| Author | |
Becky Parker
Forum All-Star
Joined: May 23 2005
Location: Michigan
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2582
|
| Posted: Aug 20 2006 at 6:55am | IP Logged
|
 |
|
OK, I have to ask this question. I am wondering how you handle nudity in art?  I purchased Annotated Art and plan to use it with my ds (13 in October) but after looking at it myself, I'm not sure I want to let him look at it on his own. I feel the need to use sticky notes to cover certain "areas" and perhaps even do something to keep him from seeing certain paintings all together. How do you handle this with your children. Do you just avoid the pictures with nudity? That is where I'm at right now. I think my ds would be embarassed if we studied Michelangelo's work on the Sistine Chapel. Any thoughts / advice?
Becky
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Dawnie
Forum All-Star
Joined: Aug 30 2005
Location: Kansas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 841
|
| Posted: Aug 20 2006 at 3:43pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Becky,
Funny that you posted this question...I was just struggling with it yesterday!
I was picking out prints by Renoir for our art study at the library, and there were several nudes in the library's collection. There were so many other good prints that I could use that I decided to just skip them for now. My daughters are only 7, 4, and 2--I wouldn't be opposed to them seeing nudity in art when they're older (I think), but I don't feel comfortable with it right now.
Dawn
__________________
Mom to Mary Beth (99), Anna (02), Lucia (04), Clara (06), and Adelaide Victoria (2/28/09)
Visit my blog!Water Into Wine:Vino Per Tutto!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
stefoodie
Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 17 2005
Location: Ohio
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 8457
|
| Posted: Aug 20 2006 at 6:43pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I'd be interested in the answers to this as well. I never had a problem with my now-15-yo-dd seeing nudity in art, even at a younger age. I explained to her that God made the human body and that it's beautiful and that the artists' works (or at least the ones that we were looking at) were celebrations of that beauty, so it was also the artists' way of giving glory to the beauty of God's creation. However, my boys are a different story. At 10 and 7, I'm avoiding having them look at any nudes, because even 2 years ago when they were younger they would erupt in laughter and make jokes, etc. and I'm just out of ideas on how to handle this with them. The same approach obviously didn't work with them.
__________________
stef
mom to five
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Sarah
Forum All-Star
Joined: Aug 17 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1624
|
| Posted: Aug 21 2006 at 12:30pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
My boys get SO inappropriate!
I've also struggled with this. Can modesty be thrown out the window in the name of art? As long as its "art" can we view parts of the human body that we would otherwise cover? Is it a slippery slope to viewing other images? Who is going to define whether private parts are "art" or *p@rn*.
I don't have the answer, but I plan to find one soon. . .
Any thoughts?
__________________
Six boys ages 16, 14, 11, 7, 5, 2 and one girl age 9
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Philothea
Forum All-Star
Joined: Aug 15 2006
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 824
|
| Posted: Aug 21 2006 at 2:56pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Sarah, didn't John Paul address that in Theology of the Body? I seem to remember something about why nude art is acceptable because it is a celebration of the dignity of creation, whereas nude photography (i.e. porn) is just a cheap imitation of creation, or something to that effect. I'll see if I can find the reference.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Becky Parker
Forum All-Star
Joined: May 23 2005
Location: Michigan
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2582
|
| Posted: Aug 21 2006 at 3:38pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Philothea,
I think you are correct, and that is partly why I ask the question. I'm wondering if I'm worrying too much about it, or am I just being prudent?
Becky
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
SaraP
Forum All-Star
Joined: Dec 15 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 531
|
| Posted: Oct 12 2006 at 7:33am | IP Logged
|
|
|
This is an interesting question. I did some searching and found the two sections of the Theology of the Body that deal with this here and here, but my sleep-deprived mommy brain is having a hard time making heads or tails of them.
__________________
Mama to six on earth, two in heaven and two waiting in Russia. Foxberry Farm Almanac
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
aussieannie
Forum All-Star
Joined: May 21 2006
Location: Australia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7251
|
| Posted: Oct 14 2006 at 3:20pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
There must be an acceptable type of nudity in art due to the Sistine Chapel being covered with people in various degrees of extensive amounts of nudity...for that reason we have seen that sort of religious art as something that is fine for the children to view.
__________________
Under Her Starry Mantle
Spiritual Motherhood for Priests
Blessed with 3 boys & 3 girls!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Becky Parker
Forum All-Star
Joined: May 23 2005
Location: Michigan
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2582
|
| Posted: Oct 15 2006 at 6:34am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Thank you, everyone for your helpful, thought provoking replies to this question. I read the articles on the links Sara and what I am feeling is that, if the body is treated respectfully in the art it is okay as the artist had no immoral intentions, but was appreciating God's creation. The Sistine Chapel would be a good example of this, as well as "David" by Michelangelo. Unfortunately, because of the immorality of our day and even some in the past (I believe the Greeks were mentioned) the authors intention is/was not pure and it's apparent in the actual piece of art. These pieces of art can actually lead a person to sin because of the subject matter. So, what to do about my ds... I actually decided to talk to him about it. I explained that in some of the greatest works of art there is nudity and it is not meant in any way to be immoral. I asked him what he thought about studying art that might have some nudity. I was surprised when he said, "I wouldn't be comfortable with it Mom. I think we should just study the art without nudity."
Case closed. (At least for now.) I thought that was a very mature response and am willing to honor it. Perhaps when he gets older his feelings about this will change, but if, at 13 he readily admits that it would make him uncomfortable, than I will keep those pictures out of our study! I know there are many works of art by the Masters that do not contain nudity and I think we can study the artists sufficiently without including those that do contain nudity. Hope that all makes sense.
It actually makes be think of the ballet I took my dd to. For the most part it was beautiful and I would never have thought to worry about it being immoral. But it was actually a "collection" (poor word choice - can't think of anything else) of different types of ballet performances. Much of it was classical with dances from the Nutcracker or Swan Lake. But there was also some very modern ballet in there as well. Some of it I would just describe as "different" or even "strange", but there were two dances that were actually suggestive. In one of them the dancers costumes (just leotards) were sheer so it was as though they were wearing nothing. I actually took my dd to the bathroom during that one it was so bad. Of course, it got the loudest applause! I was surprised. To me though, it represents our culture. I'm sure years ago, no one would have ever worried about taking their daughter to a ballet. Oh well, hope I don't sound like a prude...maybe that is just what I am though.
Blessings to you all and prayers for a great week ahead!
Becky
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
4Real Forums : The Arts in the Everyday
Topic: How do you handle nudity?
