What’s With the Naked Guy on the Side of the Museum?

Allison Clark

Staff Writer

I’m sure by now we’ve all seen the gigantic signage on the side of the Worcester Art Museum promoting their latest exhibition: Twentieth Century Nudes from Tate. It’s difficult to miss the larger-than-life image of a naked man on the side of a building. We’ve all been cautiously curious about this installation, so I decided to dive into the deep end and see it for myself.

Unbeknownst to me, Tate is a family of four art galleries and museums in the United Kingdom and not, in fact, the name of an artist. The more you know! I was pleasantly surprised, however, to discover the artists who had pieces on display at this exhibition. From Pablo Picasso to Sylvia Sleigh to Henri Matisse, the exhibition boasts some big names in the art world, and they don’t disappoint!

Many people, including myself, may wonder, “What’s the importance of showcasing nude portraits and works from the twentieth century?” There actually lies tremendous importance, as stated in the exhibition’s description, “Twentieth-Century Nudes from Tate explores how the nude—a central subject in Western art since the Renaissance—was used by artists in the 20th century to explore formal concepts as well as challenge viewers’ preconceptions about age, race, gender, and sexuality.” Truly, I think that this exhibition successfully covered and underscored that point exactly.

As you enter, you are greeted head-on by a large Picasso piece, Nude Woman in Red Armchair. Notably, the portrait’s subject was one of Picasso’s girlfriends, Marie-Thérèse Walter, and the piece is exquisite. Picasso selected periwinkle, mint, vermillion, and lavender hues for this work, and each inch of the canvas is filled with lengthy, curved strokes–there are very few straight lines and angles. Picasso is known for his cubist style of work, which uses abstract and geometric shapes to depict a figure from different visual perspectives.

His style contrasts starkly with another piece by artist Sylvia Sleigh across the way. This piece is one to behold and is the poster image we’ve all been seeing. The billboard shows the top half of this piece, however, seeing the rest of the model was a bit… unexpected. For Paul Rosano Reclining, Sleigh chose to stay true to the human form and take a more realistic approach. This makes for an anatomically correct painting, leaving nothing to the imagination, similar to the Renaissance. Additionally, Sleigh’s color palette focuses on shades of red, pink, brown, and beige, contributing to the realistic style.

My two favorite pieces, however, are a paradoxical contemporary pair by artist Marlene Dumas. They’re titled Ivory Black and Lead White, respectively. Together, the pieces “explore the representation of race and gender. The paradoxical titles of the two works are both taken from the names of oil paints, implying that the division between black and white is not as clear as the proponents of apartheid believed, “as stated in the official Tate caption. What drew me into these works was Dumas’ artistic style coupled with the emotion I could see on her models’ faces. Ivory Black details a black woman standing tall with her arms by her side, looking straight on. While not as realistic as Sleigh’s piece, it is easy to decipher the attributes Dumas added, such as the woman’s short curly hair and the white flowers on her sheer top. Dumas chose to use shades of mauve, black, blue, white, and yellow on this piece. The description details the woman looking “empowered,” and I agree. Lead White details a white woman standing with her hands in the air, her knees together and twisted to the right. The woman is actually Dumas herself, making this piece a self-portrait. Dumas selected shades of yellow, white, green, and purple for this piece and left the woman’s body completely exposed with no coverings. The caption states that while exuding confidence, the woman reveals her imperfections and awkwardness.

These two pieces were incredibly impactful to me because they tell each woman’s own story while expressing the pride that all women should be allowed to feel for their natural and unedited bodies. From Ivory Black, I sense strength, power, and determination. From Lead White, I see shamelessness, excitement, and acceptance. From both women, I feel fearlessness and their prerogative to show their whole selves, nude and unapologetic for all to see.

When I walked through the doors of the Worcester Art Museum, I didn’t know how to feel. I expected to see a room full of nude bodies in various positions and styles. I expected to take notes and leave. What I didn’t expect was to depart feeling exhilarated and empowered myself. One of the most famous pieces by the Guerilla Girls was hanging on a placard, introducing the exhibition. It reads, “Do women have to be naked to get into the Met. Museum?” The shocking statistic below tells us that while 85% of nude paintings are of females, less than 5% of the art in the Met. was done by female artists. Something is wrong with that picture. I was left feeling grateful for the twentieth-century artists who emphasized acceptance and freedom instead of creating and reinforcing idealistic standards for men and women alike.

I implore you all to visit this fascinating and thought-provoking exhibition! It’s more than just an odd billboard you pass on your way to campus. It’s only here until March 9th, and students, faculty, and staff of Assumption get in free of charge! I hope you leave feeling as changed and excited as I did. Find inspiration, fight for what you believe in, and check out that exhibition that raises your eyebrows–you may discover something incredibly impactful and unforgettable.