Main features of Body Art
“Throughout history, body art has captured the way that humans relate their experiences to their physical body. Examples of body art are recorded in many formats, including photographs, drawings, engravings, books, films, sculptures, and paintings” (Introduction to the History of Body Art, 2014, para. 4)
Nowadays, it has obtained great popularity. There are many body art genres, models and artists in the world (Harrington & Bielby, 2000). However, it is possible to outline some very important persons who contributed a lot to the development of this kind of art. Verushka and some other artists of the 1960s influenced greatly development of body art in the world (Body Painting & Body Art History, n.d.). Their main idea was to draw attention to this new way of expressing feelings and emotions. They combined beautiful and amazing works with some shocking and even disgusting motifs to shock the public.
Moral aspect of Body Art
The sense of this new art lies in drawing some pictures on the body of a person. Moreover, very often a person is fully naked with the only layer of paint covering his/her body.
Body Art Its main peculiarities and influence
Contemporary society is characterized by the development of different kinds of unusual arts. It is determined by the increased level of creativity of people. Modern technologies and devices allow new ways of expressing people`s feelings and emotions. That is why, people try to create something absolutely new, which has never been known before (Barker, 2011). Thirst for unicity lies in the nature of human being, that is why, it is quite obvious for people to try to be innovators in some new spheres.
Modern art is a reflection of the state of consciousness of a person. That is why, sometimes it obtains rather strange manifestations.
Body Art cannot be called a new art as it has already been known for many years. Even ancient people used to paint their bodies for some religious purposes. However, only nowadays this phenomenon has obtained great popularity and became some sort of art.
On the one hand, it is a kind of art which can guarantee esthetic pleasure. Moreover, the view of human body was appreciated by a great number of antique philosophers and artists of the Renaissance.
Sometimes paintings made in this technique have provocative, sexual or even shocking character. It is difficult to speak about the moral aspect of this issue.
On the other hand, the view of naked body can be unacceptable for a religious or moral person which considers it to be inadmissible to be naked in public.
Body Art and the Bible
Speaking about the moral aspect, the attitude of the Church towards this question should be mentioned. There are some main points which should be emphasized within this framework.
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. (1 Cor.6:19-20)
Taking into account this statement, it is possible to say that the Bible condemns body art (What does the Bible say about getting tattoos?, n.d). It considers it to be inappropriate practice because the body of a human being is made after the image and likeness of God and that is why a person should care about his/her body and not cause some damage to it.
Moreover, one more aspect is important. It is the question of morality. Body art can be appreciated as the manifestation of lust, which is also prohibited by the Bible.
Body Art. Discussion
Within the framework of modern tolerance and humanism, it is possible to suggest that this issue can introduce great number of different discussions. It has already been stated, that this kind of art has its own adherers and opponents. Each side of this opposition has its own arguments.
Among the opponents of Body art, the Church seems to be the most influential and authoritative. Nowadays, it does not have such overwhelming power, though, it still can determine development of some processes in society as three is a great number of people who follow all recommendations which the Church gives.
To investigate this issue better, it is possible to discuss body art with the main opponent of this idea and analyze all existing arguments.
First of all, it should be said that even in the period of history which was characterized by the blossom of Renaissance, there was a great number of different pieces of art which praised human body, very often depicting naked bodies. The Church was much stricter in that period of its development, however, the works of this sort were not prohibited.
It has already been determined that the Church has a negative attitude to this issue. However, it is possible to give some arguments for the further development of Body art.
Additionally, the process of drawing or painting on the body cannot be taken as the contamination of the temple of Holy Spirit. On the contrary, this process can be appreciated as the admiration of the perfection of this great gift of God. Painting some drawing on the body of a person, a painter wants to show this beauty to people for them to be able to understand their aesthetic completeness.
Body Art. Perspectives and possible implications
Having analyzed the main peculiarities of this phenomenon in the world of art, it is possible now to cogitate about its possible perspectives and implementations within the framework of church.
It is possible to suggest that nowadays, in the age of tolerance and humanism, body art can be accepted by the majority of people in the world.
Moreover, the modern Church is also known for its humanistic and tolerant approach to many questions. That is why, it is possible to suppose that the Church can treat body art as a new and unique school of art which can show people beauty of a human body, its perfection and unicity. This kind of art can promote development of religious feelings among people.
Body Art. Conclusion
Nowadays, modern art has unique and very often unusual forms which can be very provoking and even shocking for common people. However, Body Art is one of these kinds of art which can be called the main distinctive features of our time. Being new and using unusual was of expressing feelings, body art can develop modern art and guarantee its further existence.
Body art is rather controversial and still needs further discussion. However, even now it is possible to say that it can promote development of the cult of body and people`s appreciation of this gift of God.
References
Barker, K. (2011). Cultural Studies: Theory and Practice. Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publications Ltd.
Body Painting & Body Art History. (n.d.). Web.
Harrington, L. & Bielby, D. (2000). Popular Culture: Production and Consumption. Hoboken. New Jersey:Wiley-Blackwell.
Introduction to the History of Body Art. (2014.). ArtHistory.net. Web.
What does the Bible say about getting tattoos? (n.d.). United Church of God. Web.