TOO HOT FOR HOT NIGHT
Honoring Family-Friendly Vibes +
TALKING ABOUT NUDITY, EROTICISM, HISTORY and FERTILITY
ARTISTS ON FIRE is an exhibition curated by Juniper Rag at the Krikorian Gallery at Worcester Center for Crafts that takes place annually, with an opening reception on Hot Night in the City, their hottest night of the year and the most popular. This event brings in hundreds of families every year with an outdoor art festival for vendors. Open studios, food trucks, wine trucks, local breweries, live music inside and outside and cash bars. The Craft Center is the oldest professional craft education facility in North America. For the exhibition of Artists on Fire, we decided to refrain from hanging nudity in the gallery because of the audience.
Restricting art with nudity struck a cord with us in general, triggered by a religious upbringing, we can admit. We want to be clear that we understand the reasons for sure and totally respect our partner and venue. There will be small children viewing all of the art and all of that. We want to respect the vibe of the event.
As curators and co-founders of Juniper Rag we definitely want to honor submissions that we could not hang in the gallery at Artists on Fire. A nerve was struck, not about this exhibition but about the very essence of nudity in art and our relationship with the world we try to make art for, after all, artists have stories to tell. Creatives connect with their inner selves and are vulnerable as they share any work they do. Both of the artists featured Joshua Croke and Chelsea Amato use nudity in their work to express themselves. When referring to this work, please note that Joshua uses they/them pronouns.
We are here to talk about the reveal. The penis, the breasts, they’re on the table. Let’s get into it….
To Nude or Not To Nude?
The protection of nudity in art is a topic that has been debated for centuries, cue the fig leaf. There are several compelling reasons why nudity in art should be safeguarded, beginning with the obvious, the freedom of expression. Art is the ultimate form of human expression, and artists should have the freedom to depict their ideas and emotions without unnecessary censorship or restrictions. Nudity has been depicted in art for millennia and has been used to convey a wide range of messages, from vulnerability and beauty to the human condition and social commentary. Nudity and the representation of roles in art have also given people a pathway to their own growth as they digest what they are able to see and understand.
Throughout history, representation of the nude body has played a significant role in the art of most cultures. What would the Louvre be without nudity? Preserving and understanding artwork allows us to gain insight into the societies and beliefs of the past, fostering cultural understanding and appreciation in the present. Uncensored art is invaluable to cultural and historical record.
For many artists, nudity is an integral part of their creative vision. Censoring or prohibiting nudity in art can compromise the intended message or impact of the artwork, diminishing its artistic integrity. We don’t want to see a criss-cross of electrical tape over the nipple because one person on a board may have ruffled feathers. Since art is a true expression of self, artists should never be subjected to restrictions in their creative journey. However, there is a need for institutions to please the masses, and walk a fine line for being appropriate for all audiences. We understand that, and we also believe in sharing meaningful work with our audience, regardless of nudity, sexuality or otherwise. Art has the power to provoke discussions on important and uncomfortable topics. Nudity in art can initiate conversations about body positivity, gender, sexuality, societal norms, and other complex subjects, encouraging critical thinking and self-reflection.
(note: reading this on your computer will provide full images)
By exposing audiences to diverse representations of the human body, art can challenge preconceived notions of beauty and foster greater acceptance and appreciation for the natural variations in human form and promote tolerance and acceptance. Historically, artistic genius was measured by the quality of the nudes. Renaissance art celebrates nudity in all its glory, juxtaposing religion and eroticism, at the hand of the artists. These masters were also subjected to stylizing for wealthy patrons against their own sensibility which resulted in many examples of innuendo and blatant eroticism in religious art as protest. The Sistine Chapel is a prime example, just view The Last Judgement by Michelangelo, where the overall composition focuses on human flesh, exposed and left open to controversy. The Council of Trent in 1563 made up of church leaders, made them cover up the genitalia. Pope John Paul II ordered some of the coverings removed during a restoration in the 90’s using theological “speak” to give reasons for his actions. What is a hyper-sexualized, Puritanical society to do?
Many legal systems recognize the value of artistic freedom and have established protections for nudity in art as a form of free speech and expression. Protecting these rights helps to maintain a balance between artistic creativity and societal norms, but it is important to note that while protecting nudity in art, we must also consider the context and intent behind its representation. Gratuitous or exploitative use of nudity may warrant criticism (hello, pornography) and careful evaluation, but outright legal bans or censorship can be detrimental to artistic expression and cultural growth.
Let the artists set us free! We feature the art of Joshua Croke and Chelsea Amato, who do use nude figures in their work.
Joshua Croke
Joshua Croke has been a graphic designer for a long time, and recently got back into art as a form of personal expression.
Josh fell in love with collage art because of the ability to take multiple creative energies and fuse them together to create a new work.
Photo below by Ed Cote for the Worcester Business Journal • Location: ArtsWorcester at 44 Portland Street, Worcester, MA
The Pansies Series, Queer the Future & Artists on Fire
The Pansies Series
The term "pansy" has a long history as pejorative slang used to derogatorily refer to gay men, dating back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its use aimed to demean and stereotype individuals who did not conform to traditional notions of masculinity, perpetuating harmful stereotypes and discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community. Over time, queer individuals reclaimed the term as an act of empowerment and defiance, embracing it as a symbol of resilience and pride, turning what was once an insult into a celebration of their identity and uniqueness. The reclamation of "pansy" showcases the power of language and the ongoing struggle for LGBTQ+ rights and acceptance.
In this ongoing mixed media collage series, I strive to showcase an interplay of emotions within and the tensions of queer experiences, pulling from my own identity as a queer, AMAB (assigned male at birth) nonbinary artist. Weaving together beauty and distance, intimacy and detachment, lust and rage, these pieces should challenge the viewer to glimpse more deeply into the nuance of sexuality, identity, and placement within our society during this moment in time.
At the heart of this series lies the enigmatic symbolism of flowers, prominently featuring the pansy, an emblem of both resilience, vulnerability, and reclamation. While bringing color to these pieces, they also assume the role of barriers, appearing to separate the beings depicted within the pieces. An invitation to contemplate; are they truly acting as barriers, dividing individuals from each other, or could they, in fact, serve as connectors, a thread woven across shared experiences not shared or said out loud? Are the subjects aware of one another, and what does their connection—or disconnection—reveal about the complexities of queer identity?
I hope this series invites each observer to embark on their own transformative journey and challenge societal norms of being.
Queer the Future
Growing up in a very conservative religious and homogenous environment made navigating my queer identity very challenging, and this is something I carry into my art. As a child, I didn’t know that queer folx existed, and I didn’t have the language to articulate the things I began to feel as I grew up. However, I was an extremely curious child and started challenging family, teachers, and elders at a young age. And while I was very sheltered from a lot of mainstream media, movies, etc. I did get to watch Star Trek. I think it’s because my dad loved it and it was seen as science fiction -- entertainment, not truth. It is only now, much later in my life, I am beginning to realize just how impactful that show was in my own journey of self-discovery and getting myself out of deeply harmful, anti-LGBTQ+ spaces. Star Trek depicts a post-capitalist, inclusive Earth that celebrates the diversity of individuals across, not only our human race, but of alien species. These worlds captivate me to this day. adrienne maree brown, a queer Black feminist author and facilitator, and Octavia Butler devotee, says, “Science fiction is simply a way to practice the future together.”
In my queer journey, the male body, specifically, was the most off-limits and where my earliest taboo attraction began. In my digital collage work, I create vignettes that combine my own attraction to the human form with my science fiction fandom, often placing the subject in the vast expanse of space. Playing with masculine and feminine presentation in these pieces is a way of practicing the future in my art; showcasing that we are indeed in the future and can be seen, celebrated, and ever-evolving into our truest forms.
A detailed list of material origins.
Record and credit of each image by Joshua Croke is an exceptional element of receiving their work,
remarkably this is the very first time we are seeing attribution to the images used in collage.
Artwork credits:
Into the Future
Digital Collage
model: @luis_urri wearing @charliebymz in @lovesexomagazine
ship: @admiralbuck
landscape: @lunardunes #CanonR5 processed with @captureonepro
In Sight on Earth
Digital Collage
model: @virgile.modele photographed by @pascalpprl
glowing being #aiart from @doopiidoo
background using art by @mchlaskew & photo by @ryanduffin
The Clutches of Space
Digital Collage
space: @nasa @nasawebb
model: @lawry98 styled by @dylway shot by @chrisfucilephotography for @iriscovetbook
art: @gromer.png
arms: marvel legends custom defender strange (zombie) by @clone_custom_trooper with hands and
back arms printed by @cbprints3d (also tagged: @itsdanwho @starwarscustombuilds @yak_face @doctorstrangeofficial @hero.collections)
A Mighty Hand
Digital Collage
model @chame__.__leon shot by @alain.bearing.photography
hand by @gromer.png
stars shot by @frankconephotos
Dreaming of New Worlds
Digital Collage
model: unknown (from @bern.ardalejandro)
ship: @star_trek_ship
scene composite from @flybyartist + @shorsh
texture supported by @mchlaskew piece
Let's Go Check It Out, Captain
Digital Collage
model: @xandermodel shot by @joan_crisol for the @omohinia collection
ship: @admiralbuck
mask: art by @ghostensor via @exoticnft
backdrop: @mchlaskew cover art for @velvettripband’s single ‘It’s Only Human’
Chelsea Amato
I am the artist @chelseascreename, an art brut that works in epoxy mixed media collage. My artwork is bright and eclectic exploring feminist topics.
This series, IN FERTILITY is an exploration in women’s reproductive issues.
My past art series is called IN FERTILITY, an exploration women’s reproductive issues including my own psychological journey in dealing with an infertility diagnosis & using in-vitro fertilization (IVF) technology. The current series, ALL TIED UP is a series evolving out of my IN FERTILITY series that deals with the various interferences while undergoing fertility treatment IVF.
My work often depicts bound or torn female images, often dangling from rope. This is a reference to The Hanged Man in traditional tarot decks that depicts an image of a man being hanged upside-down by one ankle. The solemn expression on his face traditionally suggests that he is there by his own accord, and the card is meant to represent self-sacrifice.
My overall vision is a cohesive body of work that has two layers: one, it speaks to female reproductive issues and will bring awareness to issues in women’s health. The second is the art series as an act of rebellion against the taboo of women’s bodies being depicted provocatively and a lampoon of the sexualization of women’s body parts as objects or trophies. This art series can be seen as defiance against what society deems appropriate to be seen by the public.
Sacred Child, Garden and Problem Child | Chelsea Amato
Collage art, coincidentally the form in which both of the artists use, is a creative and versatile form of visual expression that involves combining various existing or made materials, textures, and images to create a new composition. The choice of elements in collage art, in which Chelsea uses such as flowers, skulls, and the nude female form, can carry symbolic and thematic significance that contributes to the overall message or emotion conveyed by the artwork.
Symbols can represent, death, birth, promiscuity or chastity, warn of danger, suggest guilt and their use always poses a mystical element within art. The broken egg, the compass, a skull, items used in the artwork may give way to deeper meaning. Flowers are often used in art to symbolize a wide range of concepts, including beauty, growth, life, and transience. In the context of collage art, flowers can represent the fleeting nature of existence, the cycle of life and death, and the fragile beauty of the natural world. They can also serve as a symbol of hope, renewal, and transformation, adding a sense of vibrancy and contrast. Skulls are potent symbols that can evoke themes of mortality, human anatomy, and the impermanence of life. The juxtaposition of a skull with other elements, such as flowers and the female form, can create a visual dialogue between life and death, underscoring the complex and intertwined nature of these concepts.
The depiction of the nude female form in art has a long history, often representing themes of vulnerability, beauty, sensuality, and empowerment. The inclusion of the nude female form can signify the celebration of the human body and its connection to nature, sexuality or even vulnerability. The artist's intention, choice of materials, composition, and overall aesthetic will ultimately shape how viewers interpret and engage with the artwork, allowing for a rich and multi-layered exploration of these themes.
Creating a collage that combines the elements of the art of bondage or shibari with symmetry, and other artistic elements can result in a visually striking and conceptually rich artwork. Here, Chelsea depicts the women as bound with red string, which is also very symbolic in superstitious cultures. The red string tied around the wrist is thought to ward off evil spirits. Shibari is a traditional Japanese art of rope bondage that has been elevated to an art form in itself. It involves intricate and symmetrical patterns of rope tying on the human body, often used for aesthetic and sensual purposes. Incorporating images or representations of shibari can add an element of intrigue and controlled beauty, while also exploring themes of restraint, vulnerability, and the interplay between power and submission. Symmetry is a design principle that involves creating a balanced and harmonious composition by mirroring elements on either side of an imaginary central axis. Introducing symmetry into a composition can create a sense of order and balance, while also serving as a metaphor for the dualities and contrasts present in human experiences.
Chelsea’s work explores themes of balance and imbalance, control and release, vulnerability and empowerment, and the harmonious integration of contrasting elements expressed by her challenges with fertility. Overall, her artwork provides viewers with a thought-provoking and visually engaging experience, inviting them to contemplate the plight of women facing fertility issues in today’s society and within the human experience.