“World’s Most Famous Nude Painting since Picasso, Dali and Modigliani’s Nudes”

You may remember my post about artist Modigliani’s nudes that were considered porn in the early 20th century. Recently, another painting thought too scandalous to be exhibited in the past has suddenly become an acclaimed, hugely popular piece of contemporary art. I’m talking about Jim Warren’s “Sexual Explosion.” It was previously banned in the U.S. in the 1970s for being too “obscene and sexually explicit.”  It’s interesting how our perceptions change over time of what is considered too sexual or explicit.  This painting was made at the beginning of a sexual revolution in the U.S., so does it show how far we’ve come?  These days, pornographic images turn up everywhere on the Internet and have become much more explicit than this.  Though society has loosened up in its tolerance of overt sexual imagery, it doesn’t mean America has become less puritanical with sex and nudity.  This piece is a little less subtle than Modigliani in its sexual tones, but I do find it incredible how much meaning is subtly portrayed by her pose. In spite of it being hidden away for decades, the surreal painting is now a big phenomenon in the art world.  It has even been named the “World’s Most Famous Nude Painting since Picasso, Dali and Modigliani’s Nudes”!

What do you guys think of this contemporary nude art?  Is it worthy of being the most famous nude painting? Today could it still be labeled “sexually explicit”?

“Sexual Explosion” by Jim Warren

Category: Felicity's Nudist Blog By Felicity Jones