What a piece of work is a man muses Shakespeare’s Hamlet. At Noel-Baza Fine Art Gallery, 2165 India St., the show titled “Bare, Naked & Nude” provides a unique opportunity to ponder Hamlet’s statement and contemplate the beauty of the human form. The exhibition, running through Dec. 18, presents an eclectic amalgamation of the work of 26 artists who explore the art of the naked human body. Noel-Baza, which is owned and operated by Tommy Noel and Larry Baza, put the show together in response to the recent publication of University of California, San Diego professor emeritus Bram Dijkstra’s table top book “The Nude in America.” Dijkstra’s book is an important contribution to artistic scholarship. According to Dijkstra, America has a love-hate relationship with the nude. Many of the most important works of the nude in art have been taken off display in museums because of the opinions of well meaning but puritanical donors. Dijkstra questions this attitude. He thinks “the nude is one of the most beautiful things around” and he is convinced that, “If we familiarize ourselves with the beauty of the human body, we are less likely to try and maltreat it.” Artist Joan Sebastian has four outrageously bold paintings in the show. She is a nudist who likes to paint the naked body. “I like the connection between me and the nude,” she said. Lou Anne Kromschroeder-Davis works in mixed media, combining acrylic, oil and watercolor to create a series of calm, translucent bluish images that blend the natural landscape of hills and mountains with the curves of the body. She said she loves the human form” and likes to combine it with nature. Robert Nelson has two paintings of dolls with red lips and blue eyes in the show. He said his purpose is to “critique beauty contests for children.” Richard Becker has a master’s degree in engineering from Stanford. He never really cared about an artistic pursuit until he went to Barcelona in the 1990s and fell in love with art. He makes sculpture with the lost wax technique that dates back to the ancient Greeks. He has created many large sculptural installations, including one for the Miramar National Cemetery, which is an extension of Fort Rosecrans. For this show, he produced several small nude figurines without arms or heads. One of his male figures is called “Endeavor” from the Thoreau quote, “Endeavor to lead the life you have imagined.” He also has a female figure designated “Advance” from Thoreau’s “Advance in the direction of your dreams.” In conjunction with the show, on Dec. 14 from 1 to 6 p.m., Hugo Crosswaite will paint a picture on the nude body of a woman in the gallery. For further information, visit Noel-Bazafineart.com or call (619) 876-4160.
