The Human Body and Art.
I had another occurrence that stumped me recently.
Via Instagram, someone direct-messaged me complimenting my line-work and comparing it to another artist who I love. I said my thanks and it was all good. This person then asked if I drew from life or from photos and I said a little of both. If I'm struggling with proportion or angles etc, I'll use my own body and draw from the mirror to get details right, but generally I draw from either just my brain or from a photo that inspires me.
This lead to my conversation-partner to go through my artworks and tell me that they were imagining my body in the positions of my drawn-models.
I was shocked. We went from artistic techniques and art appreciation to suddenly suggestive, and seriously unwelcome comments. I cut the conversation off immediately, and despite their trying to continue the conversation, saying 'no offence intended', I was offended and I had to sit back and try to tell myself that my art wasn't an invitation for the pleasure of others, or an invitation to comment on my body.
But I had a few moments there, where I considered changing my artistic style. I actually was so influenced by this scenario that I considered changing my art! That's terrible! I am free to create what I want, how I want, myself as a model or no, and that should never ever be turned into a sleazy and uncomfortable pass.
Beautiful, grand and talented artworks and small, simple and modest works that involve the human body, clad or unclad, do not invite audiences to dive head-long into inappropriate comments about the artist themselves, or indeed the models.
I wish the human body in art could be appreciated for what it is generally there for - art. The body is a miracle and a fascination, an impossible collection of cells that cling together and create a form that has inspired generation after generation of artists, writers and musicians. It is so tiring to have it used as cheap porn and pick-up lines.
I won't change the way I draw or the subjects of my art. Those in the audience who feel that I am open to comments such as the one I received the other day, can say what they like, but it'll fall on deaf ears and it'll simply fuel my fury at the disgusting world of inappropriate moves made by people who can't or won't understand.