Students sound off on use of models

by Aaron Crossen
Vanguard Editor-in-Chief

April 16, 2007 —

Nudity. Some people are uncomfortable with it. Some aren't. Others yet are rather ambivalent. But one thing is for sure: SVSU students think it is absolutely necessary.

The "perfect" capture of human form has been fleeting indeed. Some artists may have come close, from old masters like Caravaggio to new ones like Jacques Bodin. But most artists have one thing in common: the use of nude models.

Nudity is largely taboo in the U.S., so it may come as a surprise to some that nudity is being admired, and not admonished, right here at SVSU.

Fine arts junior Ashley Kitchen is enrolled in Professor of Art Matthew Zivich's Life Drawing class this semester. She said the use of nude models has enhanced the course.

"It's actually pretty good because we get a lot of different experience, instead of using the same person, she said." "Instead of just looking at master studies, you actually get a feel for a real human. It definitely helps a lot."

Zivich said that the use of nude human models likely has ancient beginnings, when nudity was hardly a taboo issue.

"Modeling for art classes probably started when art schools were first formed, most likely in the time of the ancient Egyptians," he said. "They just didn't think of the models as nude models, since everyone was walking around naked back then."

But very few people walk around naked now, so nude models are understandably a bit harder to come by. Zivich said that optimally, students would have an opportunity to emulate several different forms.

"Ideally, we would have a different model representing a different gender, age, race and physical appearance for each class," he said. "That never happens unfortunately, so often we must persist with one model for the whole semester, if we're lucky."

Fine arts senior Katherine Grulke insisted that one nude model is better than none, as the anatomy of the human form is difficult to imitate without an actual human.

"I think it's totally necessary. It's the best way to really understand the anatomy and the form of the human body. It's not drawing a naked individual, it's shapes, forms - any artist is not concerned with 'Oh, it's a naked person," she said. "When we're drawing, we're concentrating on ellipses; how shapes are overlapping the body, how the body is interacting in space. It's not about a naked individual, it's about form, and shape, and anatomy."

The art department is still interested in clothed or nude models. You can help by getting ahold of the faculty secretary at (989) 964-4159.

Vanguard staff writer Adrian Nida contributed to this article.

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