A Study on Generational Attitudes Towards Female Nudity in Art

Mikaella Zaira S. Santiago

Political Science Department, De La Salle University, 2401 Taft, Avenue,
Manila 1004

Every generation displays generalized and unique traits in terms of

economic, political and social views. Societal events that affects the
existing generation shape the future young adults of the society when they
themselves become the elders and these elements that they carry will make
a lasting impact on society. The Millennial generation falls into the third
category. The label refers those born after 1980 – the first generation to
come of age in the new millennium. The Millennial Generation, those who
are born in 1980-1999 are labeled to be the generation that is the most open
to change (Kohut et al. 2010) They are also the generation that are “most
connected” given the technological advances millennials are more vocal
about their opinions and often share them over social media. Moreover,
75% out of all the millennial population owns a profile on a social
networking site hence being more exposed to different opinions,
ideologies and cultures unlike other generations like the boomer and the
silent generations who are deemed to be a bit more intolerant to change.
Despite researches that quantified the generational ideology gap between
generations this study revealed that there is no correlation between
generations and how they view female nudity in art.
KEYWORDS: Generational gap, Attitudes, Nudity, Sexualization,
Objectification, Women

Introduction

In recent headlines, the art magazine, Paper’s “Break the Internet” winter issue, which
featured Kim Kardashian naked and showed her full behind, has been the talk of many, especially
on social media; even going as far as becoming an Internet meme. Although it had garnered mixed
reviews and criticisms, Kim Kardashian had no regrets in doing the photoshoot. As she stated in
an interview with The Project, an Australian TV show, on November 18, “I'm never one to preach,
but I felt really positive and really good about myself. I love the photos, I did it for me.” While
she may not be the first and last person to pose nude, it always has been a debatable topic for the
community, particularly when the subject is a woman. Indeed, even in this modern age, the
discussion about female nudity has grown stronger; albeit, it has become more popular with more
women participating in these kinds of artworks present in the media. Nudity is essentially defined
as the state of being naked, bare, or uncovered. In art, it is frequently seen as both a subject and a
theme for artists to convey expression and emphasize on the regular human body. As a social issue
itself, it remains controversial as it deals with the values of modesty and sexuality. On one hand,
for some cultures and religions, the state of being nude is something they consider inappropriate.
As some critics would say, such artworks toe the line of being provocative to being downright
offensive. Above all, they see that these images are a form of exploitation and disrespect to a
human’s body, especially that of a woman’s as a tool for many artists, significantly those who are
feminists, as a means of asserting that the female body is more than just a mere convenience for
the male gaze. In essence, this research aims to find out whether there is a significant difference
between generations and their attitudes towards nudity in art. Female nudity in art is still a current
issue in the society, as it goes hand-in-hand with the topic of censorship. As it was previously
mentioned, the argument over nudity deals with the values that have been ever-present. People
use censorship as a means to control, and sometimes ban, the creative license and expression of
the artist. This issue is another proof of the double standard and prejudice women encounter. Nude
women in art are either sexualized or condemned, especially if their breasts are shown. Compared
to how the male figure is treated, the female physique is more likely to be censored. Even now,
as art has progressed and combined with media, censorship and the objectification of women is
still ongoing. While the research ultimately encompasses all art forms, this paper mostly considers
visual art, as nudity is a common theme in this sector. Social media is highlighted as it is the
dominant medium in modern times. Campaigns are also used on the discourse of how female
nudity has become more apparent and has grown to become an advocacy for women around the
world to promote the importance of their self-image. Two interviews with an art teacher and an
artist/nude model are also conducted, connecting it with the discussion of how nudity is significant
for liberating women.

The international art and media organizations, IFACCA, WMC as well as media, in
general, and feminist groups are all prompted in this paper to have larger roles in supporting
female nudity in art, since they are massive influences for their respective communities. Through
them, such art would be publicly featured and celebrated. This can trigger a positive change in the
dominant view on the female body. It would also become the gateway for women to feel more
liberated, not sexually objectified, and not to be depicted as a sexual material to stimulate sexual
thrill.

Literature Review

Art has been present ever since there were humans. It exists everywhere and can be
comprised of natural and/or artificial things. The human body can be considered as a natural object
or a part of nature in the field of art. The nude first emerged as a phenomenon from the Western
world. Nude art can be traced back to a time even before the rise of the Greek civilization. An
artifact called The Willendorf Venus, which looked like a heavyset female, was found and was
dated back to around 30-25,000 BC and it is believed to be a fertility symbol. Around 6th- 5th
century BC, emerged the famous classical Greek art. The Greeks were particularly known for
their athletic competitions and religious festivals that celebrated the human body, particularly the
male gender (Sorabella, n.d). The idea of perfection and ideal proportions were evident during
this time. Most of the paintings and sculptures were of Gods and godlike mythical heroes that
were made nude or of minimal covering. Female nudes were obviously based on male template
but were portrayed as clothed and covered. From this, the stark differences between the portrayal
of the male and female genders are seen. The male nude, in Greek society, were depicted as
heroes, gods, expressions of virility, and champions during the famed Olympic games.
Meanwhile, the female nude was often related to sexual desire, and thus female paintings and
sculptures were covered and clothed. Although around 4th century B.C., Greek sculptors began to
make nude figures of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, female nudity still remained to be
undignified, seductive, and immodest. Standing statues of Aphrodite were still carved with her
privates modestly covered by her hand. The Greeks were not interested in the female nude for it
is said that females have disproportional bodies and could not be patterned to male perfection.
Nudity in art decreased drastically when Christianity became the prominent religion in the West.
The only nudity in religious art was the depictions of the Last Judgment and Adam and Eve and
the special parts were still subtly covered and draped. Nudity, in Christian beliefs, corresponded
to shame. Nudity was synonymous with integrity, which is why the artworks that illustrated
people who were condemned to hell were filled with unclothed men and women.

At the beginning of Renaissance period, particularly in the 13th century in the European
country Italy, nudity was rediscovered as a respectable and popular form of art. It is also said that
the real female nude was a Renaissance invention, a product of Venetian painters (“Nude art”,
n.d.). During the 15th century, drawing natural life, such as nudes, became part of workshop
practice. Male models were still used as a basis for drawing nude females. Up until centuries later,
the glamorized and unrealistic nudity were the pursued norm. This type of nudity was used to
draw historical scenes, mythology, religious scenes, and illustrations and interpretations of heroes.
Sculptures and paintings of nudity showed perfect shapes and flawlessness. Again, the female
figures were obviously altered versions of male models. Michelangelo and his sculptures and
paintings of nudes were the most famous artworks during that century.

During the 16th century, the first Art Academies were founded in Italy. Concurrently, countries in
the North had a different artistic convention like excessively including nudity in their religious
paintings. Still, they have used the same method of using male templates as a basis for female
bodies in their artworks. With increasing artistic influence from Italy, Franz Floris, a Northern
artist, popularized the portrayals of naked nymphs and shepherds in flawless proportions. The
Baroque era came during the 17th century, and a somewhat more realistic depiction of women
started to be seen. Artworks were more sensual, dramatic and well paid for. Nude paintings were
illustrated in whimsical surroundings during the 18th century. Mainly Rococo artists like Boucher
who painted portraits of Louis XV’s mistress, Madame de Pompadour, did these.

Real females were finally used as models for female nudes during the 19th century. At first,
the use of real women as models for female figures were uncommon and unheard of in great
academies, such as the French Académie Royale, since men were more virtually used; however
artisans gradually accepted that they use actual women for painting/sculpting female nudes.
Unlike the great academies in Italy and France, the small academies in Britain have been using
female models for female nudes longer. Female nudity in art was more popular in Britain. Even
though the male nude was universally popular and was used more in this continent, it has not been
very popular and acceptable in British art up until the later part of the 18 th century when they
introduced it to regular life drawing classes. In spite of that, the female nude has remained the
strongest tradition in Britain. As the 19th century continued, French paintings grew more popular
and the female nude became a major theme in French art. They are now used both in academic
and rebellious paintings and sculptures. Female nudity was also often used for symbolic or
allegorical means like Delacroix’s painting, Liberty Leading the people (Rose, 2013).
Photography was introduced during the latter part of the 19th century, specifically 1839, and the
people became more aware and exposed to a more realistic view of the human body. In the 20th
century, a famous painter, Picasso has used both idealized and natural forms of nudity in his
paintings. This shows that the history of nudity in art in the Western culture often has recurring
dialogues (Graves, 2003). Postmodernism during this century was vital to feminist art (Mulvey,
n.d.).

According to Chemaly (2014), “people seem confounded by expressions of Female Nudity

that are not sexual”. Humans often cannot separate nudity in art from nudity in the state of
obscenity. Art is an outlet of expression while pornography can be defined as the portrayal of
explicit sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual excitement and erotic satisfaction. It has
become a social norm to find the nude body offensive, thus making the people draw an obscure
fine line on deciding whether something is art or pornographic content. Humans are so far the
only known creatures capable of shame and self- reflection. The thought of obscenity would be
subjective. It should also be considered that the entire society’s view of obscenity now is different
from how the societies in the past view obscenity. Things that were not considered a norm in the
past centuries could be considered a norm now and vice versa. Many great artists in the past have
been criticized and have been given negative feedback about their works during their time and
now in the present time, their works are considered treasures and pure genius. Both art and
pornography make use of nude figures; the motives of using the naked bodies are definitively
distinct. On one hand, pornography utilizes nudity for the sole purpose of sexual stimulation and
lust. Art, on the other hand, uses nude figures for the purpose of expression and admiration for
the beauty of the human body (Musoke, 2014).

The 20th century was the most vital time for feminist art, which were mainly female nude
art or artworks painted by female artists, and feminist movements, who were keen on
differentiating women from men. It is said to be most dominant in countries like United States,
Britain, and Germany. Feminist movements stand against the patriarchal society. Feminist theory
must consider the circumstances most women’s lives as mother, caregivers, weavers, and
household workers. Feminist art illustrates women as powerful, capable, and equal (and
sometimes greater) than the male gender. During the 1960’s women artists struggled to participate
and be noticed in a male-dominant art world. Feminist art movements began with the idea that
women’s experience should be expressed through art but the more popular theory was that this
was more likely a reaction to how women were treated. Feminist art can be considered as a form
of propaganda.

Despite nudity becoming more present in contemporary art, there are still several reported
cases in which these kinds of art forms are either censored or banned. Andy Golub’s popular
exhibition in Times Square, New York in 2013 showcases nude model being body-painted in
public. Golub’s models consisted of both men and women although there were more females than
males during the exhibition. The police arrested the models under the charge of public nudity
(Marsh, 2014); (Durante, 2014).

In an interview with Arade Louise Villena (personal communication, December 15, 2014),
a college student, who has posed nude for other artists, talked about the disdain that people express
when they learn that she has done this kind of work. She stated:

In my experience, many people are surprised to hear about me posing nude for artists. They
often ask why I do it, and often comment that I am brave to do it as well. The general
public, especially Filipinos, is still not used to it, caging the woman's body in the idea of
purity, covering up and being demure, all based on their own terms of what a woman should
be. (A. Villena, personal communication, December 15, 2014).

In another interview with Mr. Karol Mikhael Nakpil (2015), a fine arts graduate from the
Bulacan State University, now teaching Business and Trades (formerly called T.H.E.) in Miriam
College, talked about how nudity in art is necessary basing on his studies. According to him:
 Nude art is necessary because, as I have said, it’s a form of expression. It depends on the
person looking at it because there are actually two types of uhh...because when you say...or
when you discuss art, we are looking at two perspectives. Perspective of the person doing
it and the perspective of the person looking at it. So yeah, it is necessary because it’s a form
of expression. You can express yourself in different ways. Uhmm, it can be in photography,
it can be, yeah, in painting, in drawing, so yeah I think it is necessary (K. M. Nakpil,
personal communication, February 10, 2015).

The Iranian government has a strict mandate on what goes on in their country because of
their Muslim religion. Golnar Tabibzadeh’s paintings mainly featured nude people. Due to the
intense scrutiny, the Iranian government has band her artworks and outlawed for any to be
shown in public (Athanasiadis, 2006). In a town in the US state Indiana, Stephen Osborne’s
painting of a woman with a left breast exposed was removed by the Fishers Art Council because
it was considered as not “family-friendly” (Solis, 2014). The Birmingham Botanical Gardens
censored Danuta Grey’s paintings of nude women by covering the private parts of the woman in
the painting with strips of paper because of a complaint made by a teacher (Graaf, 2013). During
2010, a video artist named Rose Bochovski exhibited her computer-graphic, 3-D film in an art
gallery and it featured a naked girl in a non-provocative matter. It was taken down for the reason
that it contained nudity with an “adult” rating (Shepherd, 2011).

Nudity has long existed alongside man and it is an inseparable concept from nature. Often,
the society sees nudity as porn when in fact it is a form of expression.
Banning and censoring artworks limits the freedom of expression of the artists involved. Artists
are not the only one who is affected and restricted, but the audience as well. The audience grows
and lives in a society that shames the naked body instead of
celebrating and appreciating it.

Nudity in art promotes the ideology of liberalism and pride, particularly in the human
body. Although there are people who are offended at any depiction of human nudity, nudity alone
does not make an image obscene (“Obscenity and Art: Nudity”, 2005). In art, the nudity is
secondary to the subject form or another idea. The subject is nude because clothing would interfere
with the lines of the form, not because someone is “turned on” by the idea of nudity (Masoner,
2011). There is beauty in nudity, a raw type of honesty that is rarely seen in today’s superficial
world. Nudity in art celebrates the female human body, its flaws and imperfections, all its curves
and edges. It neither depicts, nor “Photoshops” a naked woman’s body, to simulate sexual thrill.
In this aspect, nudity in art positively affects society, in terms of its view of the female human
body. Nudity in art promotes confidence and positive body image for women mostly because of
the fact that nudity in art expresses women realistically, showing that they are not mere objects to
be manipulated for others’ sexual consumption. Regarding the nude form, Bill Fisher, an assistant
professor in Georgia College & State University’s Art Department, could not have said it better
than this: “It’s the most physically and psychologically complex and powerful form to work with.”
As said by the artist Ariano Cavalcanti de Paula, “The true essence of art is beauty, joined with
the sensuality of the nude, often confused with vulgarity. So the artist, both in painting and in
sculpture, in dancing or in photography, discovers in the nude a profound link with the pureness
of being. Sensuality also evokes love, passion and the creation of man. This is why nudity moves
the viewers profoundly.” The emphasis of nude art is not in the physical form, but in the little
details, like the eyes, wherein the artist’s emotions are truly captured. K. M. Nakpil also stated in
his interview that “Nude art is necessary.” This is so because art is a platform that can be freely
used to express emotions and ideas without putting them into words. Nude art, then is the rawest
form of self-expression artists can make; making themselves vulnerable in front of their audience.
Nudity in art is also honest, as it shows the human figure wholly, as it is, without embellishing or
marring it. Whether by painting, live art, photography, or other mediums, nudity in art comes
across as thought-provoking and empowering. Kostas Fokas, a photographer, captured images of
certain parts of the body for his first solo exhibition, entitled “I’m Not Malfunctioning, You Are”.
As he stated in his interview with Dazed magazine, “…the naked bodies serve as a metaphor for
how we feel when we get undressed, the uncomfortable feeling of exposing ourselves to others”
(Kane, 2014). From this, nudity can also provide as a means of social critique and exploration of
mundane matters that a lot of people face. Nudity, the display of the human form, is an art wherein
people could express themselves and be liberated from the stereotypical norms regarding the so-
called “perfect” bodies in society. This inspires others to join this campaign where the word real
is synonymous with empowerment. If the point of art is primarily to express ideas about the nature
of humanity, then it would be natural to expect that the unadorned human form would be among
the most powerful of those expressive tools, and indeed it is (Yoder, 2012). This power can be
seen in Hannah Wilke’s 1979 work So Help Me Hannah: What Does This Represent/What Do
You Represent (Reinhart). In this painting, the artist is sitting in a corner lost in thought, naked,
her legs spread. It would ordinarily be seen as a pornographic image but it is not because the artist
has her hand on her head, portraying her as a thinking woman, not as a sexual object. Also, the
expression of her face, and the way she angled herself in the portrait gives off the idea that she is
a proud woman, with nothing to hide (Roberts, 2013). The objective of the image is not to entice
or sexualize, rather, it was created to show that the human form can be appreciated in the nude
without it being sexualized. The image of the female nude is a pure form, one that, rather than
provoking action, encourages contemplation, even reverence (“Nudity and Art”, n.d.). Tim
Marlow, a British art historian explains Pablo Picasso’s 1907 work “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon”,
saying “the shock of the nude is more profound than its sexuality” (Dagorret, 2011). In the said
painting, the subjects, nude females, stare back at the viewer in a confrontational manner rather
than simply posing for viewing. Ann Temkin, a curator of MoMA, talked about the artwork in the
MoMa Audio: Collection, stating that “It's part of the desire of the painting to confront you
physically, psychologically, as well as intellectually, with everything that's going on in it.” By
looking at the viewer in a confrontational manner, it can be said that these females do not conform
to the ideal during their time which was that women do not look at a man straight in the eye. This
straightforward manner, therefore, shows that the women in the particular painting are strong
women. Marina Abramovic, a live artist, uses the human body as her medium. In her recreation
of her 1977 piece Imponderabilia, where she stood together with her then-partner, nude in a
doorway, during her retrospective The Artist Is Present, at New York’s Museum of Modern Art
(MoMA), some members of the audience had been ejected for touching the naked performers.
The reception for her retrospective had been mostly positive, though there are some viewers that
sniggered at the content. With the sheer amount of naked flesh on display, it was observed that
viewers were less comfortable now about nudity in the gallery or theatre, than they were 30 years
ago. In Abramovic’s words, “In 1977, there was no problem, and it looks like now there is a
problem.” Abramovic did not specifically expose herself during The Artist is Present, but, as the
title suggests, she is revealing herself every day, spending the duration of the exhibition sitting at
a small table, inviting members of the audience to sit with her (Gardner, 2010). In the words of
Renner, “It is entirely legitimate to use images of nudity to make a statement about how people
relate to their social environment, especially if the statement involves personal identities or social
stereotypes”. Nudity in art aims to make a statement. It aims to portray nudity as something people
should embrace, not something to shy away from. Making an artwork about the human female’s
nude form is also sometimes expressed as part of the feminist movement. Feminist art, similar to
Surrealism, is not a style of art that can be seen but rather a way of making art. Feminist art notes
that significant in the dominant (meaning especially Western) culture’s patriarchal heritage is the
preponderance of art made by males, and for male audiences, sometimes transgressing against
females (“Feminism & Feminist Art”, n.d.). The Feminist Art Movement began with the idea that
women’s experiences must be expressed through art, where they had previously been ignored or
trivialized (Napikoski, n.d.). Through the use of the nude female form as a subject in an artwork,
feminist thoughts and ideas can be projected and can impact its viewers in a way that simply
stating one’s belief cannot. Utilizing nudity has become a form of protest incorporated by many
people, especially for activists who are for women’s rights. As with many countries, women who
are topless in public places are strictly prohibited. The “illegal” act would entail a penalty, such
as paying a fine. However, there are cases in which the woman is jailed as seen in the previous
example with Andy Golub’s Times Square exhibition, The Topfree Equal Rights Association
(TERA), which points out that while men have the free choice to go shirtless in public without
any penalties, women receive a different kind of treatment. TERA, along with many feminists,
are opposed to such laws as it goes against equal rights. The advocacy for this matter is to provide
women with the same possible choice as men have. In regard to women’s rights as a whole, nudity
can be seen as a means of representation and social commentary on these rights that women all
around the world call for. In one perspective, it can be seen that the restriction of female nudity
represents how the cultural, social, and racial hierarchies are still evident. It acknowledges and
challenges the limitations that 21st century women still have (Chemaly, 2014). An example of
proponents in The Feminist Art Movement is The Guerilla Girls. They are a group of women
artists, writers, performers, and filmmakers who dub themselves as the conscience of culture,
declaring themselves as the feminist counterparts to mostly male anonymous do-gooders like
Robin Hood. These women wear gorilla masks to focus on the issue they are campaigning, rather
than their personalities. The Guerilla Girls are one of the forerunners of feminist art, using humor
to convey information and provoke discussion regarding their campaigns. These women produce
artworks, posters, advertisements, and the like to promote their ideology which is the non-
objectifying of women’s bodies. Nudity in art should be largely accepted in society as it projects
a more positive and liberal view regarding women’s bodies. Viewing the female form in an artistic
aspect ensures that women will neither be over-sexualized nor objectified. If nudity in art becomes
majorly accepted in society, women would be more comfortable and open with their bodies. The
rates for body satisfaction will also increase, since art is a platform that does not aim to degrade
women through over-sexualizing and objectifying, contrary to pornography. Art is a medium
where self-expression is encourage, and even celebrated, by people who either share the same
belief, or secretly applaud the belief expressed. Largely accepting nudity as a way of life in society
will revolutionize media, thus showing that beauty comes in all forms and colors. This, in turn,
will lead to promoting a positive shift in the treatment of those who were formerly discriminated
(LTD, 2014). Society would learn to appreciate the female form, despite, or maybe because, of
the uniqueness of each and every woman’s body. Revolutionizing the media will not only lead to
a sincerer appreciation for all the forms of the female form, it will also reduce problems regarding
gender inequality. The objectification of women as sexual objects will lessen since nudity in art
is seen as a respectable outlet for creativity, not promiscuity (Elebute, 2014). Through art, an
artist’s emotions and struggles are apparent, presenting an artwork that is full of feelings. Nude
images would be viewed with the aim to receive the message the artist sent across while doing the
artwork.

Art and media, in contemporary times, have grown to become interconnected, with both
elements being seen in either entity. Films and photos are now also recognized as art forms, with
many becoming noticed due to social media. It has become a force that influences people. Media
also has become the primary outlet for communication and circulation. Whether it is a serious
news story that would affect every country or it is a heart-warming anecdote shared through a
post, media creates an impact. Through media, female nudity in art can be acknowledged more
and it can be an instrument to help guide people into understanding this issue. Recently, Facebook
changed their photo policy and allowed breastfeeding photos due to the then-criticism of many
women, especially feminist groups (Arce, 2014). This is an example of how feminist groups have
readily affected the society today. Such feminist groups belong to the Third Wave of feminism.
This current wave does not solely focus on one agendum alone but it includes prevailing matters
like media, sexuality and multi-cultural feminism (Rampton, 2014). Third Wave feminism started
during the 1990s, in which Rebecca Walker first used the term in her essay, stemming from the
early ideas of the two preceding waves as while as deconstructing and altering former beliefs like
heteronormativity and high heels are not about male oppression. A key medium that this wave
uses is social media. Using social media as a method to call for action and raise awareness has
become the new norm for feminist organizations. Called “network activism”, it has grown to
generate multiple campaigns and discussion throughout the Internet community (Watson, 2013).
This generation of feminists shows their advocacy on the Web in various ways, either through an
“e-zine”, a blog post or a hashtag for a trending topic on Twitter. Given this modern approach to
disseminate information, feminist groups and the media should join forces to further strengthen
and give widespread awareness to the promotion of female nudity in art (i.e. The National
Campaign for Freedom of Expression). Joining forces would entail for the two to have a strong
alliance and this can be made possible by forming a new committee that would incorporate both
their roles. This committee will be spearheaded by the arts council. Since the arts council is
affiliated with the government, it would further solidify the committee and include a larger
audience all over. Through this strong alliance, it can promptly exhibit, not just artworks, but
other empowering messages for females as well, slowly changing the people‘s perception.

As both the media and feminist groups work together, campaigns that deal with the female
body should be continued, especially the ones online. Free the Nipple, one of the many movements
that became popular through the Internet, is about being against censorship that is placed on
women and their bodies. Due to its global prominence, even by famous people like Miley Cyrus
and Liv Tyler, a film has been made about it and the #FreeTheNipple campaign was launched,
which culminated in many using the hashtag and posting pictures of themselves being topless to
show their support. The BARE Campaign is another example, started by the Women Enough
organization. This campaign mainly gives the chance for women to share their experiences and
be photographed nude. These portraits give importance to positive self-body image and realistic
representation of all female figures, emphasizing on the liberation of women through their bodies.
A continuing project that is similar to the previous campaign mentioned is The Nu Project, a
collection of nude photos which was started by Katy Kessler and her husband, Matt Blum back in
2005. These photos are also voluntary and about 150 women have already participated. All of
these examples have a common theme – emphasizing the female body and acknowledging all
shapes and sizes women have. Through these campaigns, it can sustain the discussion around
female nudity, calling the attention for many to reconsider how the female naked body has been
traditionally viewed as a taboo subject and therefore censored most of the time. As it is presently
observed, media, from the advertisements seen on television and billboards to the “Photoshopped”
editorials of models, has heavily influenced the “ideal” standard for beauty (Serdar, 2005);
however, with the help of feminist groups this perspective can be changed through mass media.
Substantially, the content of the information would also educate and differentiate what nudity in
art is, instead of the pornographic and erotic themes most people associate it with. As it is a multi-
media platform, a main website and numerous social media accounts, such as Twitter and Tumblr,
will be created to readily disseminate this information through varying posts that would also
include photos and infographics. These accounts will be handled by the feminist organizations
and will also be promoted in their own respective websites. Utilizing the aforementioned
campaigns and movements will also be done as it can garner more support and many are already
familiar with it. These posts can easily be shared and viewed, guaranteeing that more Internet
users would get to access and see it. Through print media, newspapers and magazines would
include a feature that would revolve around this topic. Women magazines, like Ms. Magazine,
Bitch, Women in the Arts and BUST, and art magazines have already covered and published
articles about female nudity in art throughout the years and they still continue to do so.
Mainstream magazines and newspapers should start adding the subject in their own content, since
they are read by the general public. These mainstream magazines pertain to the widely established
titles such as Vogue, Cosmopolitan, and TIME. These magazines and newspapers can produce
and give more facts on female nudity in art. It would incite more dialogue and make people
contemplate on their own opinion on the matter.

As media becomes the essential platform in showcasing one’s freedom of expression,

people have more access to a plethora of artists and their works. More and more have become
immersed in art as they are exposed to the things they see. One example of a painter who became
widely known because of the Internet is Lee Price. She conveys the relationship between women
and food through a series of nude self-portraits (Frank, 2014). The motif of her aerial illustrations
centers on body image as many women feel self-conscious of what they choose to eat. The
Facebook posts of Art Parasites have become notorious, as many people have shared it on their
feeds. This famous account also has a website, Artparasites.com, which also doubles as an e-
magazine. Art Parasites publicly posts notable artworks from around the world, giving more
coverage to more artists. From these examples, the new committee can use these techniques to
show and celebrate female nudity in art. The committee may set a specific month or week for
nude art commemoration. Additionally, the bulk of this special month/week will also be dedicated
to the female body. This month/week would involve mini-public exhibitions and activities relating
to nude art, especially female nudity. There would also be talks held for the people, wherein the
invited speakers may range from distinct members of the art community, such as art critics, artists
and museum directors, to feminist people who are also artists as well. This commemorative
month/week serves both as an encouragement and inspiration for people who are interested and
may want to produce nude art. Leading the committee, formed by the media and feminist groups,
are two international organizations: International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture
Agencies (IFACCA) and The Women’s Media Center (WMC). An international conference will
be mandated and hosted through IFACCA and WMC. Each country will be individually
represented through their art councils. Selected artists, art professors and students will also be
invited to join this forum, as they can observe and also be part of the committee. This conference
will open the conversation and possibly be the foundation of the partnership between the media
and feminist groups. Through the committee, a deliberation will be made to set the standard
measures concerning nudity in art. The two key determinants to consider will be the education
and awareness of the public on the matter. As nude art is largely taught more on college art
courses, the committee will establish necessary guidelines to follow and help teach the public on
the subject, becoming the principle policy. These guidelines will be chiefly created by a small
group of people within the committee that would comprise mostly of art experts. It will be then
re-evaluated and approved by the whole committee. These guidelines can also serve as the basic
framework for the arts policy of each country. Discourses on the qualifications on appropriate
depictions of females will also transpire; these discourses are needed as it is to ensure that the
artworks, which will be promoted by the committee, will not have any other subtext other than
celebration of women. Violent and abusive depictions, such as rape, of women are generally the
factors that will be observed and qualified as degrading. IFACCA, as an international
organization, deals with everything that has to do with arts and cultural policy. Currently there 76
national arts and 55 affiliate members in the organization. They also have strategic partners, such
as UNESCO, serving as their network to support and help them accomplish their plans. Within
the organization, arts councils and culture agencies from different parts of the globe work hand-
in-hand to share and exchange information to further improve their own country’s arts. IFACCA
intends to also expand the government arts funding agencies and to boost the support of the
community for the arts. As such they have several programs and events to aid them in achieving
their goals. One program is The D’Art program, which centers on their “knowledge links”. The
D’Art aspires to assist any country with their policies or information by connecting them to other
arts councils or culture agencies that might have also experienced the same problems. Through
this program, IFACCA can guide the art councils around the world (i.e. National Commission for
Culture & the Arts, Philippines), in the discussion of female nudity in art. Subsequently,
IFACCA’s triennial World Summits will also be utilized to further update the discourse on the
topic. The other host organization is the WMC, which represents both the female and media
aspect of the policy. WMC collaborates with the media to establish and protect women’s roles.
Its main activities, as an organization, are monitoring the media, promoting advocacy campaigns
and women in the media, creating programs for both women and girls, and publishing/posting
their own material. WMC can facilitate the dialogue on how female nudity in art will be shown
and ensure that these artworks have proper depictions of females, meaning that it would not be
degrading. Through the numerous people who are a part of WMC, such as Gloria Steinem, Soraya
Chemaly and Jane Fonda, WMC can develop and expand the news on female nudity to their
networks. Once the media reevaluates how it views and portrays the female body, since
internalized objectification and hyper sexualization are still evident, through a proposed
partnership, they can unite with feminist groups, creating a solidified relationship that promotes
female nudity: not just in the art world but in society as well. Although the media has become
much more self-aware, there are still a few areas where it needs to work on, and with the assistance
of the feminist groups, especially The Women’s Media Center, these problematic issues can be
solved. The acknowledgement and representation of female nudity in art may vary for each
country/culture; nevertheless, it still holds significance and celebrates both the female figure and
the women artists who created it. It is noticeable that there are less famous women than men in
the arts, especially in visual art. When people try to name popular painters, they usually answer
Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, and several other males. Not all are familiar with women
artists; however one museum is trying to change the public’s knowledge. The National Museum
of Women in the Arts (NMWA) holds an advocacy and high recognition for women in the art
community. They are devoted into preserving and exhibiting all creative works of women around
the world. This unique museum appreciates and shows how women can be excellent with their
skill and talent. Presently, more and more women are being noted for their craftsmanship. One
example is Aleah Chapin’s paintings, which stir away from the conventional nude composition
but instead solely focuses on the bodies of old women (Cohen, 2014). With her paintings, she
wanted a realistic image that correlates to body images, emphasizing that a woman’s body is still
beautiful despite the imperfections they have as they grow up. Another example is an art show in
Oakland, California. “Naked Ladies: Sexy. Raw. Owning it”, the title of said art show, focused
on the bodies, emotions and sexuality of women. It collectively showed women in different kinds
and manners (Kumeh, 2012). This female-centric art also gives recognition to the female figure
as a symbol for various feelings and concepts. Succinctly, in contemporary times, female nudity
has evolved from its earlier portrayals most because of the female artists who have created
artworks that show the complexities of women (Valdez, 2014).

Every generation displays generalized and unique traits in terms of economic, political and
social views. Societal events that affects the existing generation shape the future young adults of
the society when they themselves become the elders and these elements that they carry will make
a lasting impact on society. The Millennial generation falls into the third category. The label refers
those born after 1980 – the first generation to come of age in the new millennium. The Millennial
Generation, those who are born in 1980-1999 are labeled to be the generation that is the most open
to change (Kohut et al. 2010) They are also the generation that are “most connected” given the
technological advances millennials are more vocal about their opinions and often share them over
social media. Moreover, 75% out of all the millennial population owns a profile on a social
networking site hence being more exposed to different opinions, ideologies and cultures unlike
other generations like the boomer and the silent generations who are deemed to be a bit more
intolerant to change.

Data and Methodology

To test the claims of previous studies that there will be a significant difference between the
attitudes of millennials towards nudity and art as compared to previous generations, we have
conducted Pearson’s correlation analysis to a survey the panel had conducted. A total of 168
responses were gathered by an online survey. The respondents were asked where they often see
Nude art, their age bracket, highest educational attainment and whether or not they think Nude art
objectifies and sexualizes women via an online survey.

What age group do you belong to? Count

18-22 years old 100
23-41 years old 20
42-53 years old 33
Born in the 2000s (17 years old and
below) 15

What is your gender? Count

Female 92
Male 76

Highest educational attainment? Count

College 94
High School 58
None 1
Post-Grad 15

Where do you often see Nude Art? Count

Museums 81
Public Places 40
Social Media 47

How do you view Nude Art? Count

 I think Nude Art DOESN'T objectify and sexualizes women
(0) 139
I think Nude Art objectifies and sexualizes women (1) 29

Source: Online Survey via Google forms: Actual excel file will be attached along with timestamps wherein the respondent had
submitted the survey

18 year olds views on Nude Art

Nude Art DOESN'T objectify and sexualizes

88
women

I think Nude Art objectifies and sexualizes

12
women

0 20 40 60 80 100

Out of 168 respondents there were 100 18-22 year olds of which only 12 deem that nude art
objectifies and sexualizes women, the remaining 88 deem otherwise.
 23-41 year olds view on Nude Art

Nude art DOESN'T objectify and sexualizes

16
women

Nude Art objectifies and sexualizes women 0

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18

Out of 168 respondents there were 16 23-41 year olds and the entire population deem that nude
art doesn’t objectify and sexualize women

42-53 year olds view on Nude Art

Nude art DOESN'T Objectifies and Sexualizes

38
women

Nude Art Objectifies and Sexualizes Women 15

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Out of 168 respondents there were 53 42-53 year olds of which 15 deem that nude art objectifies
and sexualizes women, the remaining 38 deem that Nude art doesn’t objectify and sexualize
women.
 17 year old and below views on Nude Art

Nude Art DOESN'T Objectify and Sexualize

13
women

Nude Art objectifies and sexualizes women 2

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

Out of 168 respondents there were 15 17 year olds and below of which 2 deem that nude art
objectifies and sexualizes women, the remaining 13 deem that Nude art doesn’t objectify and
sexualize women. To represent the qualitative measures in quantitative data the generations would
be represented by numbers those who were born in the 2000s and below are going to be labelled
as “1” 18-22 year olds as “2”, 23-41 year olds as “3,” and 42-53 year olds as “4” as for their
response on whether or not Nude Art objectifies and sexualizes women “0” would represent
answers who see nude art positively and “1” would represent answers who deem nude art as
detrimental to women.

How do
you
What age view
group do Nude
you Art?
What age group do you belong to? 1
How do you view Nude Art? 0.20484 1

Regression Statistics
Multiple R 0.204840203
R Square 0.041959509
Adjusted R Square 0.03618818
Standard Error 0.889178058
Observations 168
 Lower Upper Lower Upper
Coefficients Standard Error t Stat P-value 95% 95% 95.0% 95.0%
Intercept 2.338129496 0.075419099 31.001822 6.04E-71 2.1892252 2.4870338 2.1892252 2.4870338
How do you view
Nude Art? 0.48945671 0.181525223 2.6963565 0.0077329 0.131061 0.8478524 0.131061 0.8478524

With the correlation and multiple regression of the data resulted to 0.205 we could infer that there
is linear association between generations and how they view nudity in art despite the conclusion,
that there is a generational gap between generations that PewResearch had conducted.

Conclusion and Recommendations

According to PewResearch generations, like people, have personalities, and Millennials –

the American teens and twenty-somethings who are making the passage into adulthood at the start
of a new millennium – have begun to forge theirs: confident, self-expressive, liberal, upbeat and
open to change unlike previous generations that are intolerant. However to gain an a more accurate
result more respondents should’ve answered and instead of qualitative questions and the use of
representation of answer by numbers we suggest using a scale in the next study Despite it all the
results garnered 168 respondents does not seem to view nude art is detrimental to women, this
may be because throughout history, particularly in Western culture, nudity has been a recurring
art theme. At first, the female body was illustrated just for the sake of aesthetics; however, it has
progressed into becoming a key image for expression and empowerment. Fundamentally, nudity
in art is used to present that the subject is free from its constraints and embodies the most basic
human aspect, which sets it apart from the whole point of pornography. Primarily, female nudity
in art is vital in causing a positive alteration towards women’s body image and self-esteem. It is
not there for the purpose of sexualization or to disregard morality altogether, but it is there to
promote acceptance, a diversity of human figures, and reinforces women's views regarding their
bodies. It has become a tool for many female artists to convey their emotion and convey the
message they want other people to see, particularly women. In the words of the Greek thinker
Socrates, “Artists should represent the working of the soul—accurately observing how feelings
affect the body in action.” With the help of media and feminist groups, this issue can become
more widely accepted, as these two are very influential in society and in time, could also gradually
lessen the objectification that is still prevalent in modern times. Nonetheless, the growing number
of acknowledgements for female nudity in art and the makers of these creative outputs have helped
the dialogue on this social issue, subsequently making society further shed light to it. The positive
depiction of female nudity in art, after the media and feminist groups reevaluate their perception
and finally work together, could help shift society’s misogynistic view on the female body through
the myriad forms of art that illustrate and express a woman’s body as multifaceted and not
confined to one symbol or meaning, contributing more to the sense of liberation for women. This
paper aim to find out whether there is a significant difference between generations and their
attitudes towards nudity in art. Is there a need for local governments to filter art in the forms of
painting, photography, and sculptures that depict nude women and men, as these can worsen
society’s views on both women and men’s bodies. Does the audience think that artworks that
depict nudity objectifies and sexualizes the image of women.

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