Only the French.......

[pete75]

Went to Roubaix last month and saw this - the Monument to Martyrs of the Resistance. Surely only the French have the courage make a public work of art so close to being pornographic.

[ANTONISH]

I don't see that as pornography.

[simonineaston]

I agree in as much I bet it wouldn't get the official nod over here.

[rjb]

We prefer to build shock and awe statues like Verity in the quiet North Devon seaside town of Ilfracombe.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verity_(statue)

[Carlton green]

The French have a certain degree of taste and expression, as for the Ilfracombe statue I find it both plain repulsive and out of keeping with its surroundings.

[simonineaston]

out of keeping with its surroundings

One of his shark jobbies would work better, I think !

[Tangled Metal]

Why all the statues of women? No doubt made and commissioned by men. Are there no male martyrs? Why not have a male equivalent to the Ilfracombe statue next to it? It's always women's bodies. Does that not make a statement in itself?

[Ben@Forest]

There aren't that many statues of 'real' women as opposed to men. And overall most public art does not depict either men or women.

[Tangled Metal]

Sorry of I wasn't clear. The thread was started about a naked and fairly anatomical image of a woman on a memorial. Then another anatomically correct statue of a partly dissected female. I was discussing such imagery and statues. Naked and/or almost pornographic statues how many of the male representations were naked and/or dissected?

That infographic only shows totals so imho doesn't relate to my point about the ratio between naked male vs naked female bodies. I would be interested to find out that especially in abates in an outside, and public space setting. I don't recall many. Even the Gormley statues down the Mersey were ambiguous in their nakedness. No overt body parts to be called pornographic.

Sorry of my post wasn't clear in that respect.

PS does it say anything about people who see the naked body as pornographic? I mean chains in themselves signify bondage but in light of the context of martyrdom i think that's less pornography and more symbolism of that. Does naked and chains always equate to pornography? Or is it the Femake body that turns it that way?

[al_yrpal]

Male equivalent....David!

Nothing porno there, beautiful female form.

Al

[Nearholmer]

I don’t think either image is pornographic, and I suspect that the second one is partly about challenging or subverting the “male gaze” in art.

I’m with Al on this one, in that the first fits into a tradition of seeing the human body in its prime as a something of wonder/beauty without that necessarily being sexualised (although the line there is a very fine one indeed IMO).

[francovendee]

Nakedness, or the depiction of the naked form isn't pornographic unless it is shown in a sexual way.

I remember the first time we visited our nearest beach. I'd been brought up hiding behind a towel so imagine my surprise when a lady just undressed and put her bikini on in full view. It was done quickly and caused no offence to others that I could see.
The French do have a more relaxed view on nudity than us uptight Brits.

[Carlton green]

I’d be interested to know more of the symbolism of the statue in France, my suspicion is that there’s a lot to reflect on there.

Nakedness, or the depiction of the naked form isn't pornographic unless it is shown in a sexual way.

Quite, though like many things that can take years to realise. Questioning our own culture, beliefs and pre-conceived ideas has merit; the valid will withstand the questioning, the less so maybe not and we are all the better for it.

Though images and words can be presented to us and wilfully twisted by others pornography is in our mind - if a dim and inexperienced mind that sometimes lives in a storm fuelled by hormones. Can anyone remember being a teenager?

[Mick F]

The statue outside Theatre Royal in Plymouth is a complete abomination.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.37024 ... 384!8i8192

[Cugel]

The statue outside Theatre Royal in Plymouth is a complete abomination.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.37024 ... 384!8i8192

front.jpg

That building is an abomination - a carbuncle, even!

Cugel, not an artist or an architect (thankgawd).