RoR: Forum

Michael you write: I think of it as clothes tell you who someone purports to be.

Michael, I spend a lot of money on my clothes, and I do it just for the opposite reason you explained above

It is also interesting that Christian, Judaism, Muslim, and Postmodern ethical systems reject positive, nude ideals.

I Think they reject positive nude ideals because they associates nude with sex, which they consider to be bad, and do not believe that sex is one of man's top value.

Please correct me if I misunderstood your post.

Ciao.
(Edited by Ciro D'Agostino on 3/02, 7:14pm)

Post 1

Sunday, March 2, 2008 - 2:35pm

I took a look at your website, Michael. Ascension Day, Ascension Night, and Counterpose are quite impressive works, as are numerous others. Venus looks absolutely amazing, and reflects your extraordinary ability as a truly gifted artist of almost limitless potential.

Congratulations and best wishes for your continued success.

Post 2

Sunday, March 2, 2008 - 5:26pm

It is also interesting that Christian, Judaism, Muslim, and Postmodern ethical systems reject positive, nude ideals.

It is not so much interesting as is an inevitability of the Original Sin doctrine which pervades all three religions and the secular nilhilism which evolved from it...

Post 3

Sunday, March 2, 2008 - 6:34pm

Icarus Landing is an incredible work. Great stuff.

Post 4

Monday, March 3, 2008 - 8:01am

Doug: "Icarus Landing is an incredible work. Great stuff."

Thanks Doug. It is always welcome to hear such praise.

Michael

Post 5

Monday, March 3, 2008 - 8:15am

"Venus looks absolutely amazing, and reflects your extraordinary ability as a truly gifted artist of almost limitless potential.

Congratulations and best wishes for your continued success."

Thank you Dennis. Your observation about "limitless potential" feels close to home. I still try new things and try to push myself beyond what I know--and it seems the biggest issue is the "99% perspiration" required. One of the funny paradoxes I marvel at is that making a visual image seem natural and normal can be the result of nightmarish problem solving. ;) But, I love those problems as well in art.

Cheers,

Michael

Post 6

Monday, March 3, 2008 - 8:19am

"It is not so much interesting as is an inevitability of the Original Sin doctrine which pervades all three religions and the secular nilhilism which evolved from it..."

Hi Robert,

I didn't know Original Sin was included in the Muslim and Jewish traditions, but that would make sense. What I do know is their outlaw of creating god-like images.

Michael

Post 7

Monday, March 3, 2008 - 8:33am

It is played down - remember, when Paul created the Christian religion as something separate from Judaism, it played to the pagan religions of the time, incorporating many of their attributes.. since they embodied senses of perfection displayed in statues and other art, it was natural to embody that to the new religion.. however, the notion of WHAT was considered of perfection was the issue - eg. the earthly or the other-earthly, and that didn't get decided until after the first millenium, when with no one getting taken to heaven, it was decided the earth here wasn't so bad after all and one could include humans among the depicted - and the rest is history....

But all three derive themselves from Abraham, who in turn accepted the Garden of Eden motif, which is where Original Sin comes from....

And, btw - hope your show is a big success.... I myself am presently having an exhibit at a Tea Lounge down the street from me for the next three weeks.... www.thetealounge.com

(Edited by robert malcom on 3/03, 8:35am)

Post 8

Monday, March 3, 2008 - 8:50am

Ciro: "Michael you write: "I think of it as clothes tell you who someone purports to be.""

"Michael, I spend a lot of money on my clothes, and I do it just for the opposite reason you explained above

"It is also interesting that Christian, Judaism, Muslim, and Postmodern ethical systems reject positive, nude ideals.""

"I Think they reject positive nude ideals because they associates nude with sex, which they consider to be bad, and do not believe that sex is one of man's top value.

Please correct me if I misunderstood your post."

Hey Ciro, :)

And your clothes look good too! In my brief statement I was referring to subjects in paintings that wear clothes--not real people, or we would be surrounded by a lot of naked people all the time!!! :)

There are some exceptions but generally paintings of clothed people tell you their time period and their social status: a 18th Century Russian peasant; a 50's American; a Pope, a Judge, a Pharaoh etc.

The case is often that the clothes tell us more about the person than the person shows us who they are on a personal deeper level. When an artist works with the nude, they must show through the body and facial expression who that person is--it is simultaneously more universal (not dated to any particular time), and more intimate/revealing of their id.

Yes, you are right about the Christian/Muslim sex=nude, sex=bad, therefore nude=bad equation. I don't think that applies to Judaism though, as good friend from Israel recently pointed out to me.

In my upcoming talk at TAS Conference in Portland. I will show how the positive or god-like nude represents the sacred individual, and that is precisely what religions do not want their subjects to experience--they cannot have a hold on a truly independent person. That is a key issue they are scared of. That is why all three of those religions cast commandments that thou shall not create god-like or other god-like images.

One of my conclusions will be that a pro-individual culture should be supportive of the nude in art as a symbol of the spirit of individualism.

Michael

(Edited by Newberry on 3/03, 4:36pm)

Post 9

Monday, March 3, 2008 - 12:38pm

One of my conclusions will be that a pro-individual culture should be supportive of the nude in art as a symbol of spirit of individualism.

Quite true - as ye mentioned, clothes mark the status of a person in art, which means it is personifying tribal mentalities [ones place in the cultural landscape], and it is the rise of individualism which threatens this, making the nude or naked of importance to be vilefied....

Post 10

Monday, March 3, 2008 - 4:42pm

"Quite true - as ye mentioned, clothes mark the status of a person in art, which means it is personifying tribal mentalities [ones place in the cultural landscape], and it is the rise of individualism which threatens this, making the nude or naked of importance to be vilefied...."

Exactly.

I followed the link to the Tea Lounge, it has a very impressive site. Enjoy your show there.

Michael

Post 11

Wednesday, March 5, 2008 - 2:29pm

Hi Michael,

Your work is fabulous!

Post 12

Thursday, March 6, 2008 - 1:22pm

Thanks Ethan!

Friday, March 7, 2008 - 8:19am

Michael Newberry is not only a great artist but he is also a great person.

Ciro.

Michael, I don't know who wrote this quote, I liked it very much: You are like the lotus flower growing in the mud that is able to transform emotionally painful experiences into fertilizer for personal growth.

(Edited by Ciro D'Agostino on 3/07, 8:39am)

Post 14

Saturday, March 8, 2008 - 3:19pm