Beyond the basics of a “Call for Submission” statement and providing the times and places and participants, I wanted to reach out to artists with the essence of what our “Unclothed: Exposing the Art Nude — A Spirit & Place Event“, was all about, and why we are so passionate about the program. I want to not just explain what it is, but why is it important.
There are two important parts of this event — the StutzArtSpace gallery show featuring works of art nude from regional artists of all media and styles, and also a panel discussion open to the public to discuss the issues facing artists and businesses when promoting work containing artistic expression of the human form, provocative or otherwise. For this entry, however, I wish to focus on the gallery events and explain why your participation is so valuable to our program and also to the art community as a whole.
Our gallery event is intended to showcase work from artists who are from areas where there is commonly hesitation is displaying, or resistance in their ability to show, work that is seen as “too provocative”, or runs counter to “community standards”. We are reaching out to provide and promote the art nude as a respected and honored subject in fine art, and to bring the voice and passion of these artists, or perhaps you, to the public forum.
As a figurative artist myself, I understand the challenges that I and others like me face doing paintings or photography of the human figure. My portfolio has a certain liability attached to it when patrons or organizations are making decisions about my participation in their fairs or projects, or the risks of being associated with an artist that is not conservative in their entire body of work. I have been declined opportunities to show my work or use certain images to promote shows or my career. I have, many times, found a lack of support by other artists and arts organizations in defending my right to expression or protecting my ability to provide my work on equal terms with other artists to the public sphere. These experiences in my own life as a working artist, and the differences in this market versus other more liberal or art-strong locations, have fueled my passion to give voice and place to those who also have these same or similar ordeals in their art lives.
The purpose of this gallery show is multifaceted. We want to provide a venue that highlights the best of figurative art nude work in sculpture, paintings, photography, mixed-media, multimedia, and performance. We want to advertise and promote this to everyone from the avid supporters of this subject in art, to the curious, to the doubtful, and even to the critics. We want those that collect fine art nude works to know this is THE PLACE in Indianapolis where they might see and purchase work that appeals to them, or at the very least provide encouragement and networking with the artists who create it.
One of the most important missions of this show, and all of the associated elements of this Spirit & Place event, is education and promoting the open discussion on the value of art nude work, and showing that it deserves “equal shelf space” with the still life, the landscape, and all other subject matter. It is a call to rally and show support, but also to ask our patrons and our neighbors to accept that our subject of choice is a matter of taste like most any other subject, but not to be feared or reviled. We want to present the work in a positive and sophisticated way, rather than a confrontational approach.
Furthermore, we are also reaching out to other galleries in November to participate with us and show at least one art nude work, and providing them work and contacts if they do not have internally represented artists to fill the request. These cross-promotional partnerships will be provided through our entries for the show, and part of our overall promotion of the several events that are part of this.
So, I am personally calling on each of you in the arts to either make a new work on the theme, or provide one you have already made, and put your best foot forward, and submit and participate with us. We want men and women and all age groups and perspectives and backgrounds to submit work for selection, and want the showing to be broad across demographics and geographies. We want your stories of why you have created beautiful nudes, and want to hear your experiences and of your support as an artist — both good and bad — to include in our presentation. We want your voice and your artistic heart, and to show and to sell your work, and to celebrate the spirit that makes us create and express ourselves, and doing so regardless of market acceptance or current community standards and tastes.
I sincerely hope that each of you will take the time to read and submit work, and I look forward to your work being part of this presentation.
Be well,
Travis S. Little
Curator, “Unclothed: Exposing the Art Nude”
IDADA Artist Representative*
*This is not an IDADA sponsored event.
Important Information:
Call For Entries
http://www.stutzartists.com/unclothedCFE.html
Entry Deadline: Friday, September 23, 2011 by 5pm EST
“Unclothed: Exposing the Art Nude”
StutzArtSpace, Indianapolis, IN
November 4th through 23rd
Open Monday-Friday, 11a-2p
Special Art Preview Show
Friday, November 4th (IDADA First Friday Event), 5:30p-9p
StutzArtSpace, Indianapolis, IN
Includes special presentations and performances
Spirit & Place Event and Panel Discussion and Open Gallery
Stutz Artists Association, presented in partnerships with KLF Legal and NUVO Newsweekly
Stutz Business Center
Friday, November 11th, 6p-9:30p
Panel Discussion hosted by Travis DiNicola from 7-8:30
