“Everything is a subject. Every subject has a rhythm. To feel it is the raison d’etre. The photograph is a fixed moment of such a raison d’etre, which lives on in itself.” André Kertész
Tomorrow the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s exhibit, “Naked before the Camera” opens. This exploration of photography’s depiction of the human body doesn’t seem ambitious, but rather a thoughtful treatment of how the human body has been depicted and what this means in the context of the respective times. Cultural mores, governmental censorship, and varying artistic sensibilities, as we know, all weave their way into artistic expression at any given moment, challenging artists to create work that may or may not meet with approval.
The Curator’s notes tell us that: “Naked before the Camera surveys the history of this subject (the human body) and examines some of the motivations and meanings that underlie its expression.” With the vast collection at The Met’s disposal, I hope the exhibit exceeds its own ambitions. Stay tuned. —Lane Nevares
