Critique on Art using John Berger's Nude vs. Naked

GARCI A, Ce l i neMa Mar i eL.

HUM1

3LIT1

07/10/16

HUMANI TI ESPRELI M

Thedi ffer enc ebet wee nt henudeandt henakedhasbeendi s c us s edandar gued, de f e nde da ndde fie d,fir s ta r t i c u l a t e di nLo r dKe nne t hCl a r k’ sb oo kpub l i s he di n1 9 5 6 , Th eNud e :aSt ud yi nI d e a lF o r m.I nt hei nt r oduc t i onofhi sbook,Cl a r kdi ffe r e nt i a t e st he na ke da sas i mpl es t a t eoft o t a lundr e s swhi l et henudei sawa yofs e e i ngt hena ke da sa wo r ko fa r t .Ho we we v e r ,i nJ o hnBe r g e r ’ se s s a yN yNud ev s .Na k e d,pub l i s he di n1 9 7 2i nhi s y so fSe e i ng  bookWa ,hef ur t he re l a bo r a t e so nt hedi ffe r e nc e so fnudea ndna ke da r t :

T obena ke di st obeo ne s e l f . T ob enudei st ob es e e nna k e db yo t he r sa n dy e tno tr e c o gni z e df o r ones el f .A nakedbodyhast obes ee nasanobj ec ti nor dert obe nude .( Thes i ghtofi ta sanobj e c ts t i mul a t e st heus eofi ta san obj e c t . )Na ke dne s sr e ve al si t s e l f . Nudi t yi spl a c edondi s pl a y . I nBe r g er ’ sf ur t he re l a bor a t i on,i ti si mpl i e dt ha tt hes ubj e c tofnudea r t ,of t e na wo ma ma n,i so bj e c t i fie dt ot ur nt he i rn a ke db odyi nt oawo wo r ko fa r t .Thi si sb a c k e dupb y t hes oci alexpec t at i onson menand wom me en:t hatmenac t( ast he yar et heas s umed ma ke r sofa r t ;e r go,t he i ra c ti st oobj e c t i f ywome nt oe l e v at et he ms ms e l ve sa ndt he i ra r t ) andwom me enappea r( ast heyar edepi c t edandt ur nedi nt oar tobj ec t svi ewedandmade f ort hepl e a s ur eo fme n) . Wi t ht he s ede fini t i o nso ft henudea ndna k e di nmi nd,t hi spa pe rwi l la t t e mp mptt o de t e r mi nea nda r guef ort henudea ndna ke dpr ope r t i e so ft woa r tob j e c t s :a nunt i t l e d woodens c ul pt ur ebyanunknown wnar t i s tf r om t hepr i vat ec ol l ec t i on ofr enown wnedar t

c r i t i c , j our na l i s t ,a nda r t i s t ,Emi l i o“ Abé ”Agui l a rCr uz ;a ndawa t e r c o l ourpa i nt i ngf r om pr ofic i e nts k e t c he ra nda r c hi t e c t ,Ant oni oDoc t orGa r c i a .

TheNak e d

Emi l i oAgui l arCr uz,bor nonJ une5,1915i nPampanga,wasanI mpr es s i oni s t who,a tfir s t ,onl yda bbl e di npa i nt i ngwhi l ema i nt a i ni ngaj our na l i s t i cc a r e e ri nt he c o unt r y ’ spr e mi e rl i t e r a r y pe r i o di c a l s ,i nc l udi ng Gr a phi cMa g a z i ne ,S unda y Ti me s Ma g a z i ne ,t heDa i l yMi r r o r ,a ndt heMa ni l aTi me s .Hec o nt i nue de di t o r i a lwo r kunt i l t hede c l a r a t i o no fMa r t i a lLa wo nS e pt e mb e r2 1 ,1 9 7 2 .TheDa i l yMi r r or ,o fwhi c hhe wa st hec h i e fe di t ora tt het i me ,wa ss hutdo wnb yt hea dmi ni s t r a t i o n.Onl yt he ndi dhe t ur ni nt oa“ pr of e s s i ona lpa i nt e r ”( TheMa ni l aTi me s ,2 0 1 5 ) .Att het i me ,hewa si nt o nudest ohel phi m bet t erhi sknowl edgeofanat omys i ncehedi dnotfini s hhi sf or mal e duc a t i oni na r ti nt heCol l e geo fF i neAr t si nt heUni v e r s i t yoft hePhi l i ppi ne s .Ev e n  be f or e he owne d up t o be i ng a pr of e s s i onal ,orasAgui l arCr uz l i ke dt oc al li t , “ g e nt l e ma n” pa i nt e r ,hewa sa l r e a dy a s s o c i a t e d wi t h agr o up o fa r t i s t sc a l l e dt he Sat ur da y Gr oup ( The Mani l a Ti mes ,20 15) .Lat er ,he f ounds anot her gr oup by di s c o ve r i ngt wopa i nt i ngsi nt hes hopsbe l o w hi ss t udi oi nEr mi t a .Thea r t i s t soft he pai nt i ngsl i vedt hatt i meonCal l eDi mas al angandAgui l arCr uzt hennamedt hegr oup a f t e rt hes t r e e t :t heDi ma s a l a ngGr oup—agr oupofa r t i s t st ha ts pe c i a l i z e di npa i nt i ng nude s( S a nc h e z ,2 0 0 9 )( TheMa ni l aTi me s ,2 0 1 5 ) . Thes c u l pt ur ei nque s t i o n,g i v e nt het i t l eUndr e s s i ngWo ma n,wa sade c o r a t i v e pi e c ei nAgui l a rCr uz ’ ss t udi oi nEr mi t a ,dona t e db yhi sda ught e r ,The r e s eCr uz ,t ot he Na t i o na lMus e um’ sg a l l e r yde di c a t e dt oAgui l a rCr uz .Theda t eo fma k ea nda r t i s to f t hes c ul pt ur ei sunkno wn.I ns t e a d,ont het i t l ec a r doft hes c ul pt ur eondi s pl a yi nt he

Mus e um i sThe r e s e ’ sc o mme n to nhe rf a t he r ’ st e n de n c yt oa c qui r ea r te v e nwi t ho uta n ar t i s ti fhef oundi ti nt e r e s t i ng. TheUndr es s i ngWomani sdepi c t eds quat t i ngwi t hhera r msi nt hemi ddl eof r emovi ngherc l ot hesbunc hi nguponhera r ms .Ever ypar toft hewomani se xpos ed e x c e ptf o rhe ra r ms .Thewo ma ni sn otpe r f o r mi nghe rne a r undr e s sf o rpl e a s ur eoft he s pe c t a t o ra nd/o rt hepr o t a go ni s t .“ Cl o t he se nc u mb e rc o nt a c ta ndmo v e me n t( Be r g e r , 1 9 7 2 ) . ”Theac to fr e mo vi ngc l o t he sha svi s ua lv a l uet ha tma ke st hes pe c t a t o rwa ntt o s e et heob j e c t ,i nt hi sc a s e ,t hewo ma n,na k e d.Ho we v e r ,t hewo ma ni sno tundr e s s i ng f ort hes pe c t a t orb utf orhe ro wnpur pos e .T aki ngi nt oc o ns i de r a t i ont hepos i t i onofhe r  body—f e e tc l os et oge t he rwhi l es quat t i ng,he rs e xhi dde nbe t we e nhe rpr e s s e dt hi ghs , a r msi nt hepr o c e s so fr e mo vi nghe rc l o t he s , ha i ri namo de s tb unb e hi ndhe rhe a d—o ne c a na s s umet ha the rne x ta c t i ona f t e rundr e s s i ngi st ot a keaba t h. Thes c ul pt ur ec a nb el i k e ne dt oBe r g e r ’ se x a mpl eofana k e dwo r ko fa r t ,He l e ne Four menti naFurCoatbyRubens ,whi c h,byBer ger ’ ss t andar ds ,i san“exc ept i onal i ma geofna ke dne s s( Be r ge r ,1 9 72 ) . ”Li keRube ns ’wor k ,t hes ubj e c toft hi sa r tobj e c ti s c a u ghti nt hemi ddl eofady na mi ca c t .I ti se a s yt oi ma g i net ha tmo me nt sb e f o r et he s c ul pt ur ewasf or med,t hewomanwasonl ypr epar i ngt or emoveherc l ot hesa ndi ti s al s oeas yt oi magi net hataf t eraf ew moment spas ss i nc et hei mageoft hewomanwas c a pt ur e dont hes c ul pt ur es hei so nhe rwa yt odi s c a r di nghe rc l ot he s ,f ul l yna ke d.Thi s i si npa r a l l e lwi t hho w Be r ge rde s c r i be dt heRube nspa i nt i ng( Be r g er ,1 9 72 ) :

Thec ons ec ut i ves t agesupt oand awa yf r om t hemomentoft ot al di s c l o s ur eha v ebe e nt r a ns c e nde d.S he( t hes u bj e c t )c a nbe l ongt o a nyora l loft he ms i mul t a ne o us l y . Ev e ni ft hes c ul pt ur ei ss ubj e c tt oCl a r k’ sde s c r i pt i on oft hena ke d,i twoul d c o nt i nuebe i ngana ke ds c ul pt ur e( Cl a r k ,1 95 6) .Thes ubj e c the r s e l fi sde pr i vi nghe r s e l f

ofcl ot hes ,andace r t ai nl evelofembar r as s mentands hamec omesi nwhenweas s ume t ha th e rne x ta c t i o na f t e ra c h i e v i ngna k e dne s si st ot a k eab a t h.Bute v e n wi t ht he embar r as s menta nds hame,t hes i mpl eac tofundr es s i ngc aughtand c apt ur edi nt he s c ul pt ur es howst hatundr es s i ngi sacommon t hi ngdonebyal l —t hewomani sl i ke o t he rwome n,o t he rpe o pl e . Thi smo me nti sde s c r i be dt ousb yBe r g e r( Be r g e r , 1 9 7 2 ) :

. . .att he momentofnakednes s fir s tper c ei ved,an el ementof  banal i t ye nt e r s : ane l e me ntt hate xi s t sonl ybe c aus ewene e di t . Thebanal i t yi snee deds i nc et hewomanc annotbes exual i s edand obj ec t i fied s i nc es hei ss e pa r a t ea ndi ndi ffe r e ntt ot hes pe c t a t ora ndt hea r t i s t .Thewoma ni swhol l y i mme r s e di nhe ra c to fundr e s s i ngt ha ts hec a n no tb et ur ne di nt oanudeb yne i t he rt he ar t i s tnort hes pe c t a t or .

TheNude

Ant o ni o Do c t o rGa r c i a ,b or ni n1 9 3 7i n Ma ni l a ,i sa pr o fic i e n ti ns k e t c h i ng not abl e edi fic es e ven att he young age of s i x.He s t udi ed ar c hi t ec t ur e att he T e c hnol ogi c a lI ns t i t ut eoft hePhi l i ppi ne si n Ma ni l aa nd,l a t e r ,be f or epr oc e e di ng t o makeanamef orhi ms el fasaf ul l t i mear t i s t ,wor ked underand f orLeandr oLocs i n, Na t i ona lAr t i s tf orAr c hi t e c t ur e .Ga r c i ai sambi de x t r ous ,s k e t c hi ngwi t hhi sl e f th and a ndfini s h i ngwi t hhi sr i ght( He r i t a geAr tCe nt e r ,2 0 12 ) . De s pi t ebe i ngkno wnf o rhi sa r c h i t e c t ur a ls k e t c h e s ,Ga r c i aha snume r o usf e ma l e nudes k e t c he si nwa t e r c o l our ,pe n,i nk ,a ndc ha r c oa lc ur r e nt l yondi s pl a yi nGa l e r i ade l a sI s l a si nI nt r a mur o s .Oneofhi swo r kso ndi s pl a yi se n t i t l e dA Wo ma no fCo ur a g e , s ho wi ngawoma nna ke dunt i lhe rh i ps ,he rh a ndsi nhe rh a i ra si ft r yi ngt ot i ei ti nt oa ponyt a i l .

I nt hewa t e r c o l our ,t hewoma ni sno tdi r e c t l yl ooki nga tt hear t i s t .Ho we v e r ,s h e i sa wa r et ha ts hei sb e i ngs ur v e y e dbe c a us eo fhe rb odyl a ngua ge :he rt o r s oi sa ngl e d t o wa r dst hea r t i s ta ndhe ra r msa r es p l a y e do pe ni nt hes a medi r e c t i o nwi t ht hema nne r s hewor kswi t hherhai r .Thes uppos edc our ageouswomandepi c t eddoesnots how any c o ur a gea ta l l ,buts ubmi s s i on t ot hea r t i s t o wne r ’ sde s i r e sa nd,i nt hi spa r t i c ul a r i ns t a nc e , as i ghtf orhi mt ol ookupon. AsBe r g e rs t a t e d( Be r ge r , 1 97 2)

He rb odyi sa r r a ng e dt hewa yi ti s , t odi s pl a yi tt ot hema nl o ok i ng a tt hepi c t ur e .. . .I tha snot hi ngt odowi t hhe rs e x ua l i t y .. . .Wome n a r et he r et of e e da na ppe t i t e , no tt oha v eanyoft he i ro wn. Thet i t l eo ft hewor kc a l l si t“ awo ma no fc o ur a ge , ”pr o ba bl yr e f e r r i ngt ohe r c o ur a get oba r ehe r s e l fna ke da ndpos ef ort hear t i s t ,buthe re x pr e s s i oni nt hepa i nt i ng i sf arf r om c our ageousand mor el ea ni ng t owar dss ubmi s s i ve,muc hl i ke Ber ger ’ s e x a mpl e , Ne l lGwy nneb yLe l y , whe r et hewo ma ns ub mi t sh e r s e l ft ot hea r t i s ta ndt ot he o wne rofbo t hhe ra ndt hepa i nt i ngofhe r( Be r ge r , 1 9 72 ) .

Thi sna ke dne s si sno t ,ho we v e r ,a ne x pr e s s i ono fhe ro wnf e e l i ngs ; i ti sas i gno fh e rs ub mi s s i o nt ot heowne r ’ sf e e l i ngso rde ma nds . ( Theownerofbot hwomanandpai nt i ng. ) Anot herchar ac t er i s t i cofA WomanofCour aget hatmakesi tanudepai nt i ng, a s i def r om t hef a c tt ha ti ts a yss oi ni t st i t l ec a r da nd t a g pr i c e ,i sho wt hea r t i s t ne gl e c t e dt oi nc l udede t a i l so fhe rpubi cha i ri nt hepa i nt i ng.Thi swa sdonebe c a us e , a c c or di ngt oBe r ge r( Be r ge r , 1 97 2) :

. . .i nt he Eur ope a nt r a di t i o ng e ne r a l l y ,t he c o nv e nt i on ofno t pai nt i ngt hehai ronawoman’ sbodyhel pst owar dt hes ameend. Ha i ri sa s s o c i a t e dwi t hs e x ua lpo we r ,wi t hpa s s i o n.Thewo ma n ’ s

s e x ua lpa s s i onne e dst obemi ni mi z e ds ot ha tt hes pe c t a t orma yf e e l t ha theh a st hemo no po l yofs uc hpa s s i o n. Thewo ma ni sde pi c t e dho wt hea r t i s t o wne rwa nt st ode pi c the r ,no tho ws hei s a sape r s o n.Thi s“ c o ur a ge ”t i t l ee r a s e she ri de nt i t ya nd r e pl a c e si twi t ht hea r t i s t owner ’ sowni dea lofhow and whats hes houl dbe.Asex pl ai ned byBer ger( Ber ger , 1 9 7 2 ) :

T ob enudei st ob es e e nna k e db yo t he r sa n dy e tno tr e c o gni z e df o r one s e l f .. . .T obeondi s pl a yi st oha v et hes ur f a c eofone ’ so wns k i n, t heha i r so fo ne ’ so wnbody ,t ur ne di nt oadi s g ui s ewhi c h ,i nt ha t s i t ua t i on,c a nne ve rbedi s c a r de d.

Re f e r e nc e s

Be r ge r , J . ( 19 72 ) . Wa ysofSe ei ng. I nJ . Be r ge r ,Wa y so fSe e i ng   ( p. 1 65 ) .London: Pengui nBooksLt d. Cl a r k ,K. ( 1 9 56 ) . TheNude :aS t udyi nI de a lF or m. I nK.Cl a r k ,Th eNud e :aS t ud y i nI d e a lFo r m.   Lo ndon: TheF ol i oS oc i e t y . Ga l e r i adel a sI s l a s .( 2 01 4, Ma y2 8  A ) . nt o ni oDo c t o rGa r c i a . Re t r i e ve dOc t obe r6 , 2 01 6, f r o m Ga l e r i adel a sI s l a s : ht t ps : //www. f ac e book. c om/GALERI ADLASI SLAS/pos t s /778 15 13 68 89 62 80  A o ni oDo c t o rGa r c i a He r i t a geAr tCe nt e r . ( 2 01 2 ) . nt . Re t r i e ve dOc t obe r6 , 2 01 6, f r o m He r i t a geAr tCe nt e r : ht t p: //www. he r i t a ge a r t c e n t e r . c o m/2 0 1 2 /0 2 /a nt o ni o doc t or ga r c i a . ht ml  J oaqui n, N. ( 206) . Abé :aFr ankSke t c hofE. Agui l arCr uz.I nN. J oaqui n  A ,b é :a Fr a nkSk e t c ho fE.Ag ui l a rCr uz .   Angel esCi t y:J uanD. Nepomuc enoCent erf or KapampanganSt udi es , Hol yAngelUni ver s i t y. Ne a d,L.( 1 9 9 2 ) .TheF e ma l eNude : Ar t ,Obs c e n i t ya ndS e x ua l i t y . I nL. Ne a d,The Fe ma l eNud e :Ar t ,Ob s c e n i t ya ndSe x ua l i t y .   London:Rout l edge. Sa nc he z,J .C. ( 2 009 ) . Emi l i oAg ui l a rCr uz .Re t r i e v e dOc t obe r6 , 2 0 16 ,f r om OoCi t i e s( f or me r l yGe oCi t i e s ) :ht t p: //www. ooc i t i e s . or g/s i nupa n/a gul a r a c . ht m TheMa ni l aTi me s . ( 2 0 15 ,J a nua r y3  A ) .b e :Gr e a ta r t i s ta te a s e la ndt ype wr i t e r ;gr e a t h u ma nb e i ng .Re t r i e v e dOc t o be r6 ,2 0 1 6 ,f r om TheMa ni l aTi me s : ht t p: //www. ma ni l a t i me s . ne t /a be gr e a t a r t i s t e a s e l t ype wr i t e r gr e a t huma n/1 5 27 5 1/