"The Forbidden View of Nudity": Art or Pornography?
As women spread unabashedly legs, Breasts flash, men gape. And again and again a deer on two legs yells for a beautiful naked woman.
The exhibition "Diana and Actaeon - The Forbidden View of Nudity" at the Düsseldorf Museum Kunst Palast relies on the appeal of naked flesh. Until February 15, 2009, there are more than 300 paintings, drawings, sculptures, graphics, photographs and videos to be seen, which are sometimes voyeuristic, sometimes naively deal with the Eros.
Is that pornographic? At the very least, a sign at the entrance warns that some artworks displayed in the exhibition "may not meet your values and may not be suitable for children and adolescents." The taboo break is intentional - and very public appeal. The crowd is huge.
The exhibition shows works from antiquity to the Renaissance up to the 21st century. Big names like Rembrandt, Brueghel, Cranach or Cézanne are not lacking. But what's up with the horny deer? He refers to the myth of Diane and Actaeon. The Greek hero once roamed the forest and surprised Diana, the goddess of the hunt, at the bath with her nymphs. The goddess became terribly angry because a mortal had seen her naked, and sprinkled the poor hunter with punishment. Actaeon then promptly turned into a deer - and was torn to pieces by his own pack of dogs.
The mythological story for lustful looks and your cruel consequences employs artists since ancient times. Especially the French writer and artist Pierre Klossowski fascinated the fate of Actaeon. The exhibition dedicates its own cabinet to his works
Fotoshow: The forbidden view on the nakedness
The exhibition
Diana and Actaeon - The Forbidden View of Nudity
Where: Museum Art Palace, Dusseldorf When: October 25, 2008 - February 15, 2009; 11 am to 6 pm (closed on Mondays) Prices: 10 euros, reduced 7.50 euros More info: www.derverboteneblick.de
Egon Schiele: The Virgin (1913), pencil and cover colors on paper, graphic collection of ETH Zurich
On the next page: Manabu Yamanaka
Manabu Yamanaka: Gyathei (1995), Gelatin silver print framed, Museum Morsbroich Collection
On the next page: Akseli Gallen-Kallela
Akseli Gallen-Kallela: Démasquée (1888), oil on canvas, Ateneum Art Museum, State Art Museum Finland
On the next page: Liza Lou
Liza Lou: Self-portrait, No. 2 (The Heretic) (2004), synthetic resin, steel and glass beads, Olbricht Collection
On the next page: Pierre Klossowski
Pierre Klossowski: Diane et Actéon (1981), colored pencil on paper, Collection Jean-Paul Jungo, Genève, VG Bildkunst, Bonn 2008
On the next page: Pierre Klossowski
Pierre Klossowski: Monsieur de Max and Mademoiselle Glissant dans les rôles de Diane et Actéon (1990), synthetic resin (painted), Museum Ludwig Cologne, VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2008
On the next page: Rembrandt
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn: Diana with Actaeon and Callisto (1634), oil on canvas, Prince of Salm-Salm, Museum Wasserburg Anholt, photo: Achim Kukulies, Dusseldorf
On the next page: Jean Mignon
Jean Mignon (after Lucca Penni): The Transformation of Actaion (16th century), etching, museum art palace
On the next page: Duane Michals
Duane Michals: Nude Observed (1968), George and Betty Woodman and Gallery Clara Maria Sels
On the next page: Jan Brueghel d. Ä. and Jacob De Backer
Jan Brueghel d. Ä. and Jacob De Backer: Diana and Actaeon (around 1595), oil on copper, Johnny van Haeften Ltd., London
On the next page: Paul Cézanne
Paul Cézanne: Femme nue (Léda) (um 1886 - 1890), oil on board, Von der Heydt-Museum Wuppertal
On the next page: George Platt Lynes
George Platt Lynes: Acteon (1937), Artist's handwritten retouching, vintage print, gelatin silver print, Betsy Wittenborn Miller, Courtesy Robert Miller Gallery, New York
On the next page: Lucas Cranach the Younger
Lucas Cranach the Younger: Resting Source Nymph (after 1550), oil on panel, museum landscape Hessen Kassel, Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister
On the next page: Dirck van der Lisse
Dirck van der Lisse: Sleeping nymphs surprised by satyrs (without year, late 17th century), oil on canvas, Prince of Salm-Salm, Museum Wasserburg Anholt, photo: Achim Kukulies, Dusseldorf
On the next page: Pierre Klossowski
Pierre Klossowski: Roberto et Gulliver II (1980), colored pencil on paper, Collection Speck, Cologne, VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2008
On the next page: Eugène Delacroix
Eugène Delacroix: Le Duc d 'Orléans montrant sa maitresse (c. 1825-26), oil on canvas, Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid
On the next page: Kees van Dongen
Kees van Dongen: Girl act (1907), oil on canvas, Von der Heydt Museum, Wuppertal, VG Bildkunst, Bonn 2008
