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What She Said.
Blog Details
Art Tuesday Naked Art
June 17, 2014
Naked Art!The Art at Elarbee Media is certainly eclectic; I buy it when I feel compelled by it. Often, it is a cheap nothing that speaks to a memory from childhood, but it can also be a significant investment that helps me realize I have reached a milestone in my life. Art that speaks to me is very rarely something with a broad appeal-- and almost always something that is very telling about my character.My children mentioned to me the other day that I have quite a bit of art in my home, and in my office that is in their words “Naked Art”. I love the phrase “Naked Art” because I have always believed that that is what “art” is – an idea or concept laid naked before other’s eyes to see. How daunting to put yourself out there for criticism and show who you really are without reservation. Kudos to all of you brave enough to do it.
My favorite art story of all time is my Mother’s. In the late 60’s she painted a nude with a snail coming out of her belly button. The State University of New York offered to buy it from her, but she had already accepted an offer from a private buyer so she declined. She sold the painting to a man who took it home, and was promptly told it was “filth” and to go get his money back. She gave it back, but she had lost the SUNY commission. I heard the story many, many times as a child. My parents needed that money. Their loss of money was nothing compared to the void of beauty and understanding the person who deemed it “filth” must have been living in. No matter what we had, at least we grew up with a love of and exposure to art, and an open-mindedness about culture. Sadly, the painting itself did not survive – I would have loved to be its guardian today if it did.What does this have to do with business? ABSOLUTLEY NOTHING! Except to reinforce the concept that when something is true, and you believe in its character-- be it an idea, a campaign, a method of moving forward, it is always worth it to defend your “naked” assumptions. Your gut tells you what is right and what is wrong – that is instinct, instilled in us by nature. Defining and expressing it in art, or in a business judgment shows everyone we interact with who we really are – stripped down and “naked”.Cheers to all of you artists out there that have the belief in yourself that lets you put everything out there!Long Live “Naked Art”!
