The body is considered admirable only in a "pure" state, the state of passive non-movement. A sterile life drawing will often garner more compliments than for example a photographic close-up of skin in all its realistic fleshiness. Ron Mueck's 'Dead Dad' can invoke sadness, compassion, even disgust, but will never be considered beautiful. And usually only women's bodies are acknowleged as being beautiful; most people seem to think that men's bodies are weird and ugly.
But how can anyone who has seen Robert Mapplethorpe's portraits claim than the male body is unappealing?


posted by charlotte at 11:56 - comment