Since the beginning of Postmodern, nude in paintings has decreased its reality, that is to say, its power. I think there are two reasons for the nude to be vague in art anymore. One is a pressure from equalitarians such as feminists condemning femal nude, and another is a tendency towards abstract art.

I am now living in Amsterdam, which is one of the multicultural cities, and enjoying to see thousands of realistic nude and portraits. For me, they have more attraction and power to move people than something muddy abstract artworks. Since they are really real, they make us really think. Don't you think this realism, where we can see faces and bodies of human being clearly has some possibilities to open up a new way for 'dead' Postmodern art?

>think. Don't you think this realism, where we
>can see faces and bodies of human being clearly
>has some possibilities to open up a new way for
>'dead' Postmodern art?

My question is - is it so important to be "a new way for postmodern art" or we can close that chapter (PMA) altogether with the fall of the Berlin Wall? Lucian Freud, in my opinion, capped it quite well with his "overugly" superimposed flesh-nudes.

Dear Ilia,

Thank you very much for your reply.

Sorry, I did not mean that the realism in Dutch painting can be avan-garde of comtemporary art. On the contrary, I am one of the persons, who wonder the meaning of linear art history. The linear art history often produces labels for art movements and tries to link those to particular eras in history. This creates the erroneous impression that art is a progressive activity, that newest and latest is all-important, and that styles and approaches from earlier periods, such as realism, are somehow unfit for the serious contemporary artists. As each artist strives to assimilate formed techniques from long history of Western art, each creates his or her unique gblend.h For this reason, I wanted to say that quality realist painting is a vibrant and exciting area of contemporary art, which seems losing its vigor. I thought it is an original idea to turn the spotlight on not only the newest movements but also on the vibrant painters with realistic paintings. If it is not so original, could you please show me some examples. I am really interested in the contemporary realistic paintings, which vividly describe our life. Because of the absence of attention and criticism from both museums and the art media, I cannot really search the realistic paintings. Luckily, I can reach erealf artists around here in Amsterdam at leastc

If possible, could you also recommend some books to learn the history of art models in Western art. I would like to write articles on art models in Amsterdam, but most of the art book is not on models but on painters.

Post Modernism???

I dont think the question of post modernism was ever answered... though people have misinterpreted the term they have tried in vain to grapple with it....just look at the crowd that emerged from Goldsmiths College in the late Eighties....

Please reply because i would like to discuss this with someone...anyone;)

Cheers guys

I think the painting after the 60s and early 70s only saw a small light in the 80s and has been very dim since. The modern was the turn of the century to 20 and ended with pop art, The death of all those prime characters has left that thing dead now ;I think we are now going backwards because really who has out done them ar how can progress be just a natural movement? Postmodern is a historians label for a date only who is picked to represent it is based back on the old way of paying, you don't see anyone doing anything as important as the moderns. Also nudes are in a class of thier own and the modern or otherwise label is in the color or the perspective,etc.