The Male Nude in Contemporary Photography (Visual Studies) [Paperback]

Melody Davis (Author)

Book Description

Series: Visual Studies | Publication Date: February 7, 1994

While nude women are a staple of commercial and art photography, the photographed male nude is often the target of censorship but seldom the subject of serious critical discussion. This is the first study to examine the unique interrelation between social perceptions of the nude and the medium of photography. Melody Davis focuses on the work of six artists whose photography confronts societal prohibitions. In order to understand the taboo and silence which surrounds this subject, she addresses the many social and cultural fears that inhibit the presentation and discussion of photographed male nudity. Because she deals with distinctions between the nude and the naked, the interrelational and the pornographic, the book has close connections with current debates about the impact of images and the limits of public tolerance of images of 'deviance'.Through the photographs of Robert Mapplethorpe, Lucas Samaras, John Coplans, George Dureau, Joel-Peter Witkin, and a film by Dusan Makavejev, the author examines how the action ideal for the male body is challenged by an artistic medium in which man becomes the spectacle, not the spectator. By presenting three of photography's genres self-portraiture, portraits of others, and allegorical nudes Davis is able to reveal the critical and theoretical issues which shape our understanding of photographed nudity, and, by extension, representations of gender. Author note: Melody D. Davis is an independent writer and photographer who has taught in the Fine Arts Departments of Montclair State College and State University of New York at Stony Brook.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An important contribution to a little understood subject, particularly admirable for the sensible and level-headed way in which it deals the strong taboos which still surround the material. ...it will become an essential book in photographic studies, since the male nude plays an ever increasing role in contemporary subject matter." --Edward Lucie-Smith "Davis makes an important contribution to the new and growing literature on the sexual representation of the male body. This book is a must for anyone interested in gender studies in photography, film, or art history." --Peter Lehman, author of Running Scared: Masculinity and the Representation of the Male Body

From the Publisher

A unique study of the interrelation between social perceptions of the male nude and the medium of photography --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Temple University Press (February 7, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566391989
• ISBN-13: 978-1566391986
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 6.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,535,530 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars About Male nude, April 14, 2000

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SEBASTIANVS "libra64" (TOKYO Japan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Male Nude in Contemporary Photography (Visual Studies) (Paperback)

Recently most of male nude books are not so aesthetical. There are few beautiful and sensual pictures nowadays. But if you are interested in the contemporary male photographies, I recommend to read this book. You will find something about the key.