"He took artistic liberties and wouldn't allow them to be censored by anyone and he published illustrated books with erotic but artistic pictures," Sarkissova wrote in an open letter to the press.
"Our bodies belong to our art, as does the way we use them," said Sarkissova, who is married, adding that the pictures portrayed a "symbiosis of strength and aesthetics".
Meyer, who proclaimed himself shocked by Sarkissova's erotic posing, caved in and reinstated the ballerina. Originally he said that "Sarkissova's actions were incompatible with the dignity of a great cultural institution" .
When Sarkissova told the public that the opera house had commissioned a ballet, "Bella Figura", with topless dancers, the media and public wondered why Sarkissova's photographs created such an outcry and dismissal when Legris himself appeared naked which did not lead to his dismissal from the Paris Opera.
It appears that the ballerina should have asked permission first before posing, or so the Direction of the Opera now claims, Sarkissova apologized for having neglected to do so and is back at the Staatsopern Ballet, hoping, naturally, to be awarded a role in the coming nude ballet "Bella Figura". Since the 1960s.
nudity has not been considered outrageous in contemporary dance, and is not uncommon even in other theatrical productions, primarily in European houses.
Sarkissova said: "I felt discriminated against, both as a woman and as a prima ballerina with over 10 years of professional experience, just because I dared to display my femininity with pride. Prudishness and small-mindedness have no place in art and I stand for the courage to be erotically provocative."
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| Almost but not quite...flesh colored body stocking, I believe! |
Nudity and /or erotica have had their place in magazines, dedicated to the Arts or not - think Playboy, Penthouse, etc. worldwide.
But in the theater world US houses lag somewhat behind in mounting complete nude productions for which some audiences are rather thankful.. while others lament lack of "courage" to do so.
Of course nudity in paintings and sculpture have been around from time immemorial....think Greek statues, Michelangelo, think Renoir, think Titian!
btw a Titian Exhibit will be mounted soon at the Museum of Fine Arts right here in Houston,
the picture below is from a MOFAH announcement
So, dear readers, what do you think? Should we let it all 'hang out'? Do tell!
3 comments:
It's a good question.
I think it would be better for art to be less censored. If that means nudity, bring it on. Like all art, however, artistic statements should both be artistic and say something, so like everything else how nudity would work on stage would depend on implementation. As always, in the process of figuring this out, it is likely that there would be horrible mistakes along the way.
My only concern would be that there might be a situation in which an artist who wasn't comfortable with nudity might feel pressured to do it anyway, but then, given all the other pressures artists have, that doesn't seem like it should be the top of the list of concerns.
Actually, I have another concern and that would be that in the U.S. equal opportunity nudity is still really rare. Movies: women will lose their clothes and the cameras are merciless, but men are seldom if ever full frontal nude. They are either filmed waist up or there are fortuitously placed objects. We don't need sexist double standards reinforced any more.
It does seem that in Europe nudity on stage has been around for years, such as several productions which were staged with nude and even erotic scenes in the last 5 years.
Salome: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aJ8OECNEI.8o
And others.
It seems to me that the acceptance of full nudity in women is so prevalent here because we have been bombarded by it in films, on television, videos and even cell phones (lately) and because, perhaps, men still are more vocal arbiters.
I do however also feel that being too accepting of 'art' (recall the use of blood or excrement at Brooklyn as expression of artistic freedom)is wrong.
I've always felt when encountering such 'art' that the soi disant 'artists' are thumbing their noses at so 'important art critics' and
'professed art connoiseurs'.
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