Equality versus modesty Indecent exposure in art class

Press, 22 July 1989, Page 17

Equality versus modesty Indecent exposure in art class

Rosaleen M c Carroll

Many of the battles which have been fought and won by women of one generation are taken for granted by the next. For many years, in fact centuries, women artists fought for equality. Historically, they were disadvantaged because they were not allowed to draw from the nude at a time when a thorough study of the nude was the basis of classical art training, and essential for practical progress in art.

Training in drawing the male nude was routinely denied women. Even when the veils were lifted, it was only under the following liberal conditions. To quote from the annual report of the Council of the Royal Academy 1893.

"The male model shall be undraped for the female students except about the loins. The drapery to be worn by the model shall consist of ordinary bathing drawers, and a cloth of light material nine feet long and three feet wide. This shall be passed round the loins, over the drawers passed between the legs and tucked in over the waistband; and finally a thick leather strap shall be fastened round the loins in order to ensure that the cloth keeps its place.”

Aspiring women artists are not restricted nowadays, as my fifth former has just discovered. This year we have been very pleased to see that her early promise in art is

picking up again. Without prompting from anyone she asked if she could go

to life drawing classes at night school. Now I presumed that such a keen and selfmotivated aspiring artist would know what goes on in life drawing classes. As dutiful parents we have tried to warn her, without unduly alarming her, of the hazards that lurk in our society. But we had not considered life drawing classes a high risk.

So off she went with a selection of crayons and pastels and a friend, as teenage girls never move alone. It was fortunate she had her friend to help cushion the shock. She came home with her eyes standing out on stalks and still in a state of shock. Did I have any idea what happened in life drawing classes?

“We were expected to draw a naked (dramatic pause) man!” “Well?” “We were just sitting there and this guy walked in with a towel around him and then ..1 he dropped it.” "What did you expect in a life drawing class?” “I didn’t expect him t» be naked. He could at least have covered himself with a handkerchief.” “Why?”

“Because it was really scary. He was so open about it.” She demonstrated some elaborate poses this exhibitionist had made.

“What did you do?” I asked “What could I do? I wanted to get up and run but I felt a bit silly when

nobody else did so I stayed.” “Did you like it?”

“Yes I loved it but I had trouble with some parts because I was too embarrassed to look and the teacher kept saying

.. .’You’ll never get it ■right if you won’t look.’ ”

Women artists fought for centuries to study and draw from the male nude, but my daughter is blissfully unaware of the battles that have gone before. Her equality in the life drawing class catches her completely unawares.

She sees it, not as a right which her foremothers have fought for but rather as a wilful act of indecent exposure by a sexual exhibitionist.