Feb 25, 2011
A funny response to the naked art ads that are all over the Twin Cities
For the last few weeks the naked figure of Venus emerging from the sea by 16th century artist Titian has been overlooking highways from billboards around Minneapolis and St. Paul.
It’s part of an ad campaign by the Minneapolis Institute of Art for their current exhibit, “Titian and the Golden Age of Venetian Painting.”
Why did they use this particular painting for their ads? Because “it’s very typical of paintings in the show,” said museum spokesperson Anne-Marie Wagener. “And also because, hey, a naked lady,” she added.
Just kidding. She didn’t say that last part.
The billboard stirred one citizen to action. I mean, it is completely inappropriate to have a topless lady out in public.—It’s February. She must be absolutely freezing!
So, with equal parts wit and empathy, our hero really came through for poor, old Venus…
According to the Star Tribune, museum officials wanted to leave it because it’s funny, but the outdoor advertising company doesn’t allow defaced billboards to stay up.
* * * * *
Yeah, it’s still vandalism.
Funny vandalsim, true, and good for the MIA to have a sense of humor about it, but if this was more of a verbal thing, attacking whatever political or religious thing you care about (the hypothetical, general “you,” that is), it would be easy to see why it’s not okay for one person with a can of spray paint to take matters into their own hands.
And anyway, if the defacer really cared about Venus’ comfort, he or she would have painted a scarf and a nice hat. A tube top or whatever-that-is doesn’t offer much warmth. This was obviously a case of “OMG boobies what about the children how terrible” and as a culture, we really need to get over that. Equating any and all nudity with sexuality is pretty much why you don’t want to be a woman out in a public square in some parts of the world these days.
um. i, for one, don’t appreciate MIA deciding that it’s okay for my 8 and 10 yr old boys to be subjected to this at every other stoplight in the twin cities.
not all nudity equals sexuality. duh. but, puh-lease, if this were a photograph, it would be considered porn, no? i’ll be completely honest, my eyes are drawn to the boobs on that billboard every time and pretty much all i’m thinking is “boobs.”
I wonder if a painting that realistic from, say, 2010 would be considered acceptable/legal.
just wondering why they chose “brrr!” over “it’s nippy out!”
Well, you have recourse: complain to the MIA, write a blog post about your displeasure, even lobby your City Council representative if you feel so inclined. Pass a city ordinance banning boobs, if that’s your feeling. My opinion is different, but I respect your right to have yours, and express it.
What I don’t think is okay is one person climbing up onto the billboard with a can of spray paint and deciding what’s okay for me to see or not see. It’s actually a little more offensive, to me, than the MIA or the ad agency or the city deciding that it’s okay — and I don’t say that just because I think it’s okay, too.
And plenty of folks here are drawing false equivalencies between Old Masters art and porn, and if you really don’t see a difference, I don’t know what to say. If it were a photo; if it were not 400 years old; if it were my sister — all of those are irrelevant. That’s not what we’re talking about here.
I’m curious though: what’s so bad about even kids being “exposed to that” anyway? Surely they have noticed they have bodies themselves.
I don’t really understand your argument. You seem to be saying that because the image of a naked lady is done by a skilled artist 400 years ago, and not a professional photographer, it should be seen as ‘art’ while the other should not. Please help understand why. I am curious. Surely it can’t be just because it’s old, right?
Basically, yeah.
More specifically, it has a place in art history and people who care about such things have decided it’s worthy of making a big deal out of. We supposedly pride ourselves on being a “real city” with culture and sophistication, and so what’s happening at the MIA is going to be advertised in public.
Beyond that, I don’t agree that the burden has to be on me to explain why it’s okay. There are already laws and regulations about what can be blown up to billboard size and put out there. I can’t quote those regulations, but I’m confident the MIA is complying with them. We live in a democratic society; if people have a problem they can make new laws.
I personally wish we wouldn’t be so uptight as a culture, and I think we do a lot of secondary harm by lumping Titian paintings and porn into the same category — but again, it’s not about how I think things should be; it’s about the fact that somebody defaced a billboard, and now everybody’s saying how great it is. That bugs me. Kind of a lot.
…and by the way, I still haven’t seen any explanation of what’s so terrible about “being subjected to” … “a naked lady” in the first place. I think the discussion needs to start there, if it’s going to go anywhere at all.
to respond to Feb’s needing an “explanation of what’s so terrible about “being subjected to” … “a naked lady””…
absolutely nothing *if it is art*. in fact, i will be hosting a a drawing contest in my front yard where we will be having a live nude posing for us. it’s ART and if anyone can’t see that, then they must not be cultured or sophisticated enough.
btw, clothing optional for everyone, since it’s art and the contest itself will be filmed by an MIA student for a meta art project.
hope this helps o3>< (btw, that's the best i could do for a naked stick figure)
And how do you feel about the sex ridden ads on tv, in magazines, and stores across America? Victoria secret is more lewd than a masterful painting of a nude woman, because at least then, it’s not being deceptive. You should be teaching your boys about, and thus, to respect the female form instead of shielding if from them. Teach them it’s beauty and grace, and to respect that, instead of them chasing after it when they are older because it’s new and forbidden. (Now, They’ll probably still chase it, but with respect.)
I think the billboard was fine as it was, but this is creative and funny …
I just want to make sure I have this straight: censorship and vandalism are okay, so long as…
1) it’s done cleverly
2) you agree with the censor/ vandal
Is that about it? Do both elements need to be present? Is one more important than the other?
Censorship and vandalism are two of my favorite things.
Well, when Banksy wins that Best Documentary Oscar on Sunday, I’ll be singing a differebt tune. For now, I appreciate a nice Internet kerfuffle — I gave up coffee a month ago and mornings have been really dull.
i’m also guessing there are other venetian painters, i don’t think they picked “titian” for the billboard on accident…
:)
Nope, Titian was the only one. That’s why this painting is so “typical of the paintings in the show.” Their hand was forced.
I guess that really puts the “tit”…
*puts on sunglasses*
…back in “Titian.”
YEEAAAAHHH!
That advertising company is a bunch of boobs.
Amirite?
You may be interested in this article about Art and Nakedness, one Christian thinkier’s perspective:
http://www.reformation21.org/articles/art-nakedness-and-redemption.php
good article!
I do believe that the biggest difference between the art that is being shown and pornography is that the art wasnt created for sexual reasons which is what porn is.
If people objected to the image chosen for the adverts they should have lodged their complaints with the MIA (of which I am sure there were many). Art has many very fine lines and the subject of what constitutes art has been and will forever be the unanswerable question. What I view as art and what you view as art may differ greatly. Being a Minnesota native myself I felt that the billboards were great, they got peoples attention didn’t they? @ jennapants, really? Your concern is that your 8 and 10 year old boys are subjected to an advert? I realize that your beliefs and sense of right and wrong again will differ greatly than mine but I truly and wholeheartedly believe that the MIA billboard will be the LEAST of your worries in regards to what your boys will be subjected to visually.