The Western Figure
Volumes, gravity and weight positioned on a ground plane with perspective, is the framework by which most artist have learned to recreate the human figure.
Artists have their own preferences and attitudes when it comes to interpretation of the nude figure but ultimately it is a journey to understanding the complexities of the human form.Pisanello(1397- 1455) grouped his figures in balanced arrangements which suggested interactive movement with in his drawings. He as with most artists of the time would render the skin of their subjects transparent to test their knowledge of anatomy.The many historical examples of technique can help us understand the figure as a quest for artistic perfection. Edgar Degas, Raoul Dufy and Jean Ingres were visionaries when it came to expressing the diversity of the human form. Canadian art has just carried over those same traditions.
I must admit, as I walked into the first gallery at the Glenbow I already had preconceived ideas of what I was about to see. I kept reminding myself as I moved further into the space to remember the context of these images. I wanted a sense of the spirit of this exhibition so I held off forming any opinions until the end. I continued forging my way through each gallery as the word academia flashed through my mind. I felt a disturbing melancholy come over me as if I were standing in front of a salon style wall covered with identical paintings. The elitist self indulgent undertones to the whole exhibition caused me to move quickly through each gallery.
The purpose of my Visit
I was there to find out for myself where the nude figure fit into Canadian Art. I understood the context of most of the work but I was just having difficulty recognizing their influences.
First impressions are everything
Was I missing something? or perhaps my minimal expectations were too high. Maybe I wanted the images to depict new and inventive ways of seeing an idealistic cultural movement in Canadian Art. Any conceptualization depiction of the nude figure would have sufficed.
I don't know what I expected truthfully but what I got was a sympathetic overview of the figure that was based on convention and not inspiration.
These images were created by artists I had read about in Canadian Art History so my expectations were apparently higher than I thought.
What struck me initially was the static nature of the work. It seemed to me that there was much more attention paid to painting style than there was to the subject. An exhibition of living breathing forms lacking in life is what I saw.
Alex Colville’s “Nude and Dummy” representation was exceptional when it came to expressing his style but it lacked the dynamics I would expect from a figurative work. His treatment of the subject was ajuxtaposition of a mannequin’s torso with the nude figure. I thought perhaps I was overlooking Colville’s narrative but as I came across more of his images it was clear the figure was being used to redirect attention to his graphic painting style.
Most images represented in this show were posed and placed on a background . The settings seemed contrived with little or no relationship to the picture as a whole. I’m not sure if the tension in these paintings were generated by the subject matter or the artists anticipation of public criticism. In any case, few made the grade aesthetically and most were academic studies.
Well Curated
Over-all this was a very well Curated exhibition with incremental themes and constructive facts. The illustrated lineage of the “Nude in Canadian Art” was well represented through the placement of each. I would have liked to have seen more preliminary sketch book drawings with biographical information about the artist and their subject.
What is the future of the nude Canadian Art?
I don’t think Canadians can declare any exclusivity to the nude figure because the nude figure has been a means of expression for most artists. Even with the proliferation and the dominance of Canadian landscape painting, artists have always pushed the parameters of what has inspired them and not with the forethought of our national identity.
Lets face it! If you’re an artist in Canada you can’t help being influenced by Canada’s geographical beauty but that doesn’t define Canadian art any more than the nude figure.
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