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Hannah Gadsby asks why we're so fascinated with nudes

Hannah Gadsby’s got a brand new show on ABC TV, and she’s drawing on both her experience as a comedian and her university education in art history.

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With her quirky style Gadsby delves into the history of the nude from the Greeks through to the modern day.

Along the way she chats to some of Australia’s most prominent artists including Julie Rrap, Bill Henson, Deborah Kelly, Ben Quilty, Brook Andrew and William Yang.

Its fascinating as Ben Quilty chats about his approach to painting a nude self portrait, discussing how you hold the mirror distorts your view of the body, I couldn’t help but see a comparison with the legions of gay men snapping their selfies for Grindr profiles.

Gadsby works her way through different art movements taking in both western and eastern art history, Comparing how European art depicts penises as small, flaccid and often covered by fig leaves, while eastern art often celebrates size and erections.

There’s an intriguing discussion to follow as Gadsby interviews female artists about he way female bodies have been depicted over the centuries, before moving on to how people of colour have been portrayed.

In the second episode Gadsby takes in more modern works and discusses how the male gaze has played a role in the depiction of the human body, and how feminism and gay liberation have influenced the nude.

It’s a fascinating series that will make you want to pick up a paintbrush or a camera, or at the very least rush down to the nearest art gallery.

Hannah Gadsby’s Nakedy Nudes begins at 9:30pm on Tuesday 27th February on ABC and continues the following week.


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