Bare Naked Ladies
Here in Prague people think nothing of looking at naked people, as Althea and I are learning. Our photography teacher began our education in regarding nudes at all times and in all places during his PowerPoint demonstration of his own work.
“And here,” he said. “You will see that I sometimes cannot find a model, yeah? And so I shoot photos that are, how do you say, self-portraits?”
A photo flashed on the screen showing me far more than I ever wanted to see of his backside.
The next class was a walking field trip to some photographer’s studios. There was apparently a bit of confusion in the program schedule: at one place the door was bolted, at the next the photos were the work of someone else. “But still, quite good, I think,” he said.
Our final stop was at a large exhibit of nudes. Our teacher looked as confused as ever. “This is not as I expected,” he said. He consulted with the gallery attendants while we perused the erotically posed naked ladies. “Yes, sorry,” he said. “I expected this show would be male nudes. The photographer I expected, he is homosexual, but quite good, really. These shots,” he waved a hand vaguely, “are fashion photos for Playboy Magazine.”
No kidding.
Today Althea and I went to an art gallery to see Salvadore Dali and Mucha. Mucha liked his ladies clothed, mostly, well, some were bare-breasted. Dali, of course, was a fan of genitals in all forms, shapes, sizes, angles, etc.
We did get a preview of the show we’re to see Monday with our photography class. Jan Saudek. Famous Czech photographer. His models wore skin and nothing else.