style house party were pills are served along with beverages. Fragonnard grabs the Viagra and Bronzino takes the acid - and any offspring of an ensuing tryst would undoubtably have to be John Currin.
The current exhibition at Gagosian Gallery in New York City shows Currin at the top of his game and will please those of us who enjoy his provocations, and befuddle those who wish he would just go away.
